Happy Isles Trail Junction to Cloud’s Rest, Yosemite National Park, Part II

Looking back toward Yosemite Valley and Half Dome from the CR Trail

Directions to Cloud’s Rest Continued:

From Little Yosemite Valley, take the trail junction North towards Half Dome. From this point, you will be under constant tree coverage until you break treeline around nine thousand feet several miles up the trail. Depending on what time of day or year this is, you may be around a fair number of people heading up or down from Half Dome. After you have gone 1.5 miles, there will be a turnoff for Cloud’s Rest and the Sunrise High Sierra Camp. Since this trail report is about Cloud’s Rest, it should be obvious what to do here: take the turnoff and keep heading uphill. For the next half mile (.5), you will see a number of campsites that backpackers have made for treks into the High Country, and for overnight ascents of Half Dome.

If you are feeling tired after this first five miles, and hey, with a backpack, and having ascended that far, this is not a bad place to stay, should you have the time on your permit, and or the inclination to stop. It is also worth noting that after this point, there are less flat areas for an extended stretch off trail, so you are likely committed to reaching the summit (or an area just below) unless you like sleeping on sloped terrain. After this half mile stretch, you will see another trail junction which will take you to the Sunrise High Sierra Camp, and destinations North. If that’s where you want to go, head that way, otherwise, stay on the trail you are on toward Cloud’s Rest.

 Not a bad spot to camp near the summit of Cloud's Rest

From this junction, is it five miles to the summit of Cloud’s Rest. I have been up and down Mt. Whitney in a day. I have been up and down many fourteeners, and higher peaks in single and multiple days. I have backpacked over many mountain ranges, and I have to say that in my experience, the first three or so miles of the remaining five are one of the most brutal stretches I have backpacked through . Rest assured, the trail through this section is well graded, marked, and not overly steep.  But...every time I have headed through this section of trail, it has felt to me like it takes freaking forever. Offhand, I can think of several reasons for this – if you started in the valley the same day, at this point you are a probably a little tired from the elevation gain and distance. Second, while the scenery is beautiful, it is also your standard Sierra Nevada forest, with nothing extraordinary visible for a couple miles. So, if you are in this stretch of trail and it feels like it is taking forever, don’t worry – it probably is – or at least that’s how it feels.

After you traverse this portion, however, you will be rewarded with an amazing view. As you approach the 9,000 foot mark, the trees will thin, leaving you on a series of switchbacks with views facing West interspersed by lone pines, and an increasingly small Half Dome. After these switchbacks, the trail straightens out, and levels out somewhat just above 9,000 feet. Here, on the shoulder of the mountain, you’ll find a great spot to camp for the night. There are a number of freestanding glacial boulders, and you’ll find a number of spots that have been packed down on the loose granite shelf. This is where I usually stay, and where I stayed in 2009. I’d say the only better spot to sleep on this trip is the summit of Cloud’s Rest itself. If it’s summertime, be prepared for this area to be fairly popular among backpackers, meaning there might be 4-5 other people there; wintertime, you’ll be lucky if you see another person.

Sunrise over the Clark Range

Depending on the time of day, and time of year, you may want to drop your bag and gear before heading for the summit, which is less than a half mile (.5) from this spot. If it’s late in the day, and you feel like taking it easy, you’ll be able to set up camp easily, and watch the sun set behind Half Dome, while watching Mt. Starr King and Mt. Clark to the South. If you decide to relax, the summit of Cloud’s Rest is a great place to watch the sunrise (as is the above mentioned campsite). It is worth noting that should you elect to sleep on the summit of Cloud’s Rest as I have done, it is an exposed granite area that is basically 10,000 feet (9,926, come on, that’s basically 10K!) that gets quite windy, and has a steep drop off on the Tenaya Canyon side. From the summit, there are great panoramic views of the park. Should you stay at the summit, or the high camp I mention, you’ll be treated to a great sunrise; and great stargazing. Once you’re done on the summit, and if you only have the two day permit I mentioned, you can either make camp for the night, or begin your trek back into the valley. Either way, I guarantee that you’ll have an excellent time summiting this peak, and a relaxing short backpack.

Tips: Remember, there may be no water sources available after Little Yosemite Valley, especially if it is late season, and no snow is present. Be sure to carry plenty of water after that point.

See you on the trail!

More Information: http://www.summitpost.org/clouds-rest/150422, http://gurmeet.net/hiking/yosemite-national-park-clouds-rest/, http://hiking.polarhaven.net/hike.php?id=69, 

Happy Isles Trail Junction to Cloud’s Rest

Switchbacks up the side of Nevada Fall

The great thing about Happy Isles (seriously) is that it is the jumping off point not just for day hikes, but for many multi-day trips into the backcountry from Yosemite Valley. Over ninety-five percent of Yosemite is designated as wilderness, meaning that there are few roads other than trails, and that one must hike to get to these pristine locations. If the Mist Trail is the most popular day hike from Happy Isles, the most popular long distance/multi-day hike is Half Dome. In my opinion, Half Dome is just a day hike (18 miles roundtrip), but it is also a popular overnight destination, with many people electing to climb into Little Yosemite Valley to spend the night before rising early to summit the next day. Half Dome is so popular that at this point, both day use and overnight visitors are required to get permits.  

Like Yosemite, there isn’t much I can say about Half Dome that hasn’t been said. It has obtained a mythic place in hiking lore, and many people want to try their luck at a summit bid, assuming they get a permit. For me personally, Half Dome is just alright. I felt safer climbing the Snake Dike route with ropes to the summit rather than ascending the cables over slick granite with no protection, surrounded by hordes of tired and untrained people.( http://www.supertopo.com/rock-climbing/Yosemite-Valley-Half-Dome-Snake-Dike) Then again, going up the cables on Half Dome is a bit of a thrill that if you’re wilderness oriented, probably should be experienced at least once in a lifetime. At some point, I’ll talk more about summiting Half Dome, but for now, know that you need a permit, and that it is a bit of a long day. For my money, however, there’s a better hike from Happy Isles that takes you to a higher mountain with less people, and that is the hike to Cloud’s Rest.

Merced River, a good place to fill up those bottles (after treating the water, of course!)

Cloud’s Rest is the highest peak in the Tenaya Canyon region of the park at 9,926 feet, and in my opinion, has one of the best views in the park, along with Sentinel Dome, Mt. Hoffman, and Mt. Dana. From the summit, you have a sheer drop-off view of Tenaya Canyon beneath you, a small Half Dome (1,100 feet shorter, at 8,836 feet), and the high country of the park to the North, East, and South. If those credentials weren’t good enough, every time I’ve been at the top, I’ve seen next to no people, and it’s a great place to camp and stargaze. Then again, if you want to sulk about not getting your Half Dome or overnight Little Yosemite Valley permit and stay home, I’m not going to complain about having a beautiful area to all to myself.

It’s worth noting that if you don’t want to climb the nearly 6,000 vertical feet from Yosemite Valley to Cloud’s Rest, you can head toward the peak from a number of trails leaving the Tioga Pass Road. While I am used to doing this hike as a minimum two-day backpack based on my experience, I’m not going to rule out certain motivated individuals doing it in a day – after all, it is only twenty-two miles roundtrip, and I, along with many people have done that distance to summit Mt. Whitney in a day, which is four thousand feet higher. If you’ve got the skill, endurance, and want a challenge (as this would be a strenuous day), I say go for it. If not, get a backcountry permit, and take your time to enjoy the backcountry. This would be a great two-day introductory backpack that would allow you also to bag a fairly tall peak, so there’s yet another bonus for heading up to Cloud’s Rest.

Directions: Head over to Happy Isles (Shuttle Stop #16). From there, follow either the Mist Trail as detailed here (http://lastadventurer.com/last-adventurers-fieldnotes/2011/12/12/the-mist-trail-to-vernal-falls-winter.html) to Vernal Falls, and then to Nevada Falls, or take the John Muir Trail junction to Nevada Falls, as detailed here (). Either way, you will be ready for your first break once you reach the top of Nevada Falls, having climbed 2,900 vertical feet from Yosemite Valley in three miles. I’d recommend that you take a minute, eat some high calorie food, enjoy the view, and wipe the sweat off your brow before heading onward, into Little Yosemite Valley.

Atop the switchbacks, .75 miles out from the peak.

Once your break is over, you will head Northeast into Little Yosemite Valley. This mile long section of the trail is a great spot to regain your pace, and catch your second wind of the day before you once again start heading uphill. You will be passing the Merced for most of this section, and this is important to note, because it is a great spot to refill your water bottles. From mid-summer to early winter, this may be the last best source of water for the next day for you, as there are no large bodies of water present on the trail after Little Yosemite Valley. Unless there is snow on the trail that you can melt; or you have confirmed that there is still seasonal runoff that you can filter, I would highly recommend you drink up and fill up all of your bottles before proceeding any further, otherwise you may be spending a very thirsty night on the mountain.

Since this hike takes two days, I’ll continue tomorrow with my directions! Until then, see you on the trail!