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Thanks@@aceyorba!

Thanks for watching!

Thanks! I didn't realize they do that, makes sense, traffic was terrible after the race.

Thanks!

Thanks Scott! Bet you will love hiking in Yosemite!

@@LivingMoreFully Hi James! I’ve been down Old Army Pass a few times and found it to be very rocky and rough. New Army Pass is very well engineered, a nice steady grade. NAP was built as OAP is frequently covered in snow even late in the summer although probably not this year. So maybe consider going up NAP and coming down OAP. Not sure I’d want to go up OAP with a full pack. Hope that helps!

@@RickandAndreaGetOutside that does help, thanks! I think I'll likely just go up/back via New Army Pass with a day pack instead.

@@ci2310 thanks! Enjoy your hike!

Hi Mary, thanks so much for your kind words! I checked and I do see the Rae Lakes loop on All Trails. For a 5 day trip the Bear Vault 450 or Garcia bear canister should be fine, if you take dehydrated dinners, etc. Andrea and I use the Wild Ideas Weekender Bear Canister, lightweight but expensive. We never had to carry more than about 1.5 liters on the Rae Lakes Loop, longest stretch was 3 or 4 miles, usually crossed water sources much more often. The PCT section from Warner Springs to the PVC is a great one, we did it a few years ago with some friends, see: th-cam.com/video/RFOH8LOBKSc/w-d-xo.html

@@RickandAndreaGetOutside thank you😁

@@brookeclendenen3957 Hi Brooke! Temps were mild (60s - 70s) when we went last year. It was the last week of August. Andrea and I are heading out this Sunday for another 5 day loop in Yosemite, this time through the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne. Temps next week are going to be quite warm. So you never can be sure what you are going to get but anytime you are above 10k' it is usually very comfortable, maybe even chilly at night. This time of year in the Sierras there is always the chance of an afternoon shower but it usually doesn't last long. Glad you found our video helpful!

@@RickandAndreaGetOutside thank you for the response! I’m looking forward to the trail! Hope you both have another great adventure together!

Cool. Peakbagger is such a great resource. Thanks for watching our video.

Definitely one of the best loops in the Sierras I believe. Not sure about best in the US as I've not done any backpacking in the Cascades of Washington or the Colorado rockies which are both spectacular - I imagine there is some great loops there and many other places.

Hi @ehrankhan8581, I did find information about the loop in the Wilderness Press publication "Your Complete Hiking Guide: Yosemite National Park" by Wenk & Schaffer very helpful in planning this trip (see trip 43). The restrooms were open at Glen Aulin and May Lake however they were closed at Sunrise, Merced and Vogelsang. No running water, we filled up from creeks or lakes, always careful to filter. Bugs were not too bad, but there was a fair bit of mosquito activity at May Lake and Merced Lake. Minimal bug activity at Glen Aulin and Vogelsang. If you have the time, suggest you stop at Sunrise Campground, great spot. That 18-mile day from May to Merced was long and tiring. IM me through Instagram, @rsarpolus, we can exchange emails, I can forward GPS tracks, map, permit information etc. Glad you found our video helpful!

@@KenDaughters-x7n ahh thanks Ken! We did this hike the first week of July. We actually camped at Middle Rae Lake on July 4th. Our fireworks was the amazing display of stars and the milky way that night!

Hi Webfoot Wanderings! We did this hike the first week of July 2024. Yea, not a lot of snow, was a much less snowy winter compared to last year. Thanks!

Thanks Married Mountaineers! Glad you enjoyed it!

Good question. Andrea almost always wears long pants, I usually opt for shorts, especially when it's hot as it was on this trip. In the Sierras most of the main trails are well maintained. Occasionally you come across some trails that are overgrown or have downed trees, long pants help. Long pants especially help with mosquitos, but I've found tics on me even when wearing long pants. Rattlesnakes probably could bite right though the typical light weight hiking pants we wear. We do a lot of off trail hiking in the desert during the winter, almost always opt for long pants do to all the pokey stuff. So, it's a personal choice, based on your comfort level and trail conditions.

@@TheHikingRev thank you Rev! Appreciate your kind words. We are enjoying your Ireland Way series! Hope we can hike together again in the not to distant future.

@@escaaaaaa893 that would be some long days via Kearsarge. You could skip Charlotte lake and camp at Sphinx Creek the first night. Then maybe Woods Creek second night. Then out over Glen and Kearsarge the 3rd day. Easier to do 3 days starting from Roads End I would think.

@@octico thanks John! Really appreciate that!

@@ELJAGUAR1971 thanks! For the major items we have a Zpacks Triplex tent, both of us wear Altra trail runners, I have the Lone Peak 7s. We also both use Osprey bags (mines Exos 58) but I'm looking to try something lighter like a Zpacks arc haul. Thanks for the kind words!

Thanks Richard! I've been an aviation enthusiast since I was a young boy, really enjoy air museums and air shows. Thanks for subscribing, appreciate it! Thank you for your service!

Thanks so much Alexandra! You are really going to enjoy Rae Lakes!

Thanks Juergen! It was great to do a little of the JMT again on this trip!

@@immnotaboutthatlife2086 thanks! It is an awesome trail! One of our favorites too!

Thanks Larry! Mike told me you were helping him get to the trail head for his HST hike! That's very kind of you to help him with that!

Thanks! I'm 61 and I'm looking forward to quiting the 9-5 life in the next few years too! Andrea and I can't wait to have more time for epic backpacking trips like this!

You don't need to quit your job to go backpacking. I am 54 and still make time to go backpacking and hiking.

@@octico totally agree. We spend at least 2 full weeks backpacking each year in addition to many 2 and 3 day weekend backpacking trips throughout the year.

@@octico I totally agree as well and do get some long weekends in northern MN on the Superior Trail on the north shore and the Ice Age trail in WI. My issue is living in WI to get west is not that easy. Hiking the JMT I will need four weeks for travel, acclimation and hiking time.

Hi Rod! I'm in my early 60s also. Sounds like we had very similar Iteneraries. Glad our video was able to bring back some memories for you!

@@jaminbean1256 Thanks Jamin!

Thanks Jose!

@@richessman7168 hi Rich. We have the Zpacks Triplex, love it, roomy and very light weight.

Thanks so much Brad! Really appreciate your comments!

Thanks so much Bruce, appreciate that. Backpacking is great father/son time.

Cool! I do the same when I'm watching other's hiking videos. Good luck in August!

Thanks - It really is!

Thanks, Andrea and I definitely enjoy the silent hiking genre of videos too!

@@Heretic10001 thanks Dave! I've had problems with blisters from wet feet in the past so tried something new on this trip. Took off my socks and took out the insoles then went across. Afterwards got as much water out of the shoe as I could, dried my feet and put the socks back on and put the insoles back in. Feet felt a lot drier, no blisters.

@@Sheety33 thanks so much Scott! Appreciate the kind words!

What an amazing trip thanks for sharing. I did the loop many years ago.

I miss your narration 😊

@@trishlarrysnyder1008 ha! Thanks Larry and Trish!

Thanks! I will keep that campsite after Buck Creek in mind, probably great view from there. Getting sick on the trail is not fun, glad you go through that too.

Hi David - our hike was in late August.

@@RickandAndreaGetOutside Any thought regarding a possible date end of may for these loop?

@dcalcano late May is probably not a good option. Depending on how snowy the winter was, Tioga road may not be open. Sometimes it does not open till late June, early July. Early in the season you may encounter snow on the trail and difficult water crossings. Suggest you plan on a late June/early July trip at the earliest just to be safe.

@@ruudenriannevanderstar6483 Hi! Our tent is the Zpacks Triplex and it is indeed very light, about 2 pounds. Permit was not too difficult to get, it is a lottery system, we applied months in advance and were able to get the date we wanted. Thanks for watching!

Thanks @@franciscogarza8273! Sounds like we had the identical Itenerary as you did! Glad our video brought back some memories for you. We were lucky in 2021 - it was a low snow year so no tough water crossings or bugs.

@@desekloks9017 nope! No signs of Bigfoot!

Hi David! Sure. Andrea and I are heading out of town to hike this week in the Sierras. I can send you some info next week if that is OK. IM me via Instagram - rsarpolus - with your email address. Thanks!

Thanks @bronco_billy!

Thanks @jyc313! The permit you need is the Glen Aulin trailhead (listed as 22A on the Yosemite NP Trailhead Map). That is separate from the Glen Aulin > Coldwater Cyn pass thru permit (22B). Hope this helps!

@@RickandAndreaGetOutside ah amazing! Thanks for the quick reply :). I wasn’t sure myself since I couldn’t tell if I’m allowed to go beyond Glen Aulin with the Glen Aulin permit vs the Glen Aulin to Cold Canyon one. Cheers!

@@jyc313 yes. You have to spend the first night at Glen Aulin but after that you can continue.

Hi Wayne - yes, we got a lottery permit - entry and exit was the Glen Aulin TH (22A on the Yosemite Map of Trailheads). Do not select the Glen Aulin Pass Thru TH). We did not stay at the backpacker's campground as we spent the night in one of the valley lodges before we started hiking. We drove in through the south entrance to the park, so we stopped at the Wawona Wilderness Permit Station to pickup our permit. Thanks for watching our videos!

@@RickandAndreaGetOutside thanks for the prompt reply and actually we picked up our permit at Wawona too, will continue to do my research and if other questions comes, hope it won't be too bothersome to you guys.

No worries @waynec96 - feel free to reach out.