I’ve read a couple of different things and wanted to set it straight. When you apply for a Permit and are statring at Happy Isles which is the correct one to choose- Sunrise/Merced Pass through or Little Yosemite. Seems obvious to me but I have read a couple of answers that differ in different places.
Thanks
Eric
when i hiked the JMT in 2005 our permit for four was Happy Isles->Sunrise/Merced Lake (pass through). i believe they issue you your permit based on your starting trailhead, where you plan on camping the first night out and your exit trailhead. so i guess it depends on if you are staying at little yosemite valley your first night or somewhere further up the trail. we stayed near the sunrise high sierra camp, thus we were issued Sunrise/Merced Pass through
give the reservation office a call at 209/372-0740 (8:30 am to 4:30 am, Monday-Friday).
jerm
When I ordered my permit, they told me that they routinely place all JMT hikers as Happy Isles -> Sunrise/Merced Lake. This keeps Little Yosemite Valley (5 miles from Happy Isles) open for the people who want to do a two day hike to the top of Half Dome. If you specifically want to camp at Little Yosemite Valley, you have to ask. I was told that you can camp anywhere from the Cloud’s Rest junction on with the Sunrise/Merced Lake option. The Cloud’s Rest junction is a less crowded place to camp if you want to (and have the time to) backtrack 1/2 mile the next morning and climb Half Dome before the crowds arrive.
Snowball
I got my permit as a walk-up, and what they had available was to Little Yosemite Valley. I hadn’t ever thought of having the first day be so short, but it was a blessing in disguise, making it a relaxed way to ease into the hike, with time to enjoy the waterfalls, acclimate more gradually, and put one in place for an early morning climb of Half Dome before continuing on to Sunrise HSC. So, if you have a choice, i’d ask for Little Yosemite Valley.
markv
If you look through a lot of trailjournals, you’ll find that over half of the ones that camp between the Half Dome and Cloud’s Rest junctions had bears in camp. The people i talked to firsthand on the trail who had camped there also had a bear in camp. We ran into a northbounder at Sunrise HSC who hadn’t seen a bear yet and WANTED to, so we told her to camp at the Cloud’s Rest junction. I hope she got her wish. I think.
I’m sure Little Yosemite can have bears too, but there is a ranger stationed there, and they make a lot of effort to keep the area clear.
markv
I think that Little Yosemite is a zoo most of the time. If you go beyond the Half dome junction there are plenty of places between there and Sunrise to camp. The bears hang out where the food is and there is lots of it in Little Yosemite.
Bill C