Yosemite Solo Backpacking. Sunrise Trail to Cloud’s Rest/ Half Dome and Happy Isles June 10-11, 2024

The Tioga Rd in Yosemite opened at 7am Monday the 10th of June 2024 and I was dropped off at the Sunrise Trailhead near Tenaya Lake around 8:30am that morning. The mosquitos were voracious from the moment I stepped out of the car all the way to Little Yosemite Valley and non stop surprisingly even on the Half Dome trail where there is no water. There was some snow on the way up to the turn off to Sunrise Lakes and a little route finding was needed. It was steep in small areas. There was a lot of water on the trail and I had wet feet the whole day until my final approach to Clouds Rest. The crossing right at the beginning of the trailhead was about thigh deep walking on the submerged foot boulders. LNT tip: Walking in the water and mud in the proper trail during the early season when it’s wet helps prevent erosion and multiple trail trenches in fragile high country soils and plants. If you try to keep your feet dry and walk above the mud the trail ends up looking like roadways with multiple side by side broadening mud paths … so I just accept wet feet and tank on through until I stop to dry out. It’s pretty fun! Half Dome: I went half way up the cables and came back down. I’ve done it a few times and though I felt strong and had planned to climb it, once I got half way up and my feet were slipping I just didn’t want it bad enough to endure the fear and take the risk. JMT John Muir Trail closure: Going down the Mist Trail with a full pack in the afternoon is a challenge. With the closure of the John Muir Trail in this section it’s very slow going with so many people, so many stairs and so little space. It was a lovely early season hike. Super hot temperatures even in the high country. Zillions of mosquitoes. A Bear on the Half Dome Trail. Wet feet. Lots of people Clouds and thunder. All pretty predictable for a Yosemite Backpacking Bingo Card. Happy Trails!