Starting in Yosemite's High Country, this trail will take you to the top of Clouds Rest (10,000ft) and to the top of Half Dome (9,000ft). At about 2.5 miles, you'll reach an intersection with the Sunrise Lakes Trail that heads off to the east. Most emails are boring, ours aren’t! If you don't mind the exposure, hiking along the summit ridgeline is an absolutely stunning experience. Of course we’d always say do both if you can : ). On the way back, take the 0.3-mile detour to Indian Arch. The trail starts at 8,150' and the summits "only" top out at 9,926' (Clouds Rest) and 8,839' (Half Dome), but twice you'll fall to below 7,000' on the JMT between the peaks. (Early in the season, there may be a few spots where your feet may get wet.). although much of it has crumbled over time. Check out REI or Amazon. Read next: The Lembert Dome hike - for the best views of the Tuolomne Meadows. Then, let the climbing begin. We did this in September and snow had began to settle already, so having gear for cold conditions is highly recommended. We got less breathless from this point on which was a welcome relief! Roughly 2000-feet of elevation gain in two separate pushes with a 400-ft descent in between. When you flatten out, you will be on rolling ups and downs for the next mile and a half. Updates in: hr min s. Update imminent Choose Forecast Elevation: Elevation: 3025 m; 2500 m; 1500 m : Clouds Rest Weather (Days 0-3): Mostly dry. hide. Others asked if we thought we were going to make it! You can check them out REI or Amazon. Give yourself time and have plenty of breaks to catch your breath. After the adventures of the ascent, the return is a relatively mundane affair, but pretty lengthy at over six miles! The earlier the time of year, the more snowpack there will be along the trail. After that it steepens again - but never close to the first climb - and you’ll see the trees begin to thin out and realise that you’re not so far away from the top now! So I took the shuttle to Happy Isles , where the JMT trail head is, filled up my Platypus, applied sunscreen and started the long adventure. Firstly the trail is one of the highest in Yosemite, making those uphill climbs even harder! Depending on the Seirra snowpack, snow and Ice will still remain along some parts of the trail. NOTE: There is an old alternate trail that wanders around the east side of Clouds Rest avoiding the actual summit, although it may be a bit washed out and hard to follow in parts. The car park here is pretty small and you will inevitably have to park on the road unless you arrive early. However, the hard work is worth it. (While the exposure might not be considered perilous, it can definitely be intimidating to those with a fear of heights. Once you get to the summit of the Clouds Rest hike, you fully understand the name. Here’s what we pack and have relied upon for years: Sunscreen: A lot of the trails in Yosemite have very little shade and the sun is brutal most of the year! The next year we went back, and hiked up Cloud's Rest from the trailhead at the west end of Tenaya Lake.The top is really fun---s sort of easy scramble on big pillow-sized boulders. The area is beautiful with views of Sunrise Peak, water crossings, and lots of plants and trees. After buying a one way ticket to Istanbul we spent a year making our way through Asia before arriving in Australia, where we have been living ever since. The trailhead is just under 50 miles from Yosemite Valley, along the Tioga Pass Road. Winds increasing (calm on Sun afternoon, fresh winds from the WSW by Mon night). (Days 3-6): Mostly dry. In order to reach Clouds Rest, you will either have to hike 7 miles from the Tioga Pass Road or attempt the 9-mile trail from Happy Isles in Little Yosemite Valley. You will pass two trail junctions very early in the hike; make sure you follow the signs to Cloud Rest and or Sunrise High Sierra Camp. Firstly the trail is one of the highest in Yosemite, making those uphill climbs even harder! For the most part we were hiking on our own. It made us out of breath and pretty lethargic. Unauthorized public or commercial use of any of the images or text on this website without explicit permission is strictly forbidden. This will be your first dose of the thin air and we really struggled! We're Cat and Joe, two travel fanatics from the U.K. We both caught the travel bug on solo trips in 2003 and have been hopelessly addicted ever since. Admiring Half Dome from the Clouds Rest summit. 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