![]() A sign warns Half Dome Hikers that the Merced River is the last place to grab water before the ascent. Ahead is a backpackers camp, complete with a backcountry Ranger Station. Once past Nevada Falls, take the John Muir Trail into Little Yosemite Valley. On Water (a lack thereof) The Merced River at the Happy Isles Trailhead On another weekend, in another summer, backpacking from Tenaya to The Valley would be a fun path to travel. Many of these parties were packing overnight gear-opting to spend a night between Tuolumne and Yosemite Valley. Hikers start at higher elevation than Happy Isles, and the mileage is more gentle. Tackling The Rest from Tuolumne seems like an easier trek. Such low traffic is likely due to the relative obscurity, and difficulty of the hike, but I found it surprising nevertheless.Ĭlouds Rest is more commonly approached from Tenaya Lake (you can read more about that hike here). My whole day was spent on the trail, and I counted only one other hiker heading up to Clouds Rest. I hiked up on a Sunday, normally a busy day in the Valley. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so few people on a Yosemite Day hike as I have on my way to Clouds Rest. Most folks never trek past Vernal Falls, and after the Half Dome junction, the trail is nearly deserted. The crowds start off thick, though you’ll find that as you hike farther, and climb higher, less and less people will be seen on the trail. Like the Mist Trail, Half Dome, and the entirety of the John Muir Trail, the hike to Clouds Rest has humble beginnings at Happy Isles. Trail Mapĭownload file: Clouds_Rest.gpx The Trail-Happy Isles to Little Yosemite Valley The Lip of Nevada Falls Length: 20 Miles, out and back Elevation Gain: 5000 feet Summit Elevation: 9,931’ Trailhead: Happy Isles Cables?: Nope Permits?: None Needed Bathrooms: Bathrooms can be found at Happy Isles, and at the Vernal Falls bridge Water Sources: The Vernal Falls Bridge, Merced River in Little Yosemite Valley, and a spring along the trail. Stats Difficulty: Extreme! Not for the inexperienced, the frail, or the faint of heart. ![]() ![]() Looking for New Hiking Gear?Ĭlick the Banner Below to see our Highest Rated Hiking Gear! From Tents to Trail Running Shoes, this is the gear that we never leave at home! It’s like the Emperor to Half Dome’s Darth Vader. Half Dome may be the more famous hike, but Clouds Rest looms quietly in the background-as if pulling the strings from it’s lofty, innocuous perch. In some ways, Clouds Rest is more like the final boss of Yosemite Valley Day Hikes. Half Dome, as infamous and drawing as it is, will have to be ignored. Hikers join the John Muir Trail as it ambles through the Little Yosemite Valley. First, the Mist Trail must be surmounted, up past Vernal and Nevada Falls. Many famous Yosemite landmarks must be overcome in order to ascend Clouds Rest. Over the course of 10 miles, hikers gain nearly 5000 feet in elevation. Hiking to Clouds Rest from Yosemite Valley may just be the most difficult day hike in the whole park. The Trail-Happy Isles to Little Yosemite Valley.Hiking Clouds Rest via Yosemite Valley: The Stairway to Heaven.The summit has wide-ranging 360-degree panoramic views. The Sunrise Lakes Trail is a round trip hike of 14.5 miles (23.3 km) that begins at an elevation of 8,150 feet (2,480 m) and gains 1,776 feet (541 m) over 7.25 miles (11.67 km) to reach the summit at 9,926 feet (3,025 m). There are three main ways to access the summit of Clouds Rest via the Sunrise Lakes Trailhead off of CA-120 (commonly known as the Northeast Ridge Route) via the Happy Isles Trailhead in Yosemite Valley (commonly known as the South Slope) or via the Northwest Face of the mountain. Bunnell, a medical doctor with the Mariposa Battalion, notes that his party named the summit Clouds Rest because they returned to camp to avoid a snow storm after seeing "the clouds rapidly settling down to rest upon that mountain." Recreation The northwest face, mostly solid granite, rises 5,000 feet (1,520 m) above Tenaya Creek. Ĭlouds Rest is an arête a thin, almost knife-like, ridge of rock formed when glaciers eroded away solid rock to form Tenaya Canyon and Little Yosemite Valley. There are also several technical routes available. The summit can be reached by a 7.2-mile (11.6 km) trail hike from Tioga Pass Road or a 13-mile (21 km) trail hike from Happy Isles by way of Little Yosemite Valley. Although there are many peaks in the park having far greater elevation, the proximity of Clouds Rest to the valley gives it a very high degree of visual prominence. Yosemite National Park, Mariposa County, California, U.S.Ĭlouds Rest is a mountain in Yosemite National Park, located east-northeast of Yosemite Village, California. Clouds Rest (the United States) Show map of the United States
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