Founder’s Fall Adventure

Founder's Fall Adventure

Yosemite National Park

Trip Highlights:

High Alpine Wilderness

Fundraising Trip

Founder with 30+ years of Yosemite experience

Pacific Crest Trail

Sawtooth Ridge

Matterhorn Canyon

Our Founder and our Operations Director are your guides for this iconic Yosemite Guided Backpacking Trip to raise funds for disadvantaged youth!

HIGHLIGHTS

Join Lasting Adventures’ Founder/Executive Director, Scott Gehrman, and our Operations Director (and veteran Yosemite backpacking guide) Will Heaps, on a special 6-day Yosemite guided backpacking trip through the backcountry with our two most experienced staff members! As one of the park’s most devoted stewards, Scott has been coming to Yosemite since childhood and guiding here for more than 30 years! As a veteran Lasting Adventures guide, Will knows every step of the way. He can point out the less obvious highlights and make the entire experience something to write home about! With more than 40 years of combined backcountry experience in the park, the duo hosts an unparalleled wealth of Yosemite knowledge to share with guests—from hidden secrets of Yosemite’s fascinating history to locations of the park’s lesser-known backcountry marvels. They are also both wizards in the backcountry kitchen (Will specializes in international cuisine) who are passionate about creating delicious menu items to accommodate all guests, so no matter what your diet demands, you’ll eat like high-country royalty in their company! Scott has picked one of his favorite itineraries that gives you an incomparable presentation of everything Yosemite has to offer.

What’s best about our Founder’s Fall Adventure? It’s designed as a fundraiser for our youth scholarship program, and all profits go toward providing positive outdoor experiences for disadvantaged youth and teens!

Mileage & Difficulty

42 Miles

(Map and Elevation)

Moderate-Strenuous

Length

6 Days

Price

$3,995

Per Person

Departure Info

Tuolumne Meadows Wilderness Center

4 p.m.

Check Availability

48-Hour Risk-Free Booking

You will receive a full refund if you cancel within 48 hours of the original booking date.

Lifetime Credit Policy

Book with confidence knowing you can cancel for any reason up to 30 days before your trip date and receive a transferable lifetime credit that is good for use on any of our programs.

Free Date Changes

Not sure if your current trip dates work? Rest assured, you can change your trip date as many times as needed, provided you do so at least 30 days before the current and new trip dates.

MEET YOUR GUIDES

Scott Gehrman, Founder/Executive Director

Scott is the founder and executive director of Lasting Adventures. He has been coming to Yosemite since childhood and guiding in the park for just over 30 years. (He’ll tell you he started when he was young, and that he did, at the ripe age of 22.) Scott has logged thousands of miles in the Yosemite backcountry and well over 150 Half Dome summits, all while claiming to be afraid of heights. Over the years, Scott’s history of high-adventure experiences and firsthand encounters in the Yosemite backcountry has given him countless stories about his escapades, such as the time he awoke to find himself face-to-face with a black bear walking over him. He also has an arsenal of campfire tales stemming from an affinity for the lesser-known Native American and pioneer history of Yosemite. Scott’s favorite locations in Yosemite include Clouds Rest, Vogelsang Pass, Young Lakes, and Matterhorn Canyon, the latter of which is in the itinerary for this adventure! When not in Yosemite, Scott can be found snowboarding, scuba diving, and/or hiking new trails in the Sierra with his dog, Summit.

Will Heaps, Operations Director

Will is Lasting Adventures’ Operations Director. He started in 2015 and has watched the company grow. Coming from a background as a Therapeutic Recreation Specialist, he knows how to use the experience in the backcountry to uplift, inspire, and improve quality of life. Will has hiked the 500-mile Camino de Santiago and the 211-mile John Muir Trail. He knows every step of the itineraries we use and can show you vistas, fun facts, and interesting finds that no one else would think to point out. With backcountry experience in a variety of landscapes, including the deserts of southern Utah, the Utah and Colorado Rockies, the Sierra Nevada, and the Appalachian Mountains of New England, he is able to use Yosemite as a launching pad to help you continue to explore the wilderness anywhere. His favorite locations in Yosemite include Mount Conness, Young Lakes, Parker Pass Lake, Vogelsang, and Matterhorn Canyon.

2026 Departure Dates by Month

All dates remain tentative until permitted 23-24 weeks in advance. Please refrain from making travel arrangements outside of this timeline. We will contact you if we are unsuccessful in obtaining your dates. Feel free to contact us if you would like to confirm.

Yosemite Guided Backpacking Trips: Founder’s Fall Adventure (Special Edition Hidden Yosemite)

For a detailed map with an elevation profile of the tentative itinerary, click here: Map.

Day 1

Meet your guide in the Tuolumne Meadows Wilderness Permit Center parking area at 12 p.m. Get acquainted with the group and your gear while eating the lunch you brought for day one. Hike six easy miles out of Tuolumne Meadows and north towards the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne—a dramatic glacier-cut river canyon. This gradual downhill hike meanders through alpine meadows, across massive granite slabs, and past both Tuolumne Falls and White Cascade. Set up camp at the Glen Aulin High Sierra Camp (7,980′) next to a pristine swimming hole. The total mileage today is approximately six miles.

Today’s Mileage/Elevation: 5.9 mi / +320′, -973′

Day 2

We will get an early start as we continue along the Pacific Crest Trail. The start of the day will take us seven miles through Cold Canyon before we reach a fantastic vista peeking into Virginia Canyon and beyond. We will descend and find a campsite near Return Creek at 8,500′.

Today’s Mileage/Elevation: 8.0 mi / +1435′, -841′

Day 3

After a leisurely start with breakfast today and packing up, we will continue our trek along the PCT into Spiller Canyon and climb to Miller Lake. Today will also provide time to enjoy this high alpine lake.

Today’s Mileage/Elevation: 3.8 mi / +1291′, -369′

Day 4

We will rise and begin the day by ascending out of the Miller Lake basin before dropping into Matterhorn Canyon. At this point, we will leave the Pacific Crest Trail as we continue deep into Matterhorn Canyon, where we will make camp surrounded by the beauty of spectacular geological formations such as the Fingers, Matterhorn Peak, Whorl Mountain, and the famous Sawtooth Ridge.

Today’s Mileage/Elevation: 9 mi / +2380′, -1524′

Day 5

After a hearty breakfast, we will climb over Burro Pass at 10,600′ before descending into Slide Canyon. Exiting Yosemite, we will climb out of Slide Canyon and over Mule Pass (10,440′) while taking a break to reward ourselves with some of the most amazing and breathtaking views you may ever see. We will proceed another 1.5 miles into the Hoover Wilderness (Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest area) and alongside some extraordinary eastern Sierra pinnacles as we head to camp along the shore of Crown Lake (9,450′).

Today’s Mileage/Elevation: 6 mi / +1161′, -2006′

Day 6

On our final day, we will continue our descent through the Eastern Sierras, passing many other lakes, rivers, streams, and small waterfalls as we proceed to the Annett’s Mono Village Resort on the east side of Twin Lakes at 7,092′. (Located about 12 driving miles outside and to the west of Bridgeport, California.) Reward yourself with lunch, a cold beverage, and/or an ice cream before our scheduled shuttle back to Tuolumne Meadows to retrieve vehicles.

Today’s Mileage/Elevation: 8.25 mi / +271′, -2636′

Other: Based on permitting, a variation for this route includes combining days 2 and 3 into a single hike and starting the backpacking portion of the trip on day 2.

Our trips are all-inclusive. We provide all meals, and we can provide high-quality gear, including Gregory backpacks, Big Agnes tents, sleeping bags and pads, LEKI trekking poles, and eating gear, free of charge. Group gear, including all kitchen supplies, first aid, and water purification, is also included. See the Guide Service Backpacking Equipment List for more information.
See our Frequently Asked Questions, Yosemite Transportation Options, and/or Yosemite Lodging Options.
Parking will be available adjacent to the first day’s meeting location.
All trips include the required permits and are pending permit availability, which we gain 23-24 weeks in advance. Please refrain from making travel arrangements until we have confirmed dates. If we cannot acquire permits for this exact itinerary on your chosen dates, you will be contacted with options to choose different dates and/or cancel/refund.
Should weather, fire, and/or delayed seasonal openings affect the chosen itinerary, a different itinerary will be offered. Lasting Adventures is recognized for its commitment to safety and risk management. In this regard, the summit of peaks will not be attempted when clouds are in close proximity.
Should reservations be necessary to enter Yosemite, your booking confirmation with us will serve as your entry reservation for the days booked with us. This should not be confused with entry fees, which still may be required.

See here for our full Terms & Conditions and Cancellation Policies.

Your participation helps sustain our non-profit mission of supporting youth, families, and disadvantaged communities with positive experiences in America’s National Parks and natural spaces.

I have never backpacked before. Can I still join this trip?

Yes, our backpack trips are perfect for both those who are new to backpacking and those who have backpacked before and are looking to explore new areas.

I am booking as a solo participant. Is that okay?

Yes, overall, most of our clients travel solo, and everyone always leaves with new friends. Often these new friendships return and join us in different parks and/or on different itineraries. Solo participants will be offered single-person tents.

How big are the backpacking groups?

On backpacking trips, our average group size is 8-10 people with at least two guides, however, often groups are much smaller. We strive for a 1:5 guide to client ratio at most on all trips. We also appreciate small group sizes to maximize your experience.

Is there a Packing/Equipment List?

Yes, see here for our Guide Service Backpacking Equipment List.

What gear does Lasting Adventures provide?

On all multiday trips, and unlike most other outfitters, our trips are all–inclusive, with free use of quality gear from partners such as Gregory (backpacks), Big Agnes (tents, sleeping bags, and pads), Leki (trekking poles), and more. See here for Gear We Use. Lasting Adventures also provides all group gear (bear cans, cooking gear, first-aid supplies, water treatment, toilet paper, soap, hand sanitizer, bug repellent, suntan lotion, etc).

If I have my own gear, do I get a discount?

Unfortunately no. Lasting Adventures provides our gear free of charge through longstanding partnerships with our gear partners. Thus, we neither charge more to use our gear nor charge less if you use your own. You can also request to use our gear, and also bring your own, and then decide what stays or goes when packing up with the guide(s) and group on the first day.

How much weight will I be required to carry?

You can expect to carry anywhere from 30-50 pounds, but no more than ⅓ of your body weight. You will carry all your personal gear and, if possible, a share of the group gear. Within the group, bigger people carry more and smaller people less. For over 30 years now, this process has worked to everyone’s advantage.

Can you accommodate dietary requests?

Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. We have a long history of meeting the needs of most all dietary restrictions and even some very complicated ones. When registering, you will complete a questionnaire to give us a brief picture of your needs. Later, you will complete a more detailed Medical Form, which you can use to include additional information. The staff guiding your trip will call you the day prior and, when packing the food/gear for the trip, will go over your needs and modifications in more detail. Although we have many options in stock, we respect it if you ultimately decide to bring your preferred substitutions.

Will bathrooms and/or showers be available?

We operate traditional wilderness backpacking trips, and you should prepare yourself for not having access to bathrooms/showers. Guides will provide instructions on how to best use the wilderness when conducting your business while also following the Leave No Trace Principles. There will also be time to rinse off, as we camp near rivers, streams, and/or lakes daily. Less often, we may stay in campgrounds with toilets or outhouses.

Will there be parking available?

Yes, parking is always available close to our first day’s meeting point, and your vehicle can remain there throughout the trip. Although parking is free, remember to expect a vehicle fee when entering the park.

Are there public transportation options available?

Although past clients have said they were glad they rented a vehicle, there are limited public transportation options for most of the trips we offer in Yosemite. See here for additional information: Yosemite Transportation Options.

Where can I leave my extra/other luggage and/or belongings I will be traveling with?

You can store your valuables and/or extra gear/luggage either locked in your vehicle or our guide’s vehicle for the duration of the trip.

How can I avoid the extra processing and booking fees when registering for the trip?

To avoid the processing fees associated with online registration, you can pay by check, Zelle, or bank transfer. See more information here: Payment Options.

What's your cancellation policy?

Lasting Adventures offers a very forgiving and structured Cancellation Policy, with lifetime transferable credit always an option up to 30 days prior to the trip. For a full description, visit our Terms and Conditions page.

See here for additional Frequently Asked Questions.

Our trips are all-inclusive. We provide all meals, and we can provide high-quality gear, including Gregory backpacks, Big Agnes tents, sleeping bags and pads, LEKI trekking poles, and eating gear, free of charge. Group gear, including all kitchen supplies, first aid, and water purification, is also included. See the Guide Service Backpacking Equipment List for more information.
See our Frequently Asked Questions, Yosemite Transportation Options, and/or Yosemite Lodging Options.
Parking will be available adjacent to the first day’s meeting location.
All trips include the required permits and are pending permit availability, which we gain 23-24 weeks in advance. Please refrain from making travel arrangements until we have confirmed dates. If we cannot acquire permits for this exact itinerary on your chosen dates, you will be contacted with options to choose different dates and/or cancel/refund.
Should weather, fire, and/or delayed seasonal openings affect the chosen itinerary, a different itinerary will be offered. Lasting Adventures is recognized for its commitment to safety and risk management. In this regard, the summit of peaks will not be attempted when clouds are in close proximity.
Should reservations be necessary to enter Yosemite, your booking confirmation with us will serve as your entry reservation for the days booked with us. This should not be confused with entry fees, which still may be required.

See here for our full Terms & Conditions and Cancellation Policies.

Your participation helps sustain our non-profit mission of supporting youth, families, and disadvantaged communities with positive experiences in America’s National Parks and natural spaces.