A ranger in Yosemite told me my planned route was a bad idea

I was set on hiking the full High Sierra Loop in five days last August. A park ranger at the Tuolumne Meadows station looked at my map and said, 'You're going to hit snow above 10,000 feet, and your daily miles are too high for that elevation.' I changed my plan to a shorter, lower route around Glen Aulin. It turned out great, with no issues. Do you usually stick to your original route, or are you open to changing it based on local advice?

2 comments

2 Comments

dylan_thompson14d ago

Always listen to the rangers. They see the conditions every single day. Had a buddy push through a "bad idea" warning in the Tetons once. Spent a cold night in a rescue hut after hitting deep, unexpected snow. Your five day plan sounds brutal anyway, that's a lot of miles up high. Swapping to Glen Aulin was the right call, that area is beautiful without the risk.

patp7913d ago

Is it really that serious though? lol