Trip Highlights:
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 25 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 30 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 a 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!
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 25-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 first-hand encounters in the Yosemite backcountry have armed him with countless stories of his personal escapades, such as the time he awoke face-to-face with a black bear! 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, Matterhorn Canyon, and Vogelsang Pass, the latter of which is in the itinerary for this adventure! When not in Yosemite, Scott can be found snowboarding, or hiking the slopes of Tahoe with his dog, and Lasting Adventure’s spirit animal, Summit.
Will Heaps, Operations Director
Will is Lasting Adventures’ Operations Director. He started in 2015 and has watched the company grow into itself. 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.
Also on this trip you can expect to benefit from 1-2 more of our experienced Yosemite guides who will join in on the fun while providing additional support to this exceptional experience.
Length
Price
Per Person
All dates remain tentative until permitted 22 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.
For a detailed map with elevation profile of the tentative itinerary, click here: Map.
Day 1: Meet your hosts, Scott and Will, at 4 pm in Curry Village. Get acquainted with the group and with gear. If time allows before dinner, explore some of the Valley’s iconic features. Dinner and camping in the Yosemite Valley Backpackers Campsite. Today’s Mileage/Elevation: 0 mi / +0′, -0′
Day 2: After breakfast and packing up the campsite, our group will return to Curry Village and for our transfer to Tuolumne Meadows by 8am. From there, depart by means of the John Muir Trail and quickly diverge onto the Rafferty Creek Trail. This is a steady uphill hike into high alpine meadows. Our goal this day is to go 6.5 miles to either Boothe Lake (9,845′) or Vogelsang High Sierra Camp (10,130′), where we’ll spend the night in an area of Yosemite unanimously beloved as a favorite among our guides! Today’s Mileage/Elevation: 7.5 mi / +1,500′, -0′
Day 3: This downhill day begins with a drop in elevation to Babcock Lake (8,885′), over the course of 5.3 hiking miles alongside Fletcher Creek, which flows into the mighty Merced River. Upon reaching camp at Babcock Lake, you’ll have the opportunity to relax and cool off in the brisk alpine lake before dinner. Today’s Mileage/Elevation: 5.3 mi / +100′, -1,300′
Day 4: After a hearty breakfast, we break camp and leave Babcock Lake, dropping over 1,500′ on the 3.9-mile hike to Merced Lake for a lunchtime break. We will then hike another 2.6 easy miles along the shores of the Merced River to Echo Valley (7,020′), where we’ll set up camp and enjoy a delicious dinner before bedding down for the a well-earned sleep. Today’s Mileage/Elevation: 6.5 mi / +100′, -2,000′
Day 5: Today we continue hiking along the Merced River to Little Yosemite Valley (6,140′) for a total of 6.7 easy, downhill miles past stunning backcountry waterfalls and cascades. You’ll experience lush meadows filled with wildflowers and babbling creeks as you trek through some of the park’s most pristine wilderness. Today’s Mileage/Elevation (without Half dome): 6.7 mi / +250′, -1,800′
Day 6: Our final hike takes us 4.5 miles down the iconic Mist Trail to Yosemite Valley (4,000′). Along the way we pass two of Yosemite’s most stunning waterfalls—Nevada Fall and Vernal Fall—before finishing in historic Curry Village. Typically, the goal is to reach the end of the hike, and trip, between 1:00 and 3:00 pm. Today’s Mileage/Elevation (without Half Dome): 4.5 mi / +300′, -2440′
Other: Half Dome can be completed in the afternoon/evening of Day 5 or early morning on Day 6 before hiking out. This is a 7-mile round-trip, +2,700’/-2,700′ elevation change hike from Little Yosemite Valley.
NOTES:
REQUIRED FORMS
In addition to full payment, the final acceptance of any participant is subject to receipt and review of all the Required Forms. These forms are also attached to your confirmation email once you register online.
We will require an additional medical release for any guests on multi-day trips, any “Half Dome in a Day” hiker, or any guest who is currently under the care of a physician for any ongoing disease, illness, or any other condition/factor that may be a concern on the trip.
DIETARY CONSTRAINTS
Although we are able to accommodate many specific dietary constraints and choices, we prepare foods in a facility with peanuts, gluten, soy, and other major allergens and are not certified as an ‘allergen-free’ facility. We take steps to limit the risk of cross-contamination, but we cannot guarantee that the foods we prepare will be fully free of major allergens.
We have experience in accommodating a variety of dietary choices and concerns, including, but not limited to:
If we have questions or concerns about the information on your medical form, we will call you the day before your trip to ensure we are packing foods you are able to eat without issue.
TRADITIONAL BACKPACKING
Lasting Adventures runs “traditional backpacking” trips. This is done without using porters, stock, or other outside assistance. For this trip, you will be expected to carry your personal gear, a share of the group gear, and food in a backpack. The weight can be expected to be 30-50 lb. and no more than the recommended ⅓ of your body weight.
As needed, it is recommended that participants discuss their ability to fully participate in a backpacking trip with their doctor, including (but not limited to) the ability to carry heavy loads over long distances and strenuous and uneven terrain. Levels of difficulty listed on our website are relative and in no way an objective declaration of difficulty. A regular physical exercise program is recommended before going on your adventure.
TRIP ITINERARIES
All trips are subject to itinerary changes for various reasons, including, but not limited to permitting, weather, forest fires, park or public land closures, and/or road closures. In most situations, we will offer an alternative itinerary of equal value and quality or a credit equal to the total amount paid through the end of the following season. Payments are non-refundable for itinerary changes. If a trip is canceled before its start date due to circumstances beyond our control, a credit equal to the total amount paid will be issued.
STAFF SCHEDULES
Due to the nature of backpacking, our guides work long hours. To provide the best possible experience to our guests and guides, we limit the number of hours our guides work to 15 hours per day. Guides will not be required to be available from 9 pm to 6 am unless the group agrees to a different period before this standard break.
During time off, our guides will be available for emergencies but should be allowed to rest and not be considered available for other purposes outside of working hours. Please don’t request non-time-sensitive assistance from guides during this period. Our guides are also entitled to take 10 minutes every four hours and 30-minute meal breaks every 5 hours, between 6 am and 9 pm. We appreciate your cooperation with these scheduling requirements.
COUPONS
See our Coupon Use Terms and Conditions.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
For your protection and ours, we strongly recommend the purchase of Travel Insurance, which can provide you with coverage for trip cancellation/interruption (including COVID-19), travel delay, medical expenses, emergency assistance, airfare, and baggage loss/delay to protect your financial investment. We recommend those with “cancel for any reason” clauses included. See reviews of some of the best Cancel For Any Reason Travel Insurance Options presented by Forbes or Squaremouth. Othe
Travel Insurance is the easiest and best way to protect yourself and our smaller non-profit organization against last-minute cancellations. We are happy to provide timely and accurate documentation for any insurance claim related to our trips when requested. Please remember that when canceling a reservation, you must first contact the company responsible for ensuring your reservation.
PAYMENT SCHEDULE
Full payment is preferred for all backpacking trips and youth programs/summer camps. During check-out, you may pay a 50% deposit at the time of booking and the remaining 50% at least 30 days from departure. If choosing this option, you can either complete payment on your own with the self-service link in the confirmation email, or you will be billed automatically at or shortly after the 30-day interval for the remaining amount. Final Lodging/Hiking package payments are due 45 days in advance. Any new multi-day booking made at/within 45 days in advance must be paid in full. Feel free to contact us directly to set up any other payment plan.
When registering online, expect to pay a booking fee of 3.0% (which is capped at $30) and a processing fee of 2.7% (no cap). These fees can be avoided when paying by check. For detailed information, see our Payment Options page.
CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICIES
Lasting Adventures reserves the right to cancel trips. If a trip is canceled due to circumstances beyond our control, a credit equal to the total amount paid will be issued. Lasting Adventures is not responsible for additional expenses incurred while preparing for the trip.
The following cancellation policy is only for trips booked directly through our official website, lastingadventures.com. If you have booked via a third-party website (such as TripAdvisor/Viator, bookyogaretreats.com, or 57Hours), the below policy does not apply, and you are held to the third-party’s cancellation policy.
Multi-Day Adventures/Summer Camps Cancellation Policy
48-Hour Risk-Free Cancellation Policy
Any reservation can be canceled within 48 hours of the initial booking, and we will grant you a full refund minus a 2.7% processing fee for credit card transactions. After 48 hours, our standard terms and conditions apply. To cancel, please email us at staff@lastingadventures.org or leave a voicemail at 800-513-8651. This policy does not apply if the booked trip occurs within 96 hours of the initial booking.
Fire/Smoke Cancellation Policy
Fire/smoke cancellations are considered circumstances beyond our control. If your chosen travel insurance does not cover fire/smoke cancellations, a credit equal to the total amount paid will be issued. If we cancel during your adventure with us, we will issue a non-refundable credit equal to the dollar amount associated with the number of days not used. In both cases, these credits will be lifetime/transferable but non-refundable.
Other Considerations
Departing From a Trip: Once a participant has joined a trip and the trip has begun, no refunds or credits will be issued, regardless of the reason for departure. Costs associated with assisting a participant with evacuating from the wilderness will be passed on to the participant. Travel Insurance is strongly recommended.
Minimum Participants: Our Guide Service multi-day trips have a two-person minimum. (Yoga trips have a three-person minimum.) Our Summer Camps have a four-person minimum. Should we fall short on these minimums, we will contact you 30 days before your scheduled start date with options that may include switching to another trip/date and/or a single-participant surcharge.
Infectious Illness Policy (including COVID): Any participant on any program/trip with any sign/symptom of a potential illness will not be able to participate, and no refund or credits will be given. Many forms of Travel Insurance cover these circumstances. We ask that you screen yourself and/or your child before participating and contact us to cancel if any sign of illness is present. Health screenings can be expected in all youth programs.
Half Dome & Other Summits: Reaching the top of a summit, such as Half Dome, is risky and can be made far worse by inclement weather. While we aim to get everyone to the top, summiting is not guaranteed. Lightning and rain can be deadly on exposed summits, and our experienced guides may have to call off a summit bid if weather conditions are unfavorable. You will not be allowed to summit using a Lasting Adventures permit should the experienced guide decide the conditions are not favorable.
TRIP CHANGE/CREDIT POLICY
Once you book a trip with Lasting Adventures, the value you paid is valid towards switching to another trip in the current or the coming year, pending available spaces on the new trip. Changes to your booking and conversion to credit must occur more than 30 days before your original start date. Changes within 30 days are subject to fees. Once changed to a lifetime/transferrable credit, credits are non-refundable and are a dollar-for-dollar value.
COUPONS
See our Coupon Use Terms and Conditions.
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