Secret Yosemite
Unable to book the trip you want?
You can join the waitlist or even create your own trip.
Overview:
Our longest backpacking trip allows the time to get to areas of the park that very few people get to see. You will leave the crowds far behind and often be immersed in giant landscapes most people never knew existed. We will follow in the footsteps of Ansel Adams and set foot in alpine basins in the most remote area of Yosemite. This trip is for people who want a high level of solitude and a good sense of adventure. As the name implies we do not give out too many details in order to keep the exact areas “secret” until you come explore them in person.
*1 bear can per person required for this trip. Expect to carry 5-10 lbs. of food on the first day of the trip, added to your base weight.
*Meet for pre-trip orientations in front of the Mountain Shop at Curry Village.
Challenge:
Additional Information:
Getting to Yosemite: Yosemite Valley is a 2.5-hour drive from the Fresno Airport and a 4.5-hour drive from the San Francisco airport. Reno Airport is a 3-hour drive from Yosemite East Entrance Public transport on YART is available from Merced, Fresno, Mammoth Lakes, or Sonora during the summer months. If you have questions about getting to Yosemite and the option that’s best for you, give us a call.
Group Size: 12 client spots per trip. A minimum of 3 participants is needed to proceed with the trip.
Guide to Guest Ratio: 1 guide for up to 7 clients, more than 7 requires 2 guides. Certain permits have smaller quota sizes.
Permitting: Yosemite issues backcountry permits 6 months in advance. Registering before permits are issued is helpful for securing permits. Please do not make concrete travel arrangements until we have confirmed with you that we have obtained the permit. We have a great success rate with Yosemite permits. If we cannot obtain a permit all deposits are 100% transferable or refundable.
What’s Included:
A certified and highly experienced Yosemite Hiking Guide
All meals on trial
Camping the night before and after trip
Permits for backcountry use
What’s not Included:
Gratuities for guide (15-20% recommended)
Travel to and from Yosemite.
Itinerary:
-
Meet with your guide for a pre-trip orientation to discuss logistics, hand out gear, and talk about what to expect on trail. Trip orientation takes Place at the infamous Curry Village in Yosemite Valley. Camping will be available the night before and the night after your trip if you wish within the backpacker’s campground, a short walk from Curry Village. Other accommodations are also available in the park, but require advanced booking.
*The pre-trip rendezvous will switch to Tuolumne Meadows Campground once it reopens in late 2024 or 2025.
-
After breakfast we will shuttle to Tuolumne Meadows where we will start along the famous Lyell Fork of Tuolumne River, then later a climb along a creek which will take us to a stunning lake basin where we will camp for our first night.
-
We will awake to climb over a small pass that separates the Tuolumne from the Merced Drainages, a dividing line between the two main water ways that make up Yosemite, which we like to call Yosemite’s backbone. We will then complete a hike to a large alpine lake nestled in high peaks, where we will make camp, have lunch and spend the rest of the day exploring the stunning alpine basin above.
-
We will follow a rushing creek to a trail rarely hiked which will take us along a granite bench above the Merced River with beautiful views of the Clark range. We will arrive at the Lyell Fork of the Merced River to make camp and prepare for a layover day of secret Yosemite Exploration, in one of Ansel Adams old stomping grounds.
-
We will leave our heavy packs behind and head up canyon towards some of the highest peaks in the park. The wonders of this secret Yosemite locale will only be revealed to those who venture there, a truly amazing area of the park, in which very few people see where Ansel Adams took some of his most famous photographs.
-
From here we will leave our secret arena behind and descend towards the upper Merced River where we will have lunch near a splendid swimming hole, and continue to a campsite beneath a large cascade.
-
We will follow the Merced River back to the iconic Yosemite Valley to part ways where we began at Curry Village.
-
Add the summit of Half Dome on day 6 and exit to Yosemite Valley on Day 7.
