Yosemite’s Remote High Country
A three-day, two-night off-trail adventure to secluded lakes and dramatic granite crests in the heart of Yosemite National Park’s high country.
Watch the sunrise illuminate a ‘wave’ of sheer granite
Swim in crystal clear and crispy cold alpine lakes
Learn off-trail navigation and route-finding
Discover a diversity of High Sierra habitats and wildlife
Experience Yosemite off the beaten path
While Yosemite National Park’s iconic landmarks and well-trodden trails draw millions of visitors each year, a vast and wild wilderness lies beyond, accessible only to those intrepid enough to venture off the beaten path. On this journey, you’ll leave the crowds behind and immerse yourself in Yosemite’s rugged, remote landscapes, where wild beauty and peaceful solitude await. Along the way, you’ll have the opportunity to hone your off-trail navigation and route-finding skills, gaining the confidence to explore these backcountry areas on your own.
Our route strikes the perfect balance of natural beauty, adventure, and solitude, offering a rare chance to experience Yosemite in a way few ever will. We’ll challenge ourselves as we crest a 10,000-foot pass, relax beside pristine, trout-filled lakes, and marvel at the ancient, gnarled Sierra juniper trees that stand as sentinels in this high-altitude landscape.
Dates:
Three days, two nights
Friday, September 5, 2025 – Sunday, September 7, 2025
Exact trip dates are subject to permit availability, and may shift slightly. Additional dates and private trips available. Contact us to learn more.
Distance:
18-20 miles | About 6 miles per day
Difficulty:
Intermediate (Rating: 2.9/5) | Learn more about trip difficulty below.
Group Size:
3-6 participants + 1 guide
Note that trips that do not meet the minimum group size may be rescheduled or cancelled. Please read our policies and FAQs carefully before booking.
Trip Cost:
$995.00 per person, $300 deposit required to reserve your spot.
Want a $100 discount? Groups of two or more can book this trip for $895 each.
Discounts will be applied to final payments.
A three-day, two-night off-trail adventure to secluded lakes and dramatic granite crests in the heart of Yosemite National Park’s high country.
Watch the sunrise illuminate a ‘wave’ of sheer granite
Swim in crystal clear and crispy cold alpine lakes
Learn off-trail navigation and route-finding
Discover a diversity of High Sierra habitats and wildlife
Experience Yosemite off the beaten path
While Yosemite National Park’s iconic landmarks and well-trodden trails draw millions of visitors each year, a vast and wild wilderness lies beyond, accessible only to those intrepid enough to venture off the beaten path. On this journey, you’ll leave the crowds behind and immerse yourself in Yosemite’s rugged, remote landscapes, where wild beauty and peaceful solitude await. Along the way, you’ll have the opportunity to hone your off-trail navigation and route-finding skills, gaining the confidence to explore these backcountry areas on your own.
Our route strikes the perfect balance of natural beauty, adventure, and solitude, offering a rare chance to experience Yosemite in a way few ever will. We’ll challenge ourselves as we crest a 10,000-foot pass, relax beside pristine, trout-filled lakes, and marvel at the ancient, gnarled Sierra juniper trees that stand as sentinels in this high-altitude landscape.
Dates:
Three days, two nights
Friday, September 5, 2025 – Sunday, September 7, 2025
Exact trip dates are subject to permit availability, and may shift slightly. Additional dates and private trips available. Contact us to learn more.
Distance:
18-20 miles | About 6 miles per day
Difficulty:
Intermediate (Rating: 2.9/5) | Learn more about trip difficulty below.
Group Size:
3-6 participants + 1 guide
Note that trips that do not meet the minimum group size may be rescheduled or cancelled. Please read our policies and FAQs carefully before booking.
Trip Cost:
$995.00 per person, $300 deposit required to reserve your spot.
Want a $100 discount? Groups of two or more can book this trip for $895 each.
Discounts will be applied to final payments.
A three-day, two-night off-trail adventure to secluded lakes and dramatic granite crests in the heart of Yosemite National Park’s high country.
Watch the sunrise illuminate a ‘wave’ of sheer granite
Swim in crystal clear and crispy cold alpine lakes
Learn off-trail navigation and route-finding
Discover a diversity of High Sierra habitats and wildlife
Experience Yosemite off the beaten path
While Yosemite National Park’s iconic landmarks and well-trodden trails draw millions of visitors each year, a vast and wild wilderness lies beyond, accessible only to those intrepid enough to venture off the beaten path. On this journey, you’ll leave the crowds behind and immerse yourself in Yosemite’s rugged, remote landscapes, where wild beauty and peaceful solitude await. Along the way, you’ll have the opportunity to hone your off-trail navigation and route-finding skills, gaining the confidence to explore these backcountry areas on your own.
Our route strikes the perfect balance of natural beauty, adventure, and solitude, offering a rare chance to experience Yosemite in a way few ever will. We’ll challenge ourselves as we crest a 10,000-foot pass, relax beside pristine, trout-filled lakes, and marvel at the ancient, gnarled Sierra juniper trees that stand as sentinels in this high-altitude landscape.
Dates:
Three days, two nights
Friday, September 5, 2025 – Sunday, September 7, 2025
Exact trip dates are subject to permit availability, and may shift slightly. Additional dates and private trips available. Contact us to learn more.
Distance:
18-20 miles | About 6 miles per day
Difficulty:
Intermediate (Rating: 2.9/5) | Learn more about trip difficulty below.
Group Size:
3-6 participants + 1 guide
Note that trips that do not meet the minimum group size may be rescheduled or cancelled. Please read our policies and FAQs carefully before booking.
Trip Cost:
$995.00 per person, $300 deposit required to reserve your spot.
Want a $100 discount? Groups of two or more can book this trip for $895 each.
Discounts will be applied to final payments.
Trip itinerary
We designed this trip as an intermediate adventure suitable for experienced backpackers and fit beginners looking for a long-weekend introduction to Yosemite’s secluded high country.
Backpacking requires flexibility. So please note that the exact details of our itineraries are occasionally adjusted due to permit availability, trail conditions, or other factors outside our control. Rest assured, we’ll do everything in our power to stick to our plan or beat it with something better.
-
We’ll meet early at the trailhead in Tuolumne Meadows where we’ll pack our gear and review the plan for the day. After an invigorating climb, we’ll eat lunch beside the first of several Sierra lakes we’ll see on our trip. As we continue beyond the lake we’ll leave the official trail behind, picking our way through dense pines and over exposed granite slopes. Once over the pass, the views become more expansive and the sense of adventure builds as we make our way to camp near gorgeous Nelson Lake.
Hiking distance:
7 miElevation gain / loss:
1,964 ft gain / 922 ft lossMeals included:
Lunch, Dinner -
Rising early, we’ll enjoy hot coffee and a hearty breakfast as the high country awakens around us. Today’s route will be entirely cross-country as we learn to read the rugged landscape and find the most ideal path to our next campsite. As we near our destination, we’ll walk beneath the gnarled and twisted spectacle of thousand-year-old Sierra juniper trees clinging to white granite slopes. But the highlight is near the end as we approach the iconic Matthes Crest cutting like a granite knife through the landscape. Our day-to-day lives may feel especially distant and small tonight as we bask beneath a canopy of stars.
Hiking distance:
4 miElevation gain / loss:
823 ft gain / 743 ft lossMeals included:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner -
Another early morning so we can watch the sunrise light Matthes Crest first in pink, then yellow, then blazing white. Today’s hike back to our cars is our longest, but it’s also mostly downhill. As we navigate back to the famous John Muir Trail and past Cathedral Peak, we’ll have more opportunities to dip into refreshing lakes. Eventually we’ll return to our cars filled with the type of gratitude only a weekend in the secluded Yosemite high country can provide.
Hiking distance:
7.4 miElevation gain / loss:
635 gain / 1,757 ft lossMeals included:
Breakfast, Lunch
Why Wilder Walks
The goal of each Wilder Walks adventure is to help you feel comfortable, confident, and present outdoors so you can deepen your connection with nature. Our trips are built around:
Ultralight and minimalist gear to help you focus on the world around you rather than the weight on your back
Small group sizes with lots of personal attention and opportunities to practice essential backpacking skills
Unique routes designed to showcase the unique ecological qualities of the places we explore
Expert guidance from a highly experienced and professionally trained trip leader
What’s included:
Comprehensive backpacking instruction: two virtual pre-trip preparation sessions, on-trail lessons on essential backpacking skills, and interpretation of local natural history.
State-of-the-art ultralight backpacking gear including everything you need to hike, sleep, and eat all weighing less than 10 lbs (not including food and essential clothing).
Lightweight, nutritious, and delicious backcountry breakfasts, lunches, and dinners that we’ll whip up together. Hot coffee and tea to start each day.
All group gear including a fully stocked camp kitchen, water filters, and group first aid kit.
All necessary permits and campsite fees.
5% donation to Big City Mountaineers, helping fund backpacking trips for California youth
Fun times and good company!
What’s not included:
Essential clothing, footwear, or any other personal items. Gear selection is a core part of our program, and we will provide guidance on the best gear to bring.
Personal trail snacks. Our pre-trip preparation sessions cover meal planning, and sorting out your own snacks is your chance to practice your new skills.
Transportation to and from the meeting place.
Yosemite National Park entrance fees which you will pay at the park entrance.
Trip insurance, which we highly encourage.
Trip difficulty
This trip is rated Intermediate, after scoring a 2.9 out of 5 on our Trip Difficulty Matrix. You should have some experience backpacking or camping and be in good shape.
To join the trip, you should feel fit enough for consecutive days of hiking while carrying a backpack that weighs around 30 lbs. You should feel prepared to hike over seven miles and climb 2,000 feet of total elevation gain in a day The route is at high altitudes, ranging between 8,500 to 10,200 ft of total elevation. Although no off-trail experience is necessary, there will be miles of off-trail hiking over uneven terrain and loose surfaces with some significant height exposure. We will cross some streams which should be manageable this time of year, but may wet you up to your waist.
Expand each of the criteria to learn more about the different dimensions of difficulty for this trip.
Unsure about whether this trip is right for you? Contact us and we’ll figure it out together.
-
Rating: Beginner-Intermediate
We’ll be hiking with full gear for three consecutive days and camping for two nights.
-
Rating: Intermediate
6.0 miles daily average.
-
Rating: Intermediate
7.4 max daily mileage on our last day, though it is mostly downhill.
-
Rating: Beginner-Intermediate
1,140 feet average daily elevation gain skewed higher due to the big climb on the first day.
-
Rating: Intermediate
1,964 feet of elevation gain on our first day.
-
Rating: Intermediate
On-trail sections are maintained but still uneven and with some loose debris. Off-trail sections will primarily be easily navigable across granite slabs or soft grasses. There will also be a couple steeper class 2 ascents on grippy granite that may challenge those uncomfortable with heights. Stream crossing should be minor but may require getting our feet wet depending on the time of year.
-
Rating: Intermediate-Advanced
Although we will be at high altitudes, there will be limited exposure to steep drops with the exception of one section where the slope increases to a degree that may challenge those with a fear of heights. Little to no scrambling will be necessary and most people will simply rely on trekking poles for balance. Expect mosquitoes near water sources. We’ll have extended sun exposure with periodic shade while hiking and at rests.
Trip logistics
Meeting place
We’ll meet at the Tuolumne Meadows Wilderness Center before heading to the trailhead. You’ll be able to enter the park the day before your trip without a reservation. If you’re entering more than 24 hours before your trip start date, you’ll need to make a separate reservation or enter during off-peak hours.
Meeting time
Plan to meet at the meeting point by 8:00 AM on the first day of your trip. We will share local lodging and camping options when you book.
Ending time
We will do our best to accommodate participant preferences, but expect your final day to be a full day on-trail. Our goal is to return to our cars by 4:00 PM on the final day.
What to expect after you book
You’ll get an automated confirmation that we’ve received your deposit and that your spot on the trip has been reserved.
Shortly after, we’ll send you an email outlining the payment plan, pre-trip preparation process, and some initial gear guidance and training tips.
We’ll schedule the two virtual pre-trip preparation sessions where we’ll cover the essentials of proper preparation including our route, what to expect, what to bring, and how to get ready.
“Alex’s thorough pre-trip preparation was top-notch. I felt confident in our gear, route, and options to adjust for weather as we went along”
“The best part of the trip was the wide range of things that I learned from the guide. Alex shared his knowledge about food, ecology, equipment, fitness, etc. I picked up dozens of tips that have improved my subsequent backpacking trips.”
