Yosemite Wilderness Permits

I hadn’t thought of that. With 2-3 years of impact I wonder if this will be a deciding factor in the wilderness stewardship plan proposing a Little Yosemite Valley type zone and mandatory campground with lockers and composting toilets?

I just received a wilderness lottery spot for Rafferty Creek in September. I am working on planning an itinerary. Anyone willing to give me some feedback on whether this seems like a good plan or whether there are any spots I am missing that I should check out? This will be my first wilderness hike but I am in very good shape and plan to be pretty conservative with my mileage each day. I will average ~8 miles per day with a long day of 12 miles. The area where I would like to do some exploring would be around Vogelsang lake and some of the other alpine lakes in the immediate area.

Day 1: hike from Rafferty Creek trailhead to Tenaya Lake area
Camp somewhere near Tenaya Lake if possible

Day 2: hike from Tenaya Lake to Merced Lake
Camp somewhere near Merced Lake

Day 3: hike from Merced Lake to Vogelsang or Fletcher Lake
Camp somewhere near either lake

Day 4: hike through the lakes around this area
Camp somewhere near Rafferty Creek before it connects with the JMT to avoid the thru hiking masses

Day 5: finish off the trip along the JMT and exit via the Rafferty Creek trailhead

I want to dial this in since the Recreation.gov website wants me to indicate where I will be camping each night, so if I cannot camp in any of these areas then it would be a help if you can steer me in the right direction as far as areas close to these spots where I could set up camp for the night.

Thank you very much for the feedback, and noted on the campsite being far enough from trails and water sources. My main goal is to check out the alpine lakes around Vogelsang, so with that in mind would it be a better idea to travel "clockwise" and hit Vogelsang first and then work my way over to Merced before hitting the Tenaya Lake ares? I want to avoid any absurdly difficult days with this being my first real backcountry hike.

Thanks again.

ETA: Tuolumne Meadows 8800 ft
Tanaya Lake 8150 ft
Merced lake 7200
Vogelsang 10150
Tuolumne Pass 10000 ft.

Personally, I'd rather walk down from V to M rather than up that 3000' Climb 1200 to the pass, then down to M. 1600 ft back up to T Meadows. That won't be all of the story, as some undulation is anticipated, but it is the general gist.

Having thought about that “first wilderness hike” I’d suggest focusing on what you write you’re interested in: the alpine lakes around Vogelsang. Which neither Tenays nor Merced are remotely near.

Plus you’ve, I’ll assume, got to get back to your car parked at your legal entry trailhead, Rafferty Creek. So maybe look at a map and some trail guides and consider this: enter at your wilderness permit entry: Rafferty Creek; head up the trail to Vogelsang then over Vogelsang Pass and down the Lewis Creek drainage with a stop at Bernice Lake (as that’s a side trail it gets few visiiors. If you get there early, dayhike around it). Continue downstream to the Fletcher Creek junction then take that upstream, visiting Emeric Lake. Continue on and back at the Vogelsang area keep going toward Lyell Canyon, with a side trip up to Ireland Lake for another alpine lake experience. Continue from there down to Lyell Canyon and the John Muir Trail and take that back to your trailhead and car.

As to fitness: unless you live at 10,000 feet your lungs aren’t used to the lack of oxygen at alpine heights, add in a multi day packload and I’d suggest a couple of day hikes at elevation before you head out: Twenty Lakes basin just outside the park could be a good area.



Btw: your proposed end to day 4? Also illegal.

Here’s the park map showing the minimum trail distance in you have to be before camping overnight is legal (and the junction of the Rafferty Creek trail and the John Muir Trail most certainly is not) It’s where the colored lines end in the arrowheads.

www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/upload/wildernesstrailheads.pdf

Awesome, that itinerary map I linked to above can help sort out the zone names.

That’s a good month for that area, a bit cooler which helps for the effort. Fewer wildflowers though. I’ve yet to get to Ireland Lake myself, I’m often in a hurry that first days or last to get somewhere else, no doubt a mistake. Maybe I need to take my own advice this July and exit that way. 😎


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