Yosemite Valley Base Camp
Hiking Weekend
Camp, hike, and meet other adventurous people in one of the most beautiful places on earth.
April 26 - 28, 2024
Experience Yosemite National Park this Spring with our hiking and camping weekend. Enjoy three days of guided hikes and nature walks, and relax around the campfire in the evenings with delicious meals, hot chocolate, and good company.
This is a beautiful time to visit the park with abundant waterfalls, warm, sunny days, cool nights, and fewer crowds than peak seasons.
Yosemite Base Camp Itinerary
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Friday
Drive into beautiful Yosemite Valley and admire all of the flowing spring waterfalls. You’ll meet your guide in Curry Village at the parking area around 10AM.
From there, we’ll set off to hike waterfalls! We’ll head up to Vernal and Nevada Falls following either the Mist Trail or John Muir Trail.
Enjoy picnic lunch overlooking the falls. Afterwards, we’ll head down to the campground where a delicious dinner will be prepared.
Enjoy the evening sitting around the campfire.
Overall mileage - 7.5 miles, 2,900’ gain
If your plans prevent you from arriving in the morning, it is okay to join us at camp Friday evening.
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Saturday
Today we’ll wake up and enjoy hot breakfast and coffee, and then pack for our day hike!
We’ll be setting off for Upper Yosemite Falls trail which climbs 3800 feet to the North Rim of Yosemite Valley.
Enjoy learning about the history of the Valley Floor while gazing at awesome views of Half Dome and the Clark Range.
We’ll enjoy picnic lunch on the trail before descending back to camp.
When we make it back to camp for the evening your guides will prepare an evening meal, and you’ll have another night of stargazing, s’more eating, cocoa drinking, and chatting with your new friends!
Overall mileage - 6 miles, 3,800’ gain
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Sunday
We’ll have another relaxing morning with coffee and a hot breakfast.
We’ll pack up and depart our basecamp
With our day packs prepared, we’ll set off to do the Valley Loop Trail which could include Bridalveil Fall, Mirror Lake or a shuttle ride over to the base of El Capitan.
After our hike and lunch, we’ll say our goodbyes and depart with amazing memories.
Overall Mileage - 1-2 miles, minimal gain
Inclusions:
Campsites & park reservations for Friday and Saturday night
All meals and snacks during your stay
Friday trail lunch & dinner
Saturday breakfast, picnic lunch, and dinner
Sunday breakfast & snacks
Guided hikes
Two Alpinistas guides with you for the entire weekend
Discount at the Alpinistas store
5% back to the park
Does not Include:
Park entrance fees
Hiking gear
Camping Gear (upgrade available for us to provide)
Clothing and personal equipment
If you choose to upgrade at checkout, we’ll provide the tent, cot or mattress! Already set up for your comfort through the weekend.
Activity, Fitness & Skills
Campground stay with day hikes.
This trip is rated Beginner-Intermediate. Although this rating is low, the day hikes may be challenging for those that do not have good physical fitness. Conditioning is key to the enjoyment the hikes planned as there is considerable elevation gain.
To maximize your enjoyment of the trip, we strongly encourage participants to be involved in a training regimen before the trip, that ideally includes some training hikes with a weighted pack. We also recommend that you stay well hydrated prior to departure to assist in mitigating altitude sickness. Most important to your enjoyment of the trip is your overall fitness level.
If an attendee prefers to opt-out of the listed day hike and remain at camp, that is perfectly okay.
Accommodations & Meals
2 Nights at Upper Pines Campground in Yosemite Valley.
Camping gear available for upgrade at checkout.
Expect camp style meals that travel well in the outdoors but are nutritious. We look to incorporate fresh ingredients as much as possible. Expect packaged snacks such as trail bars, dried fruit and nuts. We can accommodate dietary restrictions but they may require an additional fee.
Packing List
If you've already booked your trip, don't worry! You’ll be getting emails with a detailed list of what you'll need to bring (plus tons of other helpful information).
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Meals & beverages
Group first aid kit
Stoves and fuel, cooking supplies
Dishes, cutlery, drinking cups
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Day Hiking Backpack
Headlamp with Fresh Batteries
Hiking boots, Trail running shoes or other camp footwear
Hiking apparel & socks
Personal Bathroom Kit: Ziplock Bags, Personal Wipes, Hand Cleaner and shower supplies, if using the coin-operated showers
Prescription Medications
Rainwear
Sunblock and Lip Balm
Water Bottles for hiking
Bandana or Buff for Sun Protection
Tent
Sleeping bag, comforter or blanket
Pillow
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Hand Sanitizer
Head Net
Insect Repellent
Sun Hat
Sunglasses and Accessories
Camera and Accessories
Camp Towel
Casual shoes for camp, showers
Ear Plugs
Reading and Writing Materials
Swimwear
Water Shoes (Full Foot Protection)
Have questions about the gear list?
Give us a call at 775-230-7125 or send us a chat or email.
Helpful for booking
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After you book your reservation, you will receive a confirmation email with some action items. (Please check promotions and spam folder if you don’t receive a confirmation immediately.)
As you start to get closer to your event date, you will receive additional emails confirming access to your client portal that includes itinerary details and other important or helpful supplemental information such as start time and driving directions. You will also have someone from our office reach out to discuss any questions that you might have.
The week of the event, you should be ready to go and you will receive a final email introducing your guides, providing you with their contact information and other last minute notes.
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The closest airport to Yosemite National Park is the Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT), located about 65 miles (105 km) away. Another option is the Merced Regional Airport (MCE), located about 80 miles (129 km) away.
Public transportation is available from Fresno Airport to various locations in Yosemite via the Yosemite Area Regional Transit System. There is also public transportation available within the park. Please review their schedule for the latest dates and times.
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Yosemite Valley daytime temperatures this time of year can range between 55 to 70 degrees F, with overnight lows dropping to the 30s or 40s.
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This trip is for women only. While our company is proudly female-forward and specializes in creating empowering experiences for women, our custom, private trips are open to everyone. Send us a message to find the dates that work for you.
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Travel Insurance: We highly recommend travel insurance to protect your trip in the event unforeseeable circumstances or illness comes up that interferes with your ability to join the trip.