5 Day Cathedral Lakes to Clouds Rest & Half Dome

Overview

Kick off your Yosemite backpacking experience with one of the most iconic sections of the John Muir Trail, weaving between majestic alpine lakes to the summits of Clouds Rest and Half Dome! Camp the first night at Cathedral Lakes amid the spirit of the true high country, then hike the JMT up and over Cathedral Pass with stunning views of alpine peaks along the way. Set up camp in the Sunrise Lakes area for Night 3, and from there, tackle the Clouds Rest summit (9,926’) for one of the most spectacular views of Yosemite Valley in the park! Your adventure culminates with the summit of Half Dome (8,836’) before returning to Yosemite Valley on the Mist Trail passing two spectacular waterfalls. This trip’s strenuous itinerary is well worth it! If you’re looking for an authentic Yosemite experience, this is the adventure for you!

As the calendar is confusing, our 2022 dates are:
5/29 - 6/2
7/18 - 7/22
7/22 - 7/26
8/7 - 8/11
8/15 - 8/19
8/25 - 8/29
9/18 - 9/22
9/29 - 10/3

City: Yosemite National Park

Tue 17 Sep

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $1675.00

Make a reservation

Tue 17 Sep

Starting at $1675.00

Make a reservation

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Additional Info

Service animals allowed
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have a high level of physical fitness
Face masks required for travellers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Face masks provided for travellers
Hand sanitiser available to travellers and staff
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Regularly sanitised high-traffic areas
Gear/equipment sanitised between use
Transportation vehicles regularly sanitised
Guides required to regularly wash hands
Regular temperature checks for staff
Temperature checks for travellers upon arrival
Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms
Contactless payments for gratuities and add-ons

Cancellation Policy

If you cancel at least 7 day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.
If you cancel between 3 and 6 day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a 50% refund.
If you cancel within 2 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (24)

Passenger188239

Jul 2022

Our main goals this year were Clouds Rest and Half Dome as my wife has never been on top of Clouds Rest and the last time we were on Half Dome we had to rush back down the valley. We had a private tour with Lasting Adventures that ended up attached to a standard tour only because of Half Dome permit restrictions. This worked out very nicely as we had 2 guides for 4 hikers. The first day was the standard stuff in Yosemite Valley camping at the back-packers camp. The second morning we started our hike at Tuolumne Meadows and went 4 miles to Cathedral Lakes (Lower Cathedral Lake). This was a good warm-up. I was surprised at how nice and serene the views were. The only downside was the mosquitos that were relentless. The 3rd day we hiked 7-8 miles to Sunrise Lakes. We saw sights (peaks, meadows, valleys, lakes, etc.) that most people won't see by staying in the valley. The 4th day, we hiked up Clouds Rest and stayed there for lunch. What a view - perhaps my favorite view of the valley. The first mile or so down from Clouds Rest was a little hard on the knees but it got better. That day, we travelled 8 miles in total to a camp about a half mile from the Half Dome trail. The final day was fantastic - we got up at 3am and were on top of Half Dome right at sunrise. We had breakfast, enjoyed the sunrise, and took in the 360 degree views for almost 2 hours. The rest was all down hill to get our backpacks and head down to the valley. Total mileage this day was 12 miles - a long day for us. Emily and Dawson, our guides from Lasting Adventures, were wonderful. I highly recommend using Lasting Adventures for these Yosemite hikes - they take all the worry away. This was our 3rd trip with them and obviously we are very happy to recommend them.

Response from Host

Aug 2022

I am excited to read this review on what has been your most challenging hike with us. You guys did awesome and congrats on both those summits! Im also glad that you continue to have great guides to make the experience that much more enjoyale. Maybe next summer in Olympic National Park? - Scott

morgansI1322QC

Sep 2021

What an amazing experience! I traveled by myself to Yosemite to meet with my Lasting Adventures group and not only did I make an incredible group of friends, but I also felt completely comfortable and safe throughout my journey. It was my first time backpacking and my guides, Eric and Aida, made the trip extremely stress-free. The hiking was definitely strenuous at times and was a challenge for me but the views were absolutely worth it. Eric and Aida were extremely knowledgeable about a multitude of topics, and I left feeling very fulfilled through the whole experience. I would recommend this trip to anyone who has an interest in backpacking and seeing the wonderful views that Yosemite has to offer! Lasting Adventures truly made everything go so smoothly and I only want to come back for more!!

Ambrosiaboyd

Sep 2021

My husband and I just returned from our Lasting Adventure's trip to Yosemite. We backpacked with a group of 7 other people from 'Backpacker's Camp' to Mae Lake, up to Mt Hoffman, Cloud's Rest, and finally completed the trip with an amazing last day summiting Half Dome at sunrise. It. Was. Incredible!! Our guides, Eric and Aida, immediately made us feel comfortable and excited. I can't say enough good things about them. Their passion for the wilderness, people, and their career as a guide is contagious. Aida was so generous - she even gave me her camp shoes to wear on the last day because my shoes had given me such bad blisters. Eric tried to scare us by sharing scary campfire stories, but instead had us all laughing so hard. If you have the chance to go on a Lasting Adventures trip - please do it! There is nothing like sleeping under the stars, meeting new people, and leaving the high stress of the world behind for a few days.