Yosemite Labor Day Trip
September 4-7, 2020

Enjoy Yosemite Valley and trails with Bayside Adventure Sports!

When you go to Yosemite National Park in the fall, you're likely to have mild weather, making autumn one of the nicest times to visit. When you go to Yosemite in the fall with Bayside Adventure Sports, you’re likely to have one of your best weekends ever because we know how to enjoy all the best parts of the Valley!  So come and enjoy the majestic views, the epic trails, the professional, warm, enthusiastic BAS Staff, and a schedule that allows you to customize your trip to your goals.  Bring your tent or RV and camp with us in one of God’s masterpieces, Yosemite Valley!  Campers provide their own camping gear and meals while BAS provides a Base Camp for morning coffee, evening desserts and campfire, devotions, planned hikes and bike rides, and a wealth of information about Yosemite.  There are just 5 campsites for this trip so it’s first come, first served and campers who come by themselves or with just one or two others will share a campsite so we can average about 5 or 6 per site. 


COST: 
Adults: $129/BAS Member,  $165/non-member
Youth (ages 5-18): $60/BAS Member,  $79/non-member
Children 4 and under free. 
Limited to 25 people 
Half Dome Package is an additional $30 per person which does include the cost of the permit, but not the cost of the application for the permit ($10).  

Registration will be on a pre-registration option until we confirm Yosemite Park will be open in September. Your card will not be charged until we know the trip is a "go". 

INCLUDED:
  • Shared Campsites
  • Leadership and guidance from Greg and the BAS Team, both at camp and on the trails
  • Special BAS Devotions & Desserts every night around the campfire
  • Easy Ups, chairs, lanterns at our base camp
  • Campfire for mornings/evenings
  • Fresh brewed coffee in the morning
  • Special BAS Yosemite Resources including maps, books, trail descriptions, radios to borrow, and more!

NOT INCLUDED:​
  • Transportation
  • Entry Fee for Yosemite National Park ($35)
  • Meals  
  • Camping Equipment (some loaner equipment available like tents, tarps, lanterns, stoves, pots/pans, etc. but these must be requested through Greg in advance)
Note:  Pets and alcohol are not permitted on BAS events. ​
COVID-19 CHANGES IN YOSEMITE
Because of the pandemic there are a number of changes in The Valley to be aware of and to follow:
  • Much of Yosemite is restricted or closed at this time.  No tour busses are running, all stores require face coverings and social distancing, and a high percentage of the campsites and lodging are closed.  The Visitor Center is closed but many of the other stores and eating establishments are open.  On our last trip to Yosemite there were no showers available to the camping public.  BAS will have a small solar shower available if necessary in Base Camp.
  • Bring and wear a face covering when gathered with those outside your household closer than 6’.  This will include our morning and evening campfires and gatherings.
  • Practice social distancing on trails when hiking with those outside your household.
  • Carry soap to/from the bathrooms and wash hands thoroughly and regularly.  The campground bathrooms are open and disinfected multiple times per day but because of the bears, soap is not provided in bathrooms.
  • Recommend bring and carry hand sanitizer with you.

​A current BAS Membership is required for member discount. This annual fee helps offset some of our overhead  and helps keep many of our events free. For individuals it's only $49/year! Families are $99/year (Free Access Membership not valid for discount.) For more information about membership and to join baysideadventuresports.com/membership.  You also have the option to add a membership on your registration form.


Questions? Email camping@baysideadventuresports.com
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WANT TO HIKE HALF DOME?
Want to also hike the iconic Half Dome trail and stand on top of the 8,839' granite rock? Bayside Adventure Sports Founder & Director, Greg Weisman, will take a group of hikers on this 15-16 mile hike that climbs nearly a vertical mile from the Yosemite Valley floor.  This hike is not for beginners!  It’s the most difficult trail in Yosemite and requires high levels of fitness and strength, and a fair amount of courage to face the cables! This Fall trip will be Greg’s 45th time to do Half Dome and he still claims it to be his favorite trail.  He says, "My favorite thing to do is take people up for their first time, showing them special aspects of the beauty and trail and telling stories of the history of Yosemite and specifically Half Dome."  Greg hikes Half Dome 3 to 4 times per year but also hikes and knows some very special trails and spots that are "off the beaten path" in Yosemite.  Join him in walking in John Muir's footsteps this year, you will remember it the rest of your life!  This is a terrific Parent/child event to consider, or bring the whole family!  Hiking Half Dome requires a permit and BAS provides safety harnesses, hiking supplies, radios, and much more so there is an additional charge of $30 per person to cover these expenses.

INCLUDED WITH THE HALF DOME TRIP
  • Greg's Leadership and guidance on the trail
  • Half Dome Permit (participants will be coached in getting them)
  • Hiker’s Breakfast (bagels, cream cheese, oatmeal, pastries, coffee, juice)
  • Cable Safety Harness
  • Custom Map 
  • Special BAS Hiking Resources including mini-packets of Electrolyte Tabs, duct tape, ibuprofen, sunscreen, gloves for the Half Dome Cables, etc.  

HALF DOME PERMITS
We ask that each person wanting to hike Half Dome (or one person per family with same last name) apply for 4 Half Dome Permits using the Daily Lottery system at https://www.recreation.gov/permits/234652 on Friday morning between 12:01am and 1pm.  This will cost $10 for the application for the permit and results will be known that afternoon via email.  BAS will reimburse those who are successful with the lottery for all permits ($10 each).

HALF DOME SCHEDULE
For those doing Half Dome on Sunday, we will wake about 4am and meet for breakfast at 4:30am at base camp (site #78) to be on the trail by 5am, hiking with the light of headlamps.  We should return to the campsite between 4 and 7pm but some may take longer.  Average for this trip is 12-13 hours.  We will plan to hike the Mist Trail both up and back, but the John Muir Trail is an option for some on the way down.  This will be discussed. 

Anticipated Schedule

Friday, September 4
Arrive on Friday at our Upper Pines campsites anytime after noon.  Check in with Greg and enjoy the afternoon or evening in Yosemite Valley.  Have dinner at your campsite or one of the eating areas at Curry Village or Yosemite Villlage.  There will be an Orientation gathering at the group’s base camp (site #78) at 7:30pm around the campfire.   Because we know that some have to drive to the Valley after work, we will make sure your campsite is ready for you when you do arrive.  For those who can arrive early and handle a challenging short, steep scramble/hike, about 3pm Greg will lead a group up to Sierra Point, a decommissioned trail (not on any trail map) with one of the best views of the Valley.  

Saturday, September 5
Enjoy Yosemite!  We recommend getting up early and, if new to Yosemite, going for a bike ride around the Valley seeing Mirror Lake, the back trails going to Yosemite Village, Yosemite Falls, the meadows, etc. This is your day to enjoy!  

Sunday, September 6
Sunday is another open day for most but it’s also our Half Dome Day! For those doing Half Dome, we will wake about 4am and meet for breakfast at 4:30am at base camp (site #78) to be on the trail by 5am.  If you have never been to Glacier Point for Sunset, we recommend doing this either Saturday or Sunday evening!

Monday, September 7
We will gather about 9am for a Monday morning devotional around the campfire then begin packing up to depart.  We have to be out of the campsites by noon on Sunday - but once you are packed up, you are encouraged to stay and explore more of Yosemite!