Sierra Club Outings | Five Fingers of the Merced, Yosemite National Park

Photo: Tony Bellaver

Highlights:

View stunning alpine landscape
Explore or relax on two layover days
Climb Half Dome

Includes:

Bear-proof food containers
Tasty lightweight backpacking food
Lightweight group equipment

This trip is a 50-mile loop through the southern half of Yosemite National Park. It both begins and ends at Glacier Point, high on the south rim of Yosemite Valley, providing spectacular views of the valley and its granite domes and waterfalls. In between, we enjoy peaks and high passes and explore the Merced River from its start as a tiny trickle to the roaring waters of Nevada Falls. We cross the majestic Clark Range at rugged Red Peak Pass, where colorful metamorphic rock stands in stark contrast to the dramatic granite peaks that surround us.

High on the west side of the Clark Range we skirt the very headwaters of the Red Peak and Merced Peak Forks of the Merced River, then descend the Triple Peak Fork through alpine meadows and forest to the confluence with the Lyell Fork. We follow the growing waters of the Merced past the fifth tributary, the Gray Peak Fork, and eventually to Little Yosemite Valley, from which interested participants may climb Half Dome on a layover day.

Finally, we cross the Merced above Nevada Falls, where the Merced tumbles toward Yosemite Valley, and climb past Illilouette Falls to our Glacier Point starting point.

Day 1: Our adventure begins in the late afternoon, when we will gather to meet and have dinner at our camping area near the Glacier Point trailhead.

Day 2: On our first day hiking, we'll descend 3.5 miles from Glacier Point (7,214 feet) to tranquil Illilouette Creek (6,500 feet). The basin of Illilouette Creek is a gentle wooded region that provides us with unique views of Half Dome, Mt. Broderick, Liberty Cap, Nevada Falls, and Mt. Starr King. After crossing the creek we'll begin a gradual ascent to our camp below Mt. Clark near Clark Creek. There should be time for investigating the nearby landscape at the end of the hiking day.

Day 3: We ascend alongside Illilouette creek and Ottoway Creek to our planned camp at Lower Ottoway Lake. This short hiking day with moderate elevation gain will offer us inspiring views of Red and Gray Peaks. At Lower Ottoway Lake we'll be able to enjoy a swim in its enticing waters, enjoy photographic endeavors, or fish for elusive Rainbow Trout in the chilly runoff below.

Day 4: A layover day is planned, with many possibilities for activities: explor alpine lakes, hike to the top of a peak, relax at camp, or go fishing.

Days 5-7: Early on the fifth day, we'll cross the highest point of our trip and the highest trail pass in the park, Red Peak Pass (11,120 feet). From the pass, we'll descend to the eastern side of the Clark Range. In the next two hiking days we'll encounter five fingers of the Merced River: the Red Peak Fork, Merced Peak Fork, Triple Peak Fork, Lyell Fork, and, finally, the Gray Peak Fork. There should be ample time for investigating the nearby landscape at the end of each hiking day.

Day 8: Our final planned layover day in Little Yosemite Valley will allow the group to hike to the top of Half Dome or Clouds Rest.

Day 9: The final day of the trip is also one of the most spectacular. As we return to Glacier Point we'll pass Nevada Falls to reach the Panorama Trail and over Illilouette Falls, before retracing our first day back to Glacier Point and our cars.

Driving time to Yosemite Valley from San Francisco is 4-5 hours, 6 hours from the Los Angeles area, and 2 hours from Fresno.

Carpooling is encouraged and often dictates the best airport to fly into. Renting a car is usually a preference, not a requirement, for transportation to the trailhead. The leader will provide a trip roster with contact information at least a month prior to the trip and upon request.

The first meal furnished on the trip will be Dinner in the campground at 6 p.m. on day one. The last meal will be lunch on the final day.

The menu has been refined from many years of high country travel and is designed to minimize weight, simplify preparation, and maximize taste. As we will be using bear canisters, the menu will emphasize low-bulk foods. The menu will also emphasize vegetarian dishes, with meat served at some meals. Breakfasts will primarily consist of hot or cold cereals. Lunches will feature tortillas, crackers, spreads, cheeses, and energy bars. A meatless menu option will be available if communicated to the leader well in advance of the trip. More restrictive diets are very difficult to accommodate. Also, personal food supplies should not be brought on the trip due to the limited volume available in the bear canisters. This requirement is factored into the determination of group food quantities. Contact the leader prior to sign-up to determine if your specific needs can be accommodated without impacting the group.

Each participant will be provided with a small bottle of tincture of iodine for water purification. Participants may bring a filter for water purification if they prefer.

A small amount of alcohol will be available to provide �happy hour� on several evenings for those who wish.

This trip is rated moderate (M), but backpacking by its nature is a strenuous activity. You should be in good physical shape that would allow you to backpack with 40 to 45 pounds at the deliberate pace of the group. Your enjoyment of the trip will depend greatly on your physical condition. Regular cardiovascular exercise is a prerequisite for you to fully enjoy this trip. We will be hiking 6 to 8 miles a day with full backpacks on moderate trails. Since altitude can greatly affect one's level of energy, the better you are conditioned the more fun your going to have after we arrive into camp each day! You are expected to be familiar with backpacking. This not a beginner's backpack trip, but then again not an advanced trip.

The success of the trip relies upon the active contribution of all participants. Participants are expected to assist with cooking, cleaning, sanitation, camp set-up and break down, food storage, adhering to "Leave No Trace" guidelines, and all other tasks necessary for efficient trip operation. The stronger hikers will be asked to assist weaker hikers, rather than bolt ahead of the pack. Participants often find that their contributions to the group's success are often the most memorable and rewarding experiences of the trip. The leaders are trained and experienced volunteers, not paid professional guides.

The leader will send several pre-trip announcements, including detailed driving instructions, participant contact data, preferred equipment, condition updates, and other pertinent information in the months and weeks leading up to the trip.

Bear canisters will be used for food storage. You will be issued one loaded bear can, which, when combined with your share of the other group items, should bring your total share of the commissary to about 18 pounds at the start of the trip. The group commissary is heavily scrutinized for weight savings prior to the trip and the leader substitutes personal, lighter weight items whenever possible.

A list of recommended personal equipment may be found at www.knapsack.org. You should try to limit your personal gear to 15-20 pounds. This is important for stamina and for safety. A pack that is too heavy, unbalanced, or disorganized will limit your agility, increasing the possibility of injury. You must also have some reserve capacity to carry a portion of another participant's load should they become injured or ill.

I feel that durable backpacking boots with full leather uppers with rubber lug soles are the best choice for footwear. The leather should be thoroughly waterproofed to withstand the rigors of prolonged contact with snow. Cheap fabric boots are not sturdy or durable enough for the terrain we will encounter. Stiff, full metal shank mountaineering boots are too heavy for efficient backpacking.

The leader will send detailed equipment recommendations to participants well in advance of the trip if asked. Light is right. If your gear is too heavy, you may be asked to leave some items behind at the trip leaders' discretion.

The High Sierra is renowned for its excellent summer weather. However, be prepared for extremes -- it can and does rain in the Sierra in the summer! Even at night! High temperatures during the day at lower elevations sometimes exceed 80 degrees, and sometimes fall into the 20s at the higher elevations at night. Extended rain or snowstorms can occur at any time of the year. Afternoon thunderstorms, with sudden cloudbursts of wind, rain, and hail are common, usually followed by a spectacular sunset. On the other hand, one need not be prepared for an Antarctic expedition either. Inclement weather in the Sierra during the summer is almost always of short duration. Expect to encounter snowfields on our route, especially on the north faces of the high passes, as well as wet fords of icy, swollen streams.

The best single map that shows our entire route is Tom Harrison's "Yosemite High Country Trail Map," published by Tom Harrison Maps (www.tomharrisonmaps.com). Tom Harrison's "Yosemite National Park Recreation Map" also shows the entire route, but with less detail. Together, the USGS 7.5-minute Half Dome, Merced Peak, and Mount Lyell quadrangles also cover our planned route.

Many consider Yosemite National Park to be the crown jewel of the national park system. John Muir's struggle against the devastation of the sub-alpine meadows surrounding Yosemite Valley by flocks of domestic sheep ("hoofed locusts") led to the establishment of the park on October 1, 1890. But Muir realized that an organization would be necessary to ensure Yosemite's protection, and joined with others in the San Francisco Bay Area to form the Sierra Club two years later.

The Club was instrumental in expanding protection for Yosemite in the 1890s, in the establishment of Kings Canyon National Park in 1940, and more recently in passing the Wilderness Act of 1964, which established the National Wilderness Preservation System and afforded much of the High Sierra the highest level of protection possible. As Club members, we have reason to be proud of this accomplishment when we hike through the region.

On this trip, we will spend some time discussing public lands and wilderness protection. There are areas adjacent to both Yosemite National Park and the Ansel Adams Wilderness that still need protection. The proposed California Wild Heritage Act includes these lands, among others, as additions to our existing wilderness areas. You can find more information on this important proposal at: www.californiawild.org.

The payment of a deposit does not confirm you as a member on the trip. Participants must be approved by the trip leader. After signing up for this trip, you will be sent a confirmation packet containing approval materials (Participant Approval Questionnaire, Medical Form, Liability Release Form). Each applicant (including those on the waitlist) must fill out these forms and promptly mail them to the trip leader. The leader will review the approval materials and notify you of your acceptance in a timely manner.

Tony Bellaver's first experiences of being outdoors were good ones. He hiked to the top of Mt. Lassen with his grandparents so many times as a child that he lost count. He enjoys all aspects of backpacking (especially "the gear"), and he can often be found talking about it while drinking coffee. He also enjoys classic cars and trucks and the tinkering that they inspire. While on backpacking trips he loves the sport of good storytelling and the satisfaction of a hard day's work. When Tony is not out hiking or drinking coffee, he creates custom cabinets and furniture and is a dedicated artist who sees life as art. See his work at http://bellafineart.smugmug.com/.

E-mail: bellafineart@earthlink.net

Missy hails from Michigan, and hiked in the Bavarian Alps as a child where she developed an appreciation and love for all things in the mountains. Along with backpacking, her favorite activities are skiing and mountain biking and hanging out with her golden retriever, Frank. She now lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she is in close proximity to her favorite past-times including Fly-Fishing. She is a Registered Nurse and is currently studying at the University of Utah to become a Nurse Practitioner. The only person who drinks more coffee than Missy is Tony.