Backpacking Yosemite - Clouds Rest and Little Yosemite Valley Campground

Here's the grand finale to my Yosemite trip. I took my time getting started in the morning, first moving to keep the cold at bay and soon enough going shirtless once the sun rose over the peaks. Big temp fluxuations on this trip. By 8:30 I was moving through the burn zones and as I climbed the views back towards Half Dome were astounding. I also spied a small quirky peak I was progressing towards. I dubbed him Mr. Conehead and decided to make him my prize.

It was hot in the sun without any trees. The trail wasn't steep or technical, just long ambling switchbacks. Finally I reached living trees and things leveled out. Once I changed directions towards Clouds Rest I began to think about a bushwhack towards Mr. Conehead. I waited too long and ended up going down further than I needed to. It wasn't that difficult to cut across and I successfully found my way to the top of his glorious head. I could stay long as it was a hike back up to where I stashed my bag and then it would be another two miles to the top of Clouds Rest.

The spine of Clouds Rest isn't super narrow but it still activated my fear of heights in a big way. Something about seeing all those sheer cliffs across the way. Once I got to the summit I was fine and the 360° views were stunning. It was nice to see the whole of the park - it gave a new perspective of what I had been reviewing on a map.

Then it was a long hike down to the Little Yosemite Valley campground. The endless switchbacks were easy walking but I was now tired. I got to camp just before sundown, quickly set up my tent and then found the river to replenish my water. There were a couple other backpackers staying at the camp. I learned that workers had set up their tents just beyond the camp - they were detonating explosives on the closed section of the JMT that runs alongside the Mist Trail. A couple other backpackers arrived late and decided to get the communal fire going. Between them and the workers it did not end up being the quiet night I thought. Nevertheless I eventually fell asleep.

I awoke early at 4 AM and was on the trail less than an hour later. I had a tight timetable in order to get to a work conference in San Francisco so that mean hiking out in the dark. It lightened up by the time I passed Vernal Falls and I was able to enjoy the fall colors once more time. I got back to the car right on time and then made the four hour drive back to civilization (enjoying some splendid mountain scenery through the Stanislaus National Forest).