Hello LA Trail Hikers,
We hope you’re all really excited to start heading out to Yosemite this week. For many of you, this might be your first visit. And, for others, this will be another great adventure out to a very beautiful park. We have a few things to cover just before you head out on Saturday, May 20.
Getting to Yosemite
SOUTH ENTRANCE:
From the city of Oakhurst, you’ll travel north on 41. This is the most common entrance for those coming from L.A. You’ll enter the park through the south entrance. You’ll remain on this road which becomes Wawona Rd all the way to the Tunnel area. You’ll have plenty of winding sections, so watch your speed. You’ll eventually enter through the famous Yosemite Tunnel that will then lead you into the Yosemite Valley area.
ARCH ROCK:
From the city of Oakhurst, you’ll go west on the 49 (Golden Chain Hwy) > Turn Right on Silva Rd (make sure you keep an eye out for this as it is easy to miss this turn) > Continue on Silva as it turns into Carleton Rd > Make a left on Triangle Rd. > (you’ll eventually see a red farm house) Make a right onto 140 (Central Yosemite Hwy). This road will take you on a less windy road and along the Merced River. You’ll enter the park shortly after passing the small town of El Portal. NOTE: If you miss Silva Rd, that’s okay. All you need to do is get from the 49 to the 140 (East/North) towards Yosemite.
TIOGA ENTRANCE: The road that comes from the Northern Sierras (Mammoth Mountain area) is Currently Closed.
PARK ENTRANCE FEE: $30 per vehicle, Non-commercial car, pickup truck, RV, or van with 15 or fewer passenger seats. This pass will be valid for 7 days. Cash or Credit Card accepted at Park Entrances. When entering the park, make sure you also get your park map from the Park Ranger. Interagency Annual Passes are also valid for entrance. (More entrance info here: https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/fees.htm)
LATH Check-In
TIME: 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
LOCATION: (In front of the ) Half Dome Village Grocery and Gifts / Grill
DIRECT LINK : https://goo.gl/maps/TTFQUUeRQAD2
INFO: On Saturday, May 20, our LATH Hike Lead will be in front of the Half Dome Grocery and Gifts store area from 8:30 AM to 9:30 am. He will be there to provide our hikers information about where they can go if they need any help in finding their trail. We recommend bringing your map so locations can be pointed out. Any last minute questions can be answered here. From here you’ll be on your way to your designated trails.
PARKING: You can park in the Half Dome Village parking lot on Curry Village Dr.
LATH Group Picture
TIME: 6:00 PM – 6:15 PM (please be there on time)
LOCATION: Tunnel View Parking Area
DIRECT LINK: https://goo.gl/maps/7kXd621MYCL2
INFO: We’ll take a memorable group picture at one of the best views of the Yosemite Valley from the Tunnel View parking area. It may take you some time to travel there from the general valley area, so make sure you give yourself some time to get there on time.
PARKING: The Tunnel View Parking area has two parking lots, one each side of the road before the Tunnel. Remember, if coming up from the the Valley Area, you will not be going into the Tunnel. The parking is on the left and right just before the tunnel.
NIGHT HIKE
TIME: 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM
LOCATION: Corner of Happy Isles Loop Rd & Curry Village Dr.
DIRECT LINK: https://goo.gl/maps/NxnitZftT4M2
PARKING: You can park in the Half Dome Village parking lot on Curry Village Dr.
LIMITED CELL RECEPTION: Keep in mind that there is very limited or no cell service in many parts of Yosemite, so make sure you have some of the places mentioned above noted on a map so you don’t go blindly into the park.
BE BEAR AWARE:
Leave nothing in your vehicle that has any type of scent (gum, hand lotion, chapstick/lipbalm, food, drinks, hand sanitizer, scented tissues, soap, toothpaste, etc). Bears have a good sense of smell and if they are attracted to your vehicle, they will do what they need to get to the scent. Make sure you leave nothing in your car. If you are camping, make sure you have your bear canisters ready. If you are staying at Half Dome Village, make sure anything with a scent is in the bear-proof box provided. Again, please take out anything that could have a slight scent from your car. Leaving anything visible may also incur a ticket from local rangers as they are quite strict about this. Follow bear protocol. More on Bears: https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/bears.htm
Preparing your car for the Road Trip
— On average, the drive from L.A. to the Yosemite Valley area is about 6 hours.
— Make sure your car’s tires are set with the suggested tire pressure.
— Check breaks. Check oil, A/C, and Air filters.
— Keep water handy to drink while you’re on the road.
— Keep a few snacks handy as well.
— You may encounter areas where radio signal is weak, so you may want to pack up some tunes (CD’s, Music players, etc.) to keep you going.
— Carpooling to is highly recommended.
— The city of OAKHURST has a VONS grocery store for last minute purchase of items prior to entering the park.
What items should I bring to make my experience comfortable?
- WATER – unbreakable one quart plastic or stainless steel bottles with screw-on, leak proof tops, such as soda or sports drink bottles.
- FLASHLIGHT – It gets completely dark at night, so you’ll need a way to see at night.
- Daypack/backpack – must be big enough to fit the items below and some of the lunch.
- Rain gear – waterproof, not just water resistant. A rain suit (jacket and pants) is much better than a poncho because it keeps all of you dry, especially if you are visiting a waterfall area that might have lots of mist.
- Lightweight hat with brim – baseball hat or other type to shade sun
- Warm knit or fleece cap – for cool and possibly rainy days.
- Bandana – serves as your field lunch placemat/crumb-catcher + many other fun uses
- Jacket – an insulated layer, such as a parka with hood is a good choice
- Sweater or fleece – two lightweight wool or fleece layers are best; avoid cotton
- Extra layers of warm clothing
- Extra layers of cool clothing
- Thermal underwear & bottoms – polypropylene or capilene; very warm and lightweight; no cotton
- Water proof mittens – mittens are warmer than gloves
- Pajamas
- Hiking boots – one pair of broken-in, lightweight, waterproof hiking boots that will keep your feet dry as well as happy after a long day on the trail
- Socks – wool or synthetic preferred; no cotton
- Sandals, for use when in showers.
- Bear-proof canister for campers.
- Toiletries – shampoo, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, sunscreen, lip balm, moleskin, personal medication, hand sanitizer, etc.
- Sleeping bag – synthetic or down fill; sheets & blankets are fine if you don’t have a sleeping bag
- Sunglasses – to prevent sun blindness in the high altitude due to sun reflecting off the snow and granite
- Flashlight – with spare batteries and bulb
- Plastic bags – trash-sized to keep your things clean and dry
- OPTIONAL – binoculars, camera, film, book light, umbrella
Prepare for your day trip
Before you get to the park, you want to make sure you pack for your full day of adventure. So, make sure you pack a good lunch and some snacks. Make sure to pack plenty of water (2-3 liters at minimum) and an electrolyte supplement. Pack all your hiking essentials, such as hiking poles, sunscreen, a hat, hiking pant/shorts, hiking shoes/boots with grip, extra pair of socks, a flashlight, a small first-aid/band-aid kit, and a (hydration) pack to everything into. You may also want to put any valuables in a small zip-lock bag to prevent them from getting wet if you’re going into any water areas. You may also want to read up on the hikes (below) to see if there is anything else you may want to take to ensure an enjoyable hike.
— Pack all your day’s hiking water and snacks.
— Pack all your hiking gear and essentials.
— Hat, (Hydration) backpack, sunscreen, light hiking clothes, extra water, comfortable shoes for hiking, and after hike snacks.
— Leave unnecessary items back at your accommodations so you have plenty of space in your vehicle.
— Parking at certain stops in the park may be limited in spaces, so please consider carpooling (consolidating car rides) on the day of the hike. Ideally prior to going to the check-in point.
— We suggest you getting a good night’s rest on Friday night.
— We need you to be 100% on the morning/day of the hike.
You will be riding Park Shuttles
To get around the park, you’ll be riding the free park shuttles that take you to different starting points. Once you know where you’ll be hiking, you’ll need take a shuttle to take you to the closest drop off point. Keep in mind that shuttles DO NOT run all night. So you should make arrangements to get to get back before the last shuttle leaves your area.
Enjoy your Yosemite Experience!
We hope all of this information has been helpful and will provide for a great time at Yosemite. We look forward to seeing you all at the LATH Check in point and the group picture location.
