Yosemite: Death and resurrection
Meet: Friday, April 3rd at 7:30AM by Hecuba
Return: Sunday, April 5th at 8PM
Member: ($152) Non member: ($198)
Participant Driver (1): ($88)
Participant drivers will also have all gas reimbursed!
Activity: (hiking, a lot of hiking, car camping, campfire bonding)
Difficulty: (9/10) Hard Distance: 22.6 miles / 36.4 km Elevation: 6,147 ft / 1,873 m
Recommended Prior Experience: must have extensive hiking experience, preferably at elevation
Location of Trip: Yosemite National Park
Native Land: Miwok
Have you ever died and come back to life? You will this weekend. Yosemite will blister your feet, bloody your knuckles, and transform your mind; if you let it. Join guides Pirka and Ryan on the adventure of a lifetime (maybe two?). Come be conquered and then conquer El Capitan on a 12-hour ascension. Find your limits, surpass them, and rise to the top, as we embark on an epic journey of death (the hike) and resurrection (the view).
We will leave USC at 7:30 am and drive for 5.5 hours (with a quick stop for lunch) to legendary Yosemite. Once we arrive at 4 pm, we will enjoy the breathtaking sights at the Mirror Lake Loop. Around 6 pm, we will head to our luxurious, structured campsite and eat a yummy dinner by a warm fire. We will soak in the sunset and prepare ourselves for El Capitan.
The next morning, we will hit an alpine start at 5 am sharp to get ahead on our difficult and long 14.5-mile hike up El Capitan. Once we summit, we will be resurrected by the views and by a hearty lunch. With the intense elevation and length, it is crucial for all participants to be prepared for an intense 12 hours of locking in. Once we have completed the major accomplishment of summiting El Cap, we shall return for a delicious dinner, unwinding around the fire once again. We’ll recount our highs, lows, what the afterlife felt like, and how grateful we are for the lives we’ve been given.
On our last day, we’ll rest our weary bodies till 9am, celebrate with french toast, and stretch our legs once more. We’ll hit a quick hike up to Inspiration Point Trail and have another delectable lunch at the top around noon. After, we will bid goodbye to gorgeous Yosemite, reborn. We will arrive home around 8 pm.
Due to the strenuous nature, challenging timing, and variable conditions of the trip we require an application in order to be considered.
Mileage and Elevation Breakdown:
Day 1: 4.5 miles / 7.2 kilometers & 305ft / 93 meters on Mirror Lake Loop
Day 2: 14.5 miles / 23.3 kilometers & 4,819ft / 1,469 meters on El Capitan
Day 3: 2.6 miles / 4.2 kilometers & 1,023ft / 312 meters Inspiration Point Trail
Contact the Guides:
Ryan Long - ryanwlon@usc.edu
Piroska Darnyi - pdarnyi@usc.edu
What to Bring:
*REMINDER (overnights only) : if you do not have a sleeping bag, sleeping pad, backpacking pack, or other technical gear (non-clothing), do not panic, SC Outfitters has these items for you! Your guides will send out a gear-request form the week of your trip where you’ll let them know what gear you need!
Sleeping bag
Sleeping pad
Mess kit (utensils and bowl/plate/tupperware)
3+ liters of water
Hat/sunscreen/sunglasses
Comfortable hiking shoes
Comfortable hiking clothes
Toiletries/medications
Headlamp/flashlight
Warm clothes for night/sleeping
Price of the trip includes (and we will provide):
Snacks
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided when a trip occurs during meal-times
Any technical gear required (ie. kayaks, snowshoes, snorkels, backpacking packs, sleeping bags, fishing rods, etc.)
All group / shared gear (tents, stoves, bear cans, first aid kit, etc.)
Any permits or campsite reservations needed
Cost of gas reimbursed for participant drivers
Amazing guides who love the outdoors and do this for free!
Please Review Our Cancellation and Refund Policy:
All SC Outfitters trips have a no-refund policy unless a substitute participant can be found. In the event your trip requires added reporting measures of participants (plane tickets, external providers, rental services, etc.) dropping the trip close to the date of the trip will not allow for the spot to be re-filled. See the details on trip pages for specific deadlines and reference our complete cancellation/refund policy here.
TRIP DIFFICULTY RATING SYSTEM
Difficulty rating for trips
1: No physical activity.
2: Leisurely walk.
3: 2-5 miles less than 1000 ft of total elevation gain on well maintained trails. About 2-3 hours continuous activity
4: 4-6 miles, about 1000 ft of elevation gain, well maintained trails. About 3 hours of continuous activity.
5: 6-8 miles, about 1500ft of elevation gain on maintained trials. 4-5 hours continuous activity
6: 8-10 miles, about 2000 ft of elevation gain, well maintained trails. 4-6 hours of continuous activity.
7: 10-14 miles, over 2500 ft of elevation gain, variable trail conditions possible. Full day of continuous activity.
8: At high altitude. 12-16 total miles, over 3000 ft of elevation gain, variable trail conditions possible. Full day of continuous activity.
9: Technical skills may be necessary. At high altitude with physical elevation gain. Scrambling over rocks likely involved.
10: u gunna die
**If you have any questions or concerns about the physical activity, recommended prior experience, or gear needed on any kind of trip please contact the guides as soon as possible!!
This program is open to all eligible individuals. SC Outfitters operates all of its programs and activities consistent with the University’s Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor.
Individuals with disabilities who need accommodations to attend this event may contact the guides listed above on the trip page. We request that individuals requiring accommodations or auxiliary aids such as sign language interpreters and alternative format materials notify us at least 7 days prior to the event. Every reasonable effort will be made to provide reasonable accommodations in an effective and timely manner.