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Ten Lakes is the perfect destination for those who are new to backpacking. On this trip, you’ll spend three days exploring the Yosemite High Country. After establishing our basecamp at Lower Grant Lake, we will marvel at the plethora of stars in the Sierra night sky. Our second day in the backcountry will be without heavy packs, allowing us to traipse along the granite slabs, breathing clean mountain air as we take in the ample vistas the Ten Lakes Basin affords visitors. Evidence of glacial activity helps us appreciate the movement of time through this impressive landscape, and the wide open panorama fires the imagination of what more can be explored!
Check into your tent cabin at Curry Village anytime after 5pm, then meet your guide at 6pm on the deck of the Mountain Shop in Curry Village for a brief gear check and pre-trip orientation. Curry Village is located at 4,005′ of elevation, so spending the night there will help you acclimate to the high country before you set out for your trek. Dinner tonight is on your own at one of Yosemite Valley’s restaurants. After dinner, wander out to Stoneman Meadow to admire the alpenglow on Half Dome before settling down in your old-time tent cabin for a good night’s rest.
After breakfast on your own, you will meet up with your guide and group and hit the trail around 8am. The first part of the hike is gradual, and after enjoying a mellow lunch near Yosemite Creek, the trail gets a bit harder, gaining 1,500′ over 3 miles, bringing us to our lakeside camp by late afternoon. Your guide will help you settle in, and then blow you away with SYMG’s signature “backcountry gourmet” cooking–no freeze dried meals here! After dinner, plan on enjoying a spectacular night of stargazing or stories by the fireside.
6 miles, Elevation: +2,216’/ -480′
After a hearty camp breakfast, we’ll set out over Ten Lakes Pass to explore the alpine lake basin. Expect scenic hiking, both on and off trail as we seek out the perfect spot for a picnic lunch! Your guide will show you evidence of the glaciation that sculpted the area during the last ice age, while you keep an eye out for wildlife encounters! Back at camp, expect another awesome meal and another sky full of stars.
3-5 miles, Elevation: +500’/ -500′ (approx)
Today we’ll break camp and enjoy an extra special breakfast around the fire ring, pack our backpacks and bid adieu to our cozy lakeside camp. We’ll head down a trail that runs along Yosemite Creek (which turns into Yosemite Falls), and wave goodbye to the feathered and furry locals that we’ve met along the way. Arriving back to our vehicles around noon, we will part ways with new friends, fond memories, and a renewed connection with nature.
6 miles, Elevation: +480’/-2,216′
What's Included
Accommodations
- one night’s stay in a tent cabin in Yosemite Valley’s famous Curry Village
- 2 nights of wilderness tent camping (permits included)
Gear
- All group gear including stoves, cookware, water filters, group first aid kit, etc.
- Personal backpacking gear provided by request: backpacks, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, trekking poles, and tents
Food
- Starting with lunch on Day 2 and ending with breakfast and trail snacks on Day 4
- Backcountry gourmet meals including trail snacks
A Few More Notes
About the trip
Based from the incomparable Yosemite Valley, we will first travel to the high country by car before entering the wilderness at Yosemite Creek. A slow and steady pace brings us to our high camp located near the banks of Lower Grant Lake. The following day of exploration will give us insight into the glacial origins of Yosemite, as well as an opportunity to view wildlife, such as marmots, woodpeckers, and maybe a bear!
Accommodations: We provide your first night lodging in the Curry Village tent cabins and two nights tent camping (price based on shared occupancy). Located in the heart of the Yosemite Valley, Curry Village is the ideal spot to explore all that Yosemite has to offer.
Equipment: We supply all group camping gear (stoves, cookware, water filters, group first aid kit, etc.). We can also supply personal camping equipment (backpacks, sleeping bags, ground pads, trekking poles, and tents) upon request with no additional fee. You are welcome to bring your own personal camping equipment if you prefer. A detailed gear list will be sent to you upon registration.
Meals: We provide meals starting with lunch on day two through breakfast and trail snacks the last day. Our “Backcountry Gourmet” meals have been acclaimed in Sunset Magazine. We take pride in providing excellent meals even in remote surroundings.
Your Cost Includes: Meals (as noted above), group camping gear (as noted above), personal camping equipment (as listed above), accommodations (as noted above), applicable permits, professional mountain guide(s), pre-trip planning packet, and trip support from our friendly office staff.
Not Included: Personal clothing and footwear, personal gear not listed under “Equipment” above, meals while in the front country, tips for guides (10-20% of trip cost is customary), transportation, and optional trip cancellation insurance.
Preparation: Training is paramount to the enjoyment and success of your trip. We recommend exercising in the months prior to your trip to bolster sustained cardiovascular/aerobic activities as well as core and leg strength. Day hikes with a full backpack, preferably on hilly, off road terrain, is the best way to train for our trips. Activities such as cycling and step-master type machines are also excellent and preferable to a routine comprised solely of running.
