Backpacking Trip Roster 2026

Additional dates will be added as Yosemite continues to release permits.

⭐ June 28 - July 5: High Sierra Lakes Traverse → Half Dome

SIGNATURE EXPEDITION

8 days / 7 nights
Start: Rafferty Creek Trailhead → Finish: Happy Isles
$3,400 per person

Recommended experience: Prior multi-night backpacking at elevation; comfortable with 8–12 mile days and 2,000–3,000 ft of gain with a full pack.

We start at Rafferty Creek Trailhead in the Tuolumne Meadows area and spend eight days moving through a chain of high-country lake basins, finishing with a Half Dome summit before descending into Yosemite Valley. One-way journey, not an out-and-back.

There’s no rigid daily itinerary. I handle navigation, provide options, and we adjust the route to match conditions and how the group is feeling. We’ll spend most of the trip in terrain very few visitors ever reach.

What to expect:

• 8-12 miles/day (some days more, some less)
• Elevation ~8,000-9,000+ ft for most of the route
• Some off-trail travel
• Lake-to-lake traverse ending near Half Dome
• Half Dome summit via cables (permit included)
• Physically demanding — you need multi-day backpacking experience
• Review the gear list and pack weight guidance → before your planning call.
• Trip ends in Yosemite Valley (YARTS shuttle from Valley to Tuolumne included)

What's different about this trip:

• This is the only time I'm offering this route in 2026
• True multi-day alpine traverse, not a single-destination out-and-back
• Designed to showcase the range of Yosemite’s backcountry in one trip
• Includes one-way YARTS shuttle bus ticket (Valley → Tuolumne on Day 1)

April 24-27: Happy Isles → Beyond Little Yosemite Valley

4 days / 3 nights
Trailhead: Happy Isles
$1,700 per person

Recommended experience: Comfortable hiking 8–10 miles/day with ~3,000ft of gain carrying a full pack.

Early-season Yosemite. We'll hike the waterfall corridor when snowmelt is at its peak—Vernal Fall, Nevada Fall, the Merced River running hard. This is the granite-and-water energy that defines spring in the Valley.

We start at Happy Isles, climb beyond Little Yosemite Valley, and spend time exploring the area before heading back out. Expect big water, solid mileage, and the kind of visual impact that reminds you why Yosemite matters.

What to expect:

• 8-10 miles/day
• ~4,000 ft total elevation gain
• Established trails
• Wilderness camping beyond Little Yosemite Valley, away from crowds

May 1-4: Yosemite Falls / North Dome / Indian Arch

4 days / 3 nights
Trailhead: Yosemite Falls
$1,700 per person

Recommended experience: Comfortable hiking 8–10 miles/day with ~3,000ft of gain carrying a full pack.

Upper Yosemite Fall in May. We'll climb out of the Valley and access the rim country above the falls. Once past the day-hiker crowds, the terrain opens up—quieter, more expansive, with views back across the Valley.

We will stay in a variety of campsites along the north rim, including North Dome area, and make a visit to Indian Arch — the only natural granite arch in Yosemite.

This is prime snowmelt season. Big water, long days, stable weather.

What to expect:

• 8-10 miles/day
• Steep initial climb (~3,000 ft to rim)
• Mixed terrain: heavily used trail up to the rim, quieter routes beyond
• Wilderness camping in the North Rim backcountry

May 21-25: Half Dome Backcountry (Memorial Day Weekend)

5 days / 4 nights
Trailhead: Happy Isles
$2,375 per person

Recommended experience: Prior backpacking experience, comfortable hiking 8–12 miles/day with ~3,000ft of gain carrying a full pack.

Half Dome over Memorial Day weekend. This is more immersive than a standard 3-day Half Dome trip—extra time means less rushing, more flexibility in pacing, and the ability to explore beyond just Half Dome. We may add Clouds Rest or loop around Echo Valley depending on group vibe and conditions.

What to expect:

• 8-12 miles/day
• Half Dome summit via cables (permit included)
• Potential for Clouds Rest or Echo Valley loop depending on conditions
• Small group (2 clients) for easier decision-making on a busy holiday weekend

June 19-22: Private Half Dome Expedition

4 days / 3 nights
Trailhead: Happy Isles
$2,200 total

Recommended experience: Comfortable hiking full days with a pack; prior backpacking helpful but not required if you’ve done strenuous day hikes.

This is a fully private trip. One-on-one. No group dynamics, no shared decision-making. Just you, me, and the route.

We'll summit Half Dome and spend the rest of the time exploring nearby terrain — Clouds Rest, quieter viewpoints, whatever makes sense given your interests and the conditions.

June is ideal—long days, stable weather, strong conditions for moving through the High Sierra.

What to expect:

• Completely flexible itinerary built around your goals
• Roughly 6 miles to reach the first camping zone on Day 1; everything else is flexible
• Half Dome summit via cables (permit included)
• Opportunity to explore beyond standard routes and camp away from crowds
• Full attention on your pacing, skills, and experience — true 1:1 guiding

August 14-17: Late Summer Half Dome

4 days / 3 nights
Trailhead: Mono Meadow
$1,900 per person

Recommended experience: Comfortable with 8–12 mile days and extended climbs with a full pack.

Late-season Half Dome. By mid-August, the weather is stable, the wildflowers are peaking at higher elevations, and the summit conditions are as good as they get.

This trip is capped at 5 clients to keep it manageable and maintain a premium experience. You're not moving through the backcountry with a tour group—this is a small team working together.

What to expect:

• 8-12 miles/day
• Half Dome summit via cables (permit included)
• Late-season stability (one of the best weather windows of the year)
• Wilderness camping in Illilouette Basin / Little Yosemite Valley area

August 22-24: Alpine Lakes Loop

3 days / 2 nights
Start: Rafferty Creek Trailhead → Finish: Lyell Canyon
$1,400 per person

Recommended experience: Comfortable hiking 6–10 miles/day with elevation gain carrying a full pack.

Tuolumne Meadows as a launching point into genuine alpine terrain. This trip moves through high-country lake basins above 9,000 feet — the part of Yosemite most visitors never reach. Two nights, two different lakes, a loop route that keeps the scenery changing.

Day 2 is intentionally lower mileage. This isn't a death march — it's a chance to actually be somewhere instead of just passing through it.

If you've been wanting to experience Yosemite's high country without committing to a Half Dome summit or a multi-week expedition, this is the right trip.

What to expect:

• 6–10 miles/day (lower mileage on Day 2)
• Elevation 9,000+ ft throughout
• Loop route — you won't retrace your steps
• Two nights at two separate alpine lakes
• Tuolumne Meadows start

August 28-30: Half Dome Weekend

3 days / 2 nights
Trailhead: Happy Isles
$1,600 per person

Recommended experience: Comfortable hiking full days with sustained elevation gain; no prior backpacking required.

Little Yosemite Valley as a base camp, Half Dome as the objective. Two nights in one of Yosemite's most iconic wilderness camping areas, with a full summit day on Half Dome in between.

This is the most direct path to Half Dome via backpacking — no complex logistics, no remote terrain, established trails the whole way. If you've thought about backpacking to Half Dome but weren't sure you were ready for a longer expedition, this is where you start.

The Half Dome permit is included. The cables will be up. Late August conditions are as stable as the season gets.

What to expect:

• Happy Isles trailhead start
• Two nights camping in Little Yosemite Valley
• Half Dome summit via cables (permit included)
• Established trails throughout
• 8–10 miles/day