Mount Hoffmann Day Hike
Meeting Location: May Lake Parking Lot at 8,848′ (or Sunrise Trailhead at 8,156′)
High Point: Mount Hoffmann summit at 10,850′
Mileage and Elevation Gain/Loss: 6 miles, +/- 2,013′
For a detailed map with elevation profile of the tentative itinerary, click here: Map.
This trip can begin in one of two ways depending on personal preference. Your guide can either meet you at Sunrise Lakes Trailhead near Tenaya Lakes’ Western shore, which will make the day’s hike 10 miles total, or we may meet at May Lake Parking lot (if open), which cuts off 4 miles from the day making the trek 6 miles round trip. From Sunrise trailhead, it is a quick and flat warmup hike .7 miles to Tioga Pass road. Here we will cross a crosswalk to continue 1.3 miles on a 700 foot vertical foot ascent to May Lake Parking lot. If you choose to begin the day at May Lake parking lot, don’t worry about the aforementioned; your trip will start here.
From May Lake Parking lot, the trail takes us along a mildly strenuous 1.1 miles ascending 500 vertical feet to the May Lake high sierra camp, an absolutely beautiful high sierra lake, and one of the largest by area in Yosemite National Park. After enjoying a swim, snacks, water and relaxation here at May Lake, we will continue to our final destination, a 2-mile, 1,500 vertical foot climb to the peak of Mount Hoffmann. This is the most strenuous 2 miles of the day, being uphill the whole way. The last mile up, we will be hiking upon loose granite boulders and rocks through a indefinite trail marked by cairns, or rock stacks. From the base of the summit, it is about a 150 vertical foot moderately steep scramble up granitic boulders to the peak. Reaching the peak is very much worth the tough trek, being the geographical center of the park and reaching higher than Cloud’s Rest and Half Dome at 10,850 feet, Mount Hoffmann provides a 360-degree perspective of the entire park. With incredible views of Half Dome, Cloud’s Rest, the Clark Range, the Cathedral Range and Tuolumne’s High Country, and of the park’s northern borders it is easy to understand why this huge exfoliating mountain was John Muir’s favorite view.
After you have had your fill of the overwhelming views from the peak, we will backtrack the trail, all downhill, descending 1,500 vertical feet back to May Lake, where another swim or fishing session may be enjoyed. Now we continue retracing 1.1 miles down to the May Lake parking lot. If you started here, this is where our day will end after sweet reminisces and goodbyes. If you began at Sunrise Lakes trailhead, our final stretch will be two excess miles descending 700 vertical feet back to the finish line at Sunrise parking lot.
