Initial Itinerary Planning for the trip:
Some will drive up very early (I mean early) Friday morning to obtain campsites. Only sites available are on a first come-first serve (FCFS) basis. Reserve campsites are taken 24 weeks in advance. Also backpacking permits (reserves are all taken) are taken 24 weeks in advance, the remaining 40% are on a first come-first serve, 2 days before.
Tentative Campsite - if we are able to get a backpacking permit, then we will stay at Porcupine Camp off of Tioga road. This campground is about 20 minutes from Tenaya Lake - Sunrise trailhead, and about 40 minutes from the Valley floor.
If we are unable to get Wilderness Permits, we will attempt to get last-minute cancellation site in the valley campsites, If not there, it is easy to get campsites out of the valley.
Day hikes - if no wilderness permit is granted and for the people who will just car camp
On Saturday, We can do a day hikes up Half Dome (see links below). This is a 17 miles strenuous hike, 5000 ft elevation gain, with the last 1000 ft up the cable stairway. Many people have reached the cables and turned around-refusing to climb the last 500 ft to the summit. People looking for easier hikes, can just hike the first 3 miles to Vernal-Nevada Falls, and later do lower SF Falls, and Glacier Point.
Sunday we can do the Mariposa Grove and look at the giant redwoods.
If the wilderness permit is granted, the backpackers will start out from Tenaya Lake off the Tioga Road on Saturday morning. Head up the Sunrise trail to Clouds Rest (approximately 5 miles to Cloud Rest). We will continue on to Little Yosemite Valley (3 more miles) and camp for the night (Sat). On Sunday, from our base camp, we will hike up Half Dome. Then return to our base came, pick up our gear and head pass Nevada Falls, Vernal Falls down to the Valley. We should hit the valley floor about 3:00 PM.