Accommodations: 5 nights camping

Yosemite Classic Backpack

Merced River Canyon, John Muir Trail, Climb of Half Dome

We love this post-Labor Day trip when there are few people on the Yosemite trails and the weather is still warm. This classic 35-mile backpacking trip starts in Yosemite Valley and takes us up the wild Merced River Canyon. We'll pass many gorgeous waterfalls and swimming pools as we loop around to join the John Muir Trail.

The bare granite domes and other obvious topographic features in this country make it a perfect trip for beginning map readers to practice reading topographical maps. Your guides will show you how.

Our trip culminates in a climb of Half Dome. Our camp is remote, yet only three miles from the final approach to the summit. We'll ascend Yosemite's most famous landmark by the non-technical hikers' route that has banister-like cables leading to the summit. What a feeling of accomplishment when you stand on the summit of Half Dome! You'll see sweeping views of Yosemite Valley, Tenaya Canyon, and the far reaches of the high Sierra.

Our route down to the valley follows the Merced River, passes Little Yosemite Valley, Vernal and Nevada Falls, and ends at Happy Isles.

View a detailed itinerary

(PDF files require that you have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed. This program can be downloaded for free from the Adobe Website).

• Activity:
  Backpack
• Date:
  September 4-9, 2008
• Rating: Moderate to Challenging
• Cost: $725
• Deposit: $200

• Sign me up!

For questions about this trip, e-mail us.
(Note: We will not give out your e-mail address, phone number or mailing address to others.

For photos of this trip and others, visit Our Photo Album.