Backpacking

Mountain lions, known is the Pacific Northwest as cougars, live in the Cascade Mountains. Since they are mainly nocturnal creatures and are rarely seen, they're sometimes called "ghost walker" and "ghost of the wilderness." Cougars favor dense forests that provide good stalking cover while hunting. They also take advantage of steep canyons and rock outcroppings to remain hidden.

If you visit the backcountry, you are in cougar habitat, in their territory. Keep this in mind and follow some basic rules. Cougars are shy, secretive cats and typically avoid contact with people. Few people ever see this elusive cat in the wild, but sightings and encounters have increased in recent years.

For your safety:

• Never approach a cougar, especially a feeding one. Cats are unpredictable, but will normally avoid a confrontation -- give them a way out. In areas of known cougar sightings, do not hike alone.

• Keep children close to you when hiking and pick them up if you see fresh signs of a cougar.

If you encounter a cougar:

• Do not run. Avert your gaze and speak to it in a calm voice. Do not turn your back on the cougar. Hold your ground or back away slowly. Sudden movement or flight may trigger an instinctive attack.

• Spread your arms, open your coat -- do all you can to enlarge your image.

If the cougar act aggressively:

• Wave your arms, shout, and throw rocks or sticks. If you are attacked, fight back. Do not "play dead."

We found these instructions to Birthday Arch in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area on photographer Peter F. Flynn's blog:

Birthday Arch may be found by walking from the ruins of a ranch house apparently once belonging to a clan named Wolfe east by northeast up a sandstone slope.  After approximately three miles turn east and traverse around an impressive natural ramp that curves clockwise gaining a hundred feet or so.  The end of the ramp brings you to a narrow ridge from which to view Birthday Arch. 

GPS coordinates of Birthday Arch: N37°04'21.0" W111°41.3'46.0" (via utaharches.com)

Backcountry campgrounds at Little Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park are not part of the campground reservation system. A wilderness permit is required to stay at these campgrounds.

This also applies at backcountry campgrounds near the High Sierra Camps (Glen Aulin, May Lake, Sunrise, Merced Lake, and Vogelsang).

1) This is a map we highly recommend:  - MAP -

2) Another great resource is the Smoky Mountains Friends Group: http://www.friendsofthesmokies.org/

3) And you can download a copy of the park's trail map at this page from the NPS (though it is not as detailed as the map above).

4) Finally, for all the latest happenings in the park click here.

Have a great trip!

The great views of Vernal falls are actually from the "connector trail" between the Mist Trail and John Muir Trail.  Clark Point is accesible via either though it's definitely shorter to just take the Mist Trail and then go up towards Clark Point on the connector.

Click here for more information on the hike.



Have a great trip!