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 24 Dec

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $1675.00

Make a reservation

Tue 24 Dec

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)

DaQi

Aug 2020

Just finished the Three Summits trip with Lasting Adventures and had a great time. Our guide, Nick, did an amazing job on the trip to provide an excellent experience while working through the challenges of running a wilderness trip during the Covid-19 pandemic. The plans and procedures that Lasting Adventures put in place made me feel comfortable to do the trip during the pandemic. The itinerary for this trip is perfect with a final day that is epic. Lasting Adventures took care of all the logistics and details so that I was able to fully enjoy my vacation. Highly recommend Lasting Adventures and this specific trip. By the way, the meals were amazing - opened my mind to the possibilities of back country cooking.

sarflu

Aug 2020

Had the best experience in Yosemite! Did the Three Summits tour with Lasting Adventures and our guide, Nicole, was awesome! She was detailed-oriented and kept us abreast of our schedule and facts like miles traveled, altitude, etc. She was also an awesome cook! We are vegetarian and she accommodated us perfectly with delicious, healthy meals - best backpacking food we've ever had. We borrowed all the gear from Lasting Adventures and it was all really good - the tent and sleeping bag were super warm. We can't wait to come again and hike more of Yosemite. We hope to bring our family or even send our kids on one of their youth adventures!

David W

Sep 2019

A friend convinced myself and another buddy to sign up for the 5 Day backpacking trip. None of us had ever backpacked before, and two of us had never seen Yosemite. From the earliest days of discerning which company to utilize, we were impressed by the rapid responses to our inquiries. Our trip was in late September as we did not want to experience crowds or bugs. Our guides - Jack and Nicole - met us at Curry Village and took plenty of time to help us pack for the week. They looked through everything we had brought, and told us what to bring, and what to leave behind. Then, we packed our backpacks and started our adventure. I am 59 years old and in excellent condition. I've done marathons and half-Ironman triathlons. This trip was a test of my endurance. The backpack is heavy (30 - 45#) and the routes are steep and long. You will be navigating terrain that is indescribably beautiful, but at the same time challenging. If you are not in reasonably good physical condition - choose another trip. Jack and Nicole were amazing. Both of them are experienced rock climbers, and in addition to providing us history and insight into Yosemite, they were wonderful guides and managed the group with expertise well beyond their years. As our group was deciding which day to hike up to Half-Dome, we relied on their opinions concerning the weather. Thankfully, they were exactly right. We woke up at 3AM on our last day to trek in the dark to the cables of Half-Dome. Just before sunrise, we pulled ourselves to the top of one of the most iconic rock formations in the world. Don't miss the opportunity to stand on the top of Half-Dome, Clouds Rest, and Mt. Hoffman. Each summit is unique in it's own way. My only criticism is with the sleeping pads provided. They are very thin! None of us slept well - but part of that was the cold. At night - the temperatures at 9000' where we were camping dipped into the 20's. We weren't prepared for that. But temperature aside, I would highly recommend that you purchase a thin, inflatable sleeping pad. This trip will never be forgotten. Jack and Nicole - and the rest of the group - created a wonderful bond of friendship. Do yourself a favor and see one of the most majestic parks our planet has to offer.