Yosemite Forum

I'm heading up to Tuolumne meadows campground for a weeks stay during the end of July. My boyfriend has done some backpacking before, but keeps saying he doesnt think I could handle a full week of it. However, I would like to "try" it out.

My question is, what location would be a good spot for a 1 (or two) night stay, using Tuolumne meadows campground as a base camp, and take only a small pack up to the destination. Our hiking experience is moderate...but I have done minimal hiking at high elevation.

Any suggestions/personal experiences??

Thanks

Get a permit for Glen Aulin.

There is backpackers campground there. Stay there.
It's kinda like you are car camping w/o the car.
You won't have to carry a bear cannister.

This will give you a taste of carrying the pack w/o some of the
"issues" of ... let's say "real" backpacking.
(i.e. there is a toilet there)

From there dayhike down to Waterwheels and back.

If you love that... then rent a bear can and go up to Lower Cathedral.
Harder but still fairly close to the TH.

Learn about Leave no Trace.
And enjoy the wilderness.

alternatively, you can leave from the TM campground and hike thru Lyell Canyon. i did that last year with my girlfriend for her first ever trip and she loved it. it's very flat and the scenery was really nice. as a first trip, she was happy with both the effort and reward that one gets from going away from crowds and cars.
you can hike for about 6 or 7 miles thru the canyon with the stream nearby for water. if you're ambitious, you can day hike up to Vogelsang High Sierra Camp, but that's only if you're being ambitious as a "newbie."
happy hiking!!!!

Not that I necessarily agree with your boyfriend, but a full week in the backcountry is long time. I just did 6 nights, and it is a very long time with a lot of food to carry. When I bring first-timer's I try to keep it to 3 nights or less and on an a somewhat easy trail to get them acclimated to it.

I would recommend something not too difficult for 2 or 3 nights, then the rest car camping (with showers and bathrooms) and dayhikes.

Also, Bill is throwing out some good recommendations.

Yup. Lyell is a good one too. First 8 miles are pretty flat.
You can camp at mile 4 and dayhike up to Ireland. Or camp further
up the Canyon and dayhike to Donahue or go check out the Lyell
Glacier.

Enjoy

thanks for the huge amount of help guys...gives me lots of options to explore.

One more thing for now...how do i know if the area I'm hiking in requires a wilderness permit or not?

it's my understanding that you always need a permit when backcountry camping, regardless of the location. we certainly needed one last year doing Lyell canyon.

best to call ahead to make sure they can hold one for you. if i'm not mistaken, all trailheads have quotas (especially in Yosemite due to the crowds) that limit the numbers on the trail. after all, you don't want to drive all morning and hit the trail and find it as crowded as Market Street, eh??? you have to camp your first night in a specific location, but after that you can usually roam around or stay put.

have a great time! i've heard recently that the mosquitos are starting to make their presence known...

You need a wilderness permit to camp overnight in the backcountry. period.
You don't need anything to dayhike.

When you are there just go to the Wilderness Center and talk to the
rangers there. They can give you more info and reiterate the rules, etc.

I'm not sure what you mean by
"take only a small pack up to the destination"
since you will probably want
-food
-tent
-stove
-sleeping bag
-extra clothes

but I guess you could get the boyfriend to carry all that ...


Since you have a campground you can easily get a permit for the next
day for wherever you want to go. You'll just want to show up
early to the wilderness center.