Beginners Backpacking Trip in Yosemite: The Ten Lakes Basin

Things to know

• What’s included?

  Included:

  • • An experienced, local hiking guide with extensive knowledge of the area
    • 4-day Yosemite guided backpacking trip
    • Front & backcountry accommodations (first night in Yosemite backpackers campground, 2 in wilderness)
    • All meals from dinner on Day 1 to lunch on Day 4
    • All snacks, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and snacks
    • Transportation between parking/backpackers campground and the trailhead
    • Group camping gear
      • Water filters
      • Stoves, pots, and pans
      • Bear canisters and food sacks (everyone carries one, save room in your pack)
      • Emergency GPS device
      • First aid kit
      • Maps
      • Wilderness permit
      • Group shelter (for afternoon showers)
    • Individual tents
    • Personal trail journal, card games

  Add-ons (available to add at checkout):

  • • Equipment rental (backpack, rain cover, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, camping pillow, trekking poles, headlamp, batteries, mug, bowl, utensils)

  Not included:

  • • Transportation to Yosemite
    • Personal clothing
    • Meals
    • Entry tickets/parking
    • Guide gratuities — optional, 10-20% recommended
    • Insurance — recommended, available to add at checkout
• How fit do I need to be?

  This Yosemite guided backpacking trip is welcoming to first-time backpackers and people who already like hiking, but are looking to level up their adventure game, learn new skills, and get further into the backcountry.

  As long as you’re fit enough to cover daily distances in the itinerary as well as handle mentioned elevation gains, you’re good to go! This is a moderately paced trip that almost anyone can do, especially with training. The guide will also take extra time to the group backpacking skills like wilderness navigation, fire making, shelter building, and backcountry cooking. The most you’ll hike within a day is 6.5 mi (10.5 km), with up to 2,100 ft (640 m) of elevation gain.

  This itinerary is planned in a way that it leaves enough time for resting, swimming, mindful breaks, games, wildlife viewing, and more! If you’re looking for something a bit more challenging in Yosemite, check out this Half Dome adventure.

• What’s the food like?

  All your meals are included in this tour, from first day’s dinner to last day’s lunch. You will enjoy delicious meals like basil and parmesan polenta, pad Thai, tropical breakfast couscous, pizza, chicken with fig gravy and mashed potatoes… Deserts will also be served! After a good meal, you’ll get to enjoy chocolate lava cake, cookies, and chocolate crepes. Nutritious daily snacks will also be provided!

  Let us know if you have any specific dietary requirements or food allergies.

• What do I need to bring?

  Backpacking gear

  • • Backpack (70L) — available to rent
    • Backpack rain cover — available to rent
    • Sleeping bag (rated 20-30°, must compress into your backpack) — available to rent
    • Sleeping pad — available to rent
    • Waterproof stuff sack for sleeping bag
    • Waterproof stuff sack for clothing
    • Trekking poles — available to rent
    • Headlamp — available to rent
    • Water bottle or hydration bladder (3L total)
    • Small microfiber towel

  Clothing

  • • Trail running shoes or breathable boots, already broken in
    • Rain coat
    • Rain pants — optional, check weather forecast
    • Hiking socks
    • Underwear
    • Running shorts
    • Hiking pants — optional, check forecast
    • Hiking shirt (synthetic, lightweight)
    • Mid-layer shirt (or fleece, optional if you have a warm jacket)
    • Packable puffy jacket (down preferred)
    • Sun hat
    • Sunglasses
    • Swimsuit
    • Water shoes — tight-fitting sandals for wading
    • Warm pajamas (wool or synthetic fabric only, no cotton, check forecast to decide what you need)
      • Long underwear pants (light/mid weight)
      • Long underwear top (light/mid weight)
      • Warm wool socks
      • Warm knit cap
      • Buff/gaiter

  Miscellaneous

  • • Cup or mug — available to rent
    • Bowl — available to rent
    • Spoon — fork optional, available to rent
    • Toiletries — keep kit as small as possible, must fit into an already-packed bear canister
      • Bathroom kit — must have
        • Toilet paper in a ziploc
        • Hand sanitizer
        • Lightweight trowel (cheap metal “snow stake” works)
      • Sunscreen
      • SPF chapstick
      • Toothbrush & toothpaste
      • Floss
      • Bug spray
      • Mosquito head net
      • Glasses/contacts
      • Blister protection
      • Bags (one garbage bag and a few ziplock bags)

  Optional items:

  • • Ear plugs
    • Phone battery
    • Mini inflatable pillow
    • Air mattress repair kit
    • Lighter
    • Small pocket knife
    • Trail running gaiters
    • Warm gloves
    • Cash
    • Backpacking hammock (only if very lightweight!)

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• Can I rent equipment?

  You sure can! What’s special about this trip is that you’re encouraged to join even if you don’t have any equipment lying around at home. That way, anyone and everyone can join. Other than a tent (which is already included in the price), your guides offer a gear rental package containing absolutely everything you’ll need from gear on this trip: This includes:

  • • Backpack
    • Rain cover
    • Sleeping bag
    • Sleeping pad
    • Camping pillow
    • Trekking poles
    • Headlamp
    • Batteries
    • Mug, bowl, & utensils

  You can add this package to your booking upon checkout—price is $245 per trip, per person.

• Group sizes and age requirements

  Group sizes and pricing

  • • For this Yosemite guided backpacking trip, the usual client-to-guide ratio is 7:1. That’s also the maximum group size.
    • It takes a minimum of 3 people for this tour to operate.
    • Minimum number of people for the tour to run is so low that your guides have never needed to cancel a trip. Due to frequent last minute sign-ups, a trip will not be canceled until 30 days before departure.

  Yosemite guided backpacking trips can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.

  Min. age requirements

  • • If you are older than 18, you’re good to go.
    • Minors younger than 18 may be permitted to join the Yosemite guided backpacking trip on a case-by-case basis, but must be in the presence of a parent or legal guardian.

  If your group has hikers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.

• Permits and regulations

  Yosemite only authorizes permit dates 6 months in advance. If you book this trip more than 6 months in advance, keep in mind that the official dates may shift a little bit once Yosemite gives out the permits.

  Please do not book flights or make hotel reservations until the permit is confirmed.

  Due to this process, your guide will make an exception to their terms and conditions in case there is any problem with permits. If the dates change, and you can’t make it, your security deposit and trip fees will be completely reimbursed. There will also be an option of switching to another date.

• Getting there and meeting location

  To get to your Yosemite guided backpacking trip, the nearest airport is Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT). If you’re visiting the California Coast, you can also fly into San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC), San Francisco International Airport (SFO) or Oakland International Airport (OAK).

  Once there, we recommend you rent or drive your own car to the group meeting point in Yosemite, the backpackers campground.

  It might be practical to stay near Yosemite the night before and after your trip. This ensures you get to the meeting point on time and that you don’t miss a flight on the way out.

• Safety measures and insurance

  We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with insurance. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, you’ll be offered to simply insure your trip with Redpoint at checkout.

  Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner—tailors protection packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations! Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered.

• Deposits and cancellation policy

  Deposits

  Secure your spot with a 30% deposit upon booking! The remaining 70% of the trip price must be paid 90 days prior to departure at the latest. If booking within 90 days of departure, the full amount is required at the time of booking.

  Cancellations

  Booking fees are non-refundable after a 48-hour grace period. During checkout, however, you can choose one of 57hours’ flexibility options—Basic, Flexible, or Super Flexible. Depending on which one you choose, a different cancellation policy will apply to your booking.

  Basic

  • • If cancelled within 48 hours of booking, a full refund will be issued.
    • If cancelled 90 or more days before departure, a 70% refund of the total trip price will be issued.
    • If cancelled within 89 days of departure, no refund will be issued.

  Flexible

  • • If cancelled within 48 hours of booking, a full refund will be issued.
    • If cancelled 90 or more days before departure, a full refund of the total trip price will be issued.
    • If cancelled 60-89 days before departure, a 50% refund of the total trip price will be issued.
    • If cancelled within 59 days of departure, no refund will be issued.

  Super Flexible

  • • If cancelled within 48 hours of booking, a full refund will be issued.
    • If cancelled 60 or more days before departure, a full refund of the total trip price will be issued.
    • If cancelled within 59 days of departure, a 50% refund of the total trip price will be issued.