Yosemite Sampler – Day Hiking
6/21-28/08
Yosemite
Sampler Day
Hiking
An AMC Major Excursion, June 21, 2008 – June 28, 2008
Yosemite National Park – an American gem and of one the most beloved of all
national parks! The pristine wilderness and rugged beauty sets the stage for a
week of extraordinary day hiking. If you have yet to experience this park, this is
the trip for you. Our goal is to have you experience its beauty as we hike a
sampling of rocky granite, discover hidden alpine lakes, and refresh ourselves with
a dip in a waterfall pool.
Yosemite is a tremendous mosaic of leaping waterfalls, soaring granite cliffs, miles
of magical meadows, noble groves of giant sequoias and dramatic displays of
wildflowers enhancing glacier-carved backcountry. America’s 3rd national park, and
after much lobbying from famed environmentalist, John Miur, Yellowstone became a
national park in 1890. It is a land of amazing diversity. Elevations range from
2,000 to more than 13,000 feet. Up to 4 million people visit the park each year.
Yosemite’s borders encompass almost 1,200 square miles and almost 800 miles of
excellent trails through some of the most dramatic and beautiful scenery on earth.
More than 1,300 species of flowering plants, 233 kinds of birds, and 77 kinds of
mammals are found at Yosemite. So join us for a “Sampling”!
TRIP ITINERARY
This trip will consist of day hiking taking us to some of the
most scenic spots in the park. We will be there at a time
when the waterfalls should be flowing heavily due to spring
runoff. There are a number of hikes that we can take
advantage of to experience this beauty. The leaders will
establish the daily hike schedule once all participants are
confirmed. This will give them the ability to tailor the hikes
to the best of group’s ability.
DAY/DATE
ACTIVITY
Saturday, June 21
Arrive in Fresno, CA and drive to Yosemite National
park; stop en route for groceries
Sunday, June 22
Day Hike - TBD
Monday, June 23
Day Hike - TBD
Tuesday, June 24
Day Hike - TBD
Wednesday, June 25
Rest Day
Thursday, June 26
Day Hike - TBD
Friday, June 27
Day Hike - TBD
Saturday, June 28
Drive to Fresno, CA airport and depart
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ACCOMODATIONS AND MEALS
The accommodations for this trip will be the Brookside House in Yosemite National
Park. www.yosemitewestreservations.com. It includes a kitchen, living room, 3 full
bathrooms and sleeps 10 people comfortably. It also has a deck with a grill for
relaxing and evening barbeques.
Meals will consist of group dinners made at the house for the nights of Sunday
though Thursday. On arrival day and evening prior to departure we will be have a
welcome/farewell dinner at a local restaurant. Breakfast and lunch will also be
provided. A variety of lunch food will be available for you to make your trail lunch.
Snacks on the trail will be your responsibility. Please notify leaders if you have food
allergies or dietary restrictions.
TRANSPORTATION
The leaders will assist you in making your airline reservations. If you prefer to
make your own airline arrangements, it is imperative that you arrive in Fresno, CA
no later that 12:00pm on Saturday, June 21, 2008. The group will meet and travel
by rental cars to Yosemite National Park. We encourage you to make your return
flights around 12:00pm on Saturday, June 28, 2008. During our time in Yosemite,
we will be traveling in rental cars (1 mini van and 1 full size vehicle)
COST, REGISTRATION AND CANCELLATION
The approximate cost for the trip is $1,500 which includes an estimated $625 for
airfare. The trip fee will cover the following items:





Accommodations at the Brookside House in Yosemite West
All breakfasts, lunch, and dinners
All local transportation (to and from the airports and trailheads)
Park permits
AMC major excursion fee
Personal snacks for the day hikes and other personal expenses are not included.
You should plan on an additional $100 for any other miscellaneous expenses (gifts,
alcohol at restaurants, snacks at airports, etc.)
The approximate cost for the excursion (published and stated here) is based on
quotes at the time the trip was submitted to the Major Excursions Committee in
April, 2007. The final cost of the trip will be adjusted in accordance with the best
final arrangements we can make. Airfare may differ based on points of departure
with fluctuations in airfares. Any savings we achieve, as well as any cost increase,
will be passed back to you.
Please be aware that, in accordance with AMC policy, you are subsidizing the
leaders' costs. Beyond this, the leaders are not allowed to realize any profit from
this excursion. The trip price also includes an AMC overhead fee to cover the
administrative expenses of offering Major Excursions, including the trip's publication
in AMC Outdoors for several months. The trip fee includes emergency medical and
evacuation insurance coverage, which is required by the AMC.
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Any unspent funds resulting from negotiating better rates for airfare, lodging, local
transportation, etc. will be refunded to the participants. If the trip’s financial
position is strong enough at the start, the leaders may make partial refunds in the
form of payments toward some meals and/or free time activities which would
otherwise not be included.
To apply, you must complete and submit the Application, Confidential Medical
forms, and Acknowledgement and Assumption of Risk and Release forms, and a
registration deposit of $500. You will not actually be accepted, and your check will
not be deposited, until the leaders have determined by telephone conversation with
you that you and the trip seem to be a good match. The final payment of $1000
will be due on February 1, 2007. Make checks payable to the Appalachian Mountain
Club.
Our cancellation policy is based on the simple precept that your cancellation shall
not raise the cost to any of the other participants or the leaders. Therefore, if you
cancel we will refund any money that you have paid, less any expenses already
incurred, or future expenses that will be incurred, that have been the result of your
registration and that cannot be avoided. Refunded money will also be less a $25
cancellation fee. However, if you cancel and the trip still realizes full participation,
then any and all fees you have paid will be refunded to you, in full, minus the
cancellation fee. If you cancel after your airline tickets have been purchased, you
still own the ticket and will be subject to the airline’s cancellation policy.
This trip is likely to fill quickly with the limited group size (8 participants).
If you are interested, please register as soon as possible.
When registration is complete, we will send all participants the names, addresses,
and phone numbers of all those going on the trip. We are good communicators and
will try very hard to keep everyone well informed. We will be using email as our
primary source of communication.
If you have any questions, please call us so that we can discuss them. Please
contact Sue Lach at suelach@sbcglobal.net or 860-533-0219 (H) or Dick Cable at
860-673-1940.
Please send all completed forms and deposit to Sue Lach, 73 Amherst Drive,
Manchester, CT 06042.
TRIP LEADERSHIP
Sue Lach is a hike leader for the CT Chapter and Major Excursion’s leader. She
has lead day hikes along with weekend backpacks in the White
Mountains. Her Major Excursions include Belize and New
Zealand. She is an avid hiker and backpacker. In 2005 she
reached the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro. She has also backpacked
the Grand Tetons and the Torres Del Paine circuit in Chile. She
recently returned from Belize where she co-lead the group on
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many jungle and Mayan adventures! Sue currently holds Advanced Wilderness First
Aid and CPR certifications. She lives in Manchester, CT and also enjoys skydiving,
snorkeling, scuba diving, mountain biking and is an amateur photographer.
Dick Cable is an active biking and hiking leader for the AMC. He
has participated in Major Excursions to Tuscany, Italy [biking],
Belize, and most recently China and Tibet. He has lead trips to
Puerto Rico, Turkey, and the White Mountains. He is an avid biker
and hiker. He is also a personal trainer and group fitness instructor
in cycling and aerobics. He also enjoys downhill skiing.
EXPERIENCE AND RISKS
People wishing to participate in this trip must have previous hiking experience, at
the upper beginner and intermediate level or higher. Although the hiking will be at
a moderate pace, this is not a trip for true beginners or people who have not hiked
for several years. You should be in excellent physical condition at the time we
depart.
When you participate in this activity you should be both physically and mentally
prepared and equipped with the appropriate gear. You should always be aware of
the risks involved and conduct yourself accordingly. We are not responsible for
your safety: you are. Prior to registering for this activity you will be asked to
discuss your capabilities and experience with us. Please do not be offended by our
questions.
A Note about Bears:
We will also be hiking in bear country. Many of us take for granted that we hike in
bear country all the time when on the East Coast; however, we
CANNOT in Yosemite. Black bears are more abundant in areas
where we will hike and, given the heavy use the trails receive,
bears are either scared away by all the noise and activity or are
attracted by the abundance of food. We will be discussing techniques
recommended by bear experts for actions to take if we encounter a bear, but
prevention is the number one technique!
BEING A TEAM PLAYER
We will be more than just a group; we will be a team. If you are a loner, if you
cannot accept and enjoy being part of a group, if you are not a team player who is
willing to help your fellow hikers, then please do not register for this excursion. If a
member of our group becomes injured, you will be expected to help carry that
person’s gear. You will also help with meal preparations and cleaning.
To this end, we will try to arrange a pre-trip before we depart, so we can get to
know each other. Although not required, this will be a great way to meet the
others in the group. A date will be coordinated once the trip is full.
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EQUIPMENT LIST
Below is a list of the required gear for the trip. The items with asterisks (*) will be
shared, so if you do not have this equipment, you will be able to share with others.
Required and Essential Gear
 Backpack, large enough to carry 3 quarts/liters of water, rain gear,
lunch/snacks, hat & gloves, flashlight/headlamp, personal gear, etc. during
hikes. Pack extra clothing in a garbage bag to keep your things dry – packs are
NOT waterproof!
 Broken-in hiking boots (preferably water-proof and above-ankle). WEAR OR
CARRY THESE ON THE PLANE, WITH AN EXTRA PAIR OF HIKING SOCKS,
IN CASE YOUR LUGGAGE IS DELAYED!
 Waterproof wind and rain gear (hooded jacket and pants, no ponchos; must be
in pack
 3 quart/liter water bottles or equivalent hydration system
 synthetic fleece jacket and/or warm wool sweater (must be in pack; you may
want a second one for evenings)
 Synthetic or wool warm hat and gloves/mittens (yes, must be in your pack on
the hikes, even in August!)
 Long hiking pants - synthetic (convertible are great – can be pants or shorts)
at least 3 pairs of hiking socks with liners (more if you don’t want to spend
your free time at the laundromat!)
 Polypropylene, Coolmax, Bergelene or other synthetic hiking clothing (see Notes
above –combination of long and short sleeve shirts, shorts, etc.)
 Comfortable clothing for around the house (can be cotton)
 Lightweight flashlight or headlamp with extra batteries (to carry in your pack as
safety gear, AND to use around camp)
 Toilet paper and extra ziplock bags to pack it out after use (must be in pack)
Recommended and Optional Gear
 Tevas, sandals and/or sneakers (for evenings, town, swimming)
 Hiking poles – vital if you have any tendency for knee problems
 Pack cover
 Personal first aid kit w/ moleskin, personal meds, etc.
 Matches or lighter: neither can be checked in luggage per TSA; safety (“nonstrike anywhere”) matches can be carried-on up to 4 books; as of August 4,
2007 “common” cigarette lighters can be carried on again (not checked) but
torch-style lighters cannot.
 Whistle and knife (cannot bring in carry-on)
 Compass
 Sunscreen
 Hat for sun protection
 Insect repellent
 Swimsuit
 Camera & film/memory cards
 Binoculars (can be heavy type for in the cars, and/or lightweight for on the
trails); or, a spotting scope
 Trail snacks – we’ll have plenty of food, but if you have a favorite, bring it.
 Ear plugs (there will be snorers!)
 Guide books, field notebooks, etc.
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