YExplore Yosemite Adventures

We hiked Nevada Falls just two days ago. It was my first serious hike ever. What an amazing experience. John is not just a great guide, buy like an embasador of the park and the outdoors, very knowlegeable in the history of the park as well. The next day, I drove up to Glacier Point and my jaws dropped. My friend, I’m coming back and thank you for the experience. JC.

EXEC SUMMARY:
— The owner was injured, so a «substitute» guide — Eric Sloan (
) — came on.
— The entire 2^nd day, this «guide» literally abandoned me.
— Mismanaged food. He gave one slice of bread for breakfast, one bar and some chocolate on the top of dome, one apple for lunch.
— He left me ALONE on the cables ¹⁄₃^rd of way up at 7:45 am for 25 – 30 mins. Eric focused on other party and helped them up, leaving me on the side of the dome.
— Rushed me back down the dome. Rest of the party had an hour up top, i had 15 mins.
— After the trip, owners listened to my complaints, agreed with my issues, and gave part of money back, along with assurance that they would do a trip the right way next year.
— The value ended up having the wilderness permit, backpack provided by yexplore.
DETAILS:
I am a regular hiker around bay area, hiking rancho san antonio, Mission peak and few other local hikes regularly. I am in my early/​mid 40s, average fitness. I finished SF half marathon 2 weeks prior, did multiple hikes between 5 – 9 miles in prep.
I really wanted to attempt and complete Half Dome this year and their 1-​night 2day trip package with wilderness permit seemed attractive, by breaking down the hike in 2 parts, so I signed up for it. On the trip morning, following their instructions, i met them in the parking lot. Eric was enthusiastic, fun, and encouraging. The other party was a couple in their early 20s, super fit, and are hiking in their 4^th national park 3 weeks.
I was not used to hiking with a 30lb backpack and the backpack’s fit was an issue. Right at the outset, it was clear that the other party were way faster than me. On Day 1, Eric accompanied me for most of the hike and when we broke for lunch, eric spent time with the other party. I took head starts from the resting stops, so that, eric can split his time between us a bit easier. I also told him multiple times to go ahead at spend time with the other party. I didn’t want him to risk his tip. I understand as a guide, tips make huge difference. Day 1 seemed and felt perfect and i was congratulating myself for hiring this guide, even if it meant paying a pretty penny and carrying 30 lb back pack up to LYV camp.
So, that night, i suggested that i will take a head start next morning, so that i wont slow the team down. To my surprise, Eric said, the other party suggested the same thing. So he told me that i would be leaving at 3:30 am and they would leave at 4:30 am from the camp.
I wake up at 3 am and the place is pitch dark. I mean, i read it on the web, heard it from people, but i was not ready for it :) We camped very close to the bathrooms, but i could not find them. First attempt — i couldn’t find the bathrooms and i could trace my steps back to our camp site. 2^nd Attempt — i couldn’t find the bathrooms and couldn’t find my way back to campsite! Eventually, I made it back it is 3:30 am by this time. I woke eric and he helped me find the bathrooms. i was back in the campsite by 3:45. I was not ready to get on the trail in the pitch dark. So i talked to eric, AND THIS WAS THE FIRST SHOCKER FOR ME. He said, either i can chose to walk ahead OR i can chose to fall behind, He is planning to stay with the other party because they are scared of dark!
I started off grumbling, headed out in the pitch dark at 4am. Around 5:15 am, they go past me, without slowing down or stopping! I was kind of half expecting eric to atleast hike sometime with me, but they just powered ahead.
I got lost twice, went off the trail and eventually made it to the base of sub dome at 6:15am. I was very happy to see the team at the base, making break fast. eric offered me a slice of bread with almond butter, and some coffee. Not sure what the promised breakfast was etc, but that’s what i got to eat.
No «guidance» was provided for sub dome, and eric told me to get a head start. I panicked on sub dome half way up. I called for eric, saying i need his help. To my total surprise, he ignored me and moved ahead. Eventually, I made it to the top of sub dome at 7:30 am. We all got on cables together, around ¼th of the way, woman in other party panicked, Eric swooped in and helped them up very quickly. No one on sub dome or cables. A FIRST TIMER, I WAS ALL ALONE! I really regretted taking this guide at this point. If i hiked up with friends, atleast there would be people on the cables! I stayed on the cables, wasn’t ready to give up, couldn’t go up. After about 25 – 30 mins eric peeks from the top, doesn’t come help me the way he helped others, waits for me to slowly trek up. I made it to the top at 8:35 am. At 8:45 other party wanted to go down, and i asked them to stay till 9am. Eric announced that they were heading back at 8:50! I rushed back with them. Eric helped me on the way down on sub dome. When I got back to camp, eric handed me an apple, my backpack and said meet me in the parking lot @3pm!
Unsurprisingly, he was not at the parking lot @3pm!

Last year I booked a Half Dome day hike with YExplore. My experience then was less than optimal, and when I communicated this to John afterwards, he immediately contacted me to make it right. From that moment when I first spoke with him until the moment he personally shook my hand at the top of Half Dome this week, my experience with this company has been absolutely stellar. John and Catherine are both incredibly friendly and professional business owners that earn all of the trust and good reviews shown here.
On my second attempt of Half Dome, John and Matteo were our guides, with Katie the intern along as well. A better set of people to hike with I could not possibly imagine.
Matteo is a fiery ball of enthusiasm. His passion for life is evident within the first thirty seconds of meeting him. I reveled in his vivacious descriptions of John Muir, talus slopes, trail building, and the scents of trees («Really stick your nose in that tree! Breath it in!!!»), among the many other topics he could start up easily to keep our 13-​hour hike interesting. His presence kept the entire day educational, fun, and joyful.
John is a natural coach. Although my own confidence may have faltered along the trail, I did not for one second doubt that he had my back, and I knew that he would not give up on me. When my anxiety rose, he calmed me down. He gave me instruction before I even knew I needed it. He built me up when I was breaking myself down. Without him behind me on the cables, I would not have made it to the top. Even the stranger who fell in to line behind us on the cables and eavesdropped on John’s instructions said that John was the reason that he was able to make it to the top as well. The day that John hiked with me was his 123 summit of Half Dome.
Of course, let’s not forget Catherine, without whom none of this would have come together. Although I did not meet her in person, her communication was always so friendly and informative that I felt almost as if I had! When you book a hike with her, she not only floods you with loads of useful information about preparing for your trip, but she also checks up on you to make sure that everything is good to go. You will never feel lost with Catherine’s email at hand.
Anyone who is considering a guided hike in Yosemite should most definitely give YExplore a call. They are worth every penny you will spend. As my experience and the many five-​star reviews here show, John and Catherine are satisfied with nothing less than an exceptional experience for every client. Although I originally booked with them merely to guarantee myself a permit, I am now grateful that my bad luck with the lottery led me to them. My own trip was far richer for it!

My husband and I booked a 1-​night 2-​day trip to Half Dome with YExplore that John led in May 2015. The experience was amazing. From the detailed list of what to bring and how to prepare for the climb to the coaching John provided in getting through the harder parts to the gourmet hot cocoa and lox and bagel sandwiches he made at the top of Half Dome, no detail was overlooked. The facts and stories he shared made the trip more meaningful, and altho any guide can do this, John has a great perspective on the world and it’s fun to be around him. He balanced the numerous needs of the group and made sure everyone was having a good experience. Having seen his high standards I’d highly recommend YExplore for any hike or guided experience in Yosemite.

My son and I are regular visitors to Yosemite. Y Explore has been our go to company for hiking. The guides are excellent and have accommodated our needs as his skill level and interests have changed. I’d highly recommended to either groups or individuals and any age group

Booked a last minute tour and John was able to accommodate us. John was excellent. He was knowledgeable about the park and shared the parks history with us through the tour. He is passionate about what he does.
He took us up to the lower Yosemite falls and gave us tips on what places would be best to take pictures.
We hiked to El cap and had a beautiful hike. Definitely recommend Yexplore!

We decided to take a tour since it was our first time in Yosemite. John was absolutely awesome we made the reservation the night before and he still accommodate us. He is super friendly and super knowledgeable we learned so much about the park and it’s history during our 8 mile hike. I have always wanted to take on half dome and John does a two day hike up there. I was so excited to hear that and I cannot wait to book him for that hike. He truly loves what he does and he shares it with others.

John took us on a really enjoyable 5-​hour hike to Inspiration Point in early January. John is extremely knowledgeable on a wide range of subjects (geology, trees, animals, history, etc.) and will happily answer any questions you have. The pace of the hike was perfect and the views among the best I have seen anywhere in the world. Very competitively priced and worth every penny. Thanks a million!
P. s. I know John also leads trips on more technical/​demanding routes, so also a good option for more the experienced.

TL, DR: Our tour was pretty awesome. John, our guide, was really passionate, nice, and insightful. We happen to go on a «good» day, and got a bunch of nice picture. Learn lots of fact about Yosemite.
Me and my gf are weak sauce, so we sign up for the beginner tour. It was pretty challenging to be honest. it was a REALLY long walk (4+ mile), but in the end it was worth it…
At first, my girlfriend was like: «We can walk around this place by ourselves, we don’t need to pay someone to walk us around», but then… she completely changed her mind.
We got a bunch of nice pictures at locations in Yosemite we didn’t know existed, learned facts as we walk by different locations, and got tips about nearby places.
As we talked to John, we really like him because he was very passionate about the park.
example: he would pick up trash as we walk, or tell facts like it’s REALLY important, praises us for keeping up (I was dying).
I would definitely recommend YExplore.

Amazing family hike to Inspiration Point with YExplore owner, John! Our family of 4 enjoyed our time exploring some older parts of the park, learning about the history of Yosemite, about the flowers, trees and animals surrounding us. John was engaging and fun and we look forward to booking with YExplore again on our next trip!

We used YExplore for an overnight family backpack trip to Young Lakes in late August 2013. My wife and I took our 10 year old daughter and 12 year old son. We felt it was important to get off the beaten path, away from the crowds, pavement and development of the Valley, to make sure our kids had a meaningful experience engaging directly with nature. YExplore definitely delivered. This was our first real backpacking trip, and back home in Chicago we don’t even have hills let alone real mountains, so I worried that this hike might be more than we could handle. But we had a wonderful time! I believe the best measure is that both our kids, after hauling 12 – 15 pound backpacks across rugged and sometimes steep terrain for 13 miles, announced an enthusiastic 5 star rating — and want to do it again!
Catherine, the YExplore operations manager, did a remarkable job preparing us for the trip. She put together a thoughtful and delicious menu that accommodated one gluten free person (my wife) and one peanut allergy (my son). Catherine called me several times in advance of the trip to go over menu choices, equipment, trip planning, etc. We had to bring water bottles/​bladders, backpacks, sleeping bags and sleeping pads. YExplore provided the rest of the equipment and all the food.
The first day, we hiked 6.7 miles, with about 2,100 foot elevation gain, leaving Tuolomne Meadows around 11am and getting to Lower Young Lake a little after 5pm. Catherine’s husband John was our guide, and he did a terrific job of adjusting the pace of our hike to match our abilities. He never rushed us, and built in a lot of time for resting, chatting, snacking and taking in the spectacular views. John engaged our kids throughout the hike, telling them about the trees, wildlife, and mountains. His charming demeanor won my kids over quickly, and his love of the outdoors was infectious.
About half way up, the wind shifted and we got hit with smoke from the Rim Fire. The fire itself was far away and presented no direct danger to us, but the smoke was unpleasant, potentially hazardous to breathe, and obscured our views. John calmly and fully informed my wife and me about our options — we could proceed with the hike as planned, or redirect back down to the Meadow to camp for the night. I mention it because the gracious and thoughtful manner in which John handled this is a reflection of how he handled the entire trip.
Fortunately, we decided to proceed. The smoke cleared in a few hours, and we were rewarded with a beautifully clear nighttime sky brilliant with stars. We awoke to a stunning sunrise that illuminated Ragged Peak looming over our campsite, reflected perfectly in the glass-​smooth lake. Only one other couple was camped on the other side of the lake that night, and they left shortly after sunrise so we had place to ourselves. We spent the morning scrambling and exploring around Young Lakes. John and I swapped photography tips. The scenery was breathtaking in the morning light — something you can only experience by camping overnight. And with the smoke gone, the hike back down to the Meadows was magnificent. We broke camp about 11:30am, and at a comfortable pace got back to the parking lot before 4pm. The Young Lakes hike was very pretty, and we encountered very few people on the trail. I highly recommend YExplore!

Awesome hike with awesome scenery! Great tour guide and very informative. Highly recommended for first timers in Yosemite National Park!

Most people consider themselves lucky to visit Yosemite National Park once in their lifetime. When they arrive they have a fairly good chance of finding themselves in lines reminiscent of Disney World, crowded together on the trails everyone tries to hike. On Easter Saturday we counted 700 people on our way down the Mist trail alone. I however didn’t mind the lines because I was returning from a true «trip of a lifetime» arranged by YExplore.
My first experience with YExplore was last summer taking a photography course for my new Nikon D5100. I learned some great skills and have found some great spots on that outing.
I was speaking with John from YExplore at a charity event earlier in the month, and he asked if I might be interested in joining him on a complimentary trip as he worked through his pre-​season training for the summer. I could think of no better way to spend a day.
Within the first 4 hours of the hike by moonlight (passed zero people on our trip up the mist). What an amazing way to summit one of the most incredible attractions in the park. John, led us on the trail by moon and headlights making sure we didn’t take a wrong turn. He guided us along portions of the trail invisible to the eye due to snow and safely led us up the cables using safety gear. He gave us tips to help reduce the strain as we climbed hundreds of steps and pointed out landmarks and features we would have certainly missed.
A pre-​season summit of half dome is not for everyone and has some increased risks but it was 1,000 times more memorable than a crowded trip up the mist trail with 700 strangers getting in our way. If you are thinking of visiting Yosemite and want your trip to be one that you will talk about for the rest of your life then you owe it to yourself and those you are traveling with to use YExplore and find that special excursion just right for your group.

What a fantastic, amazing day of hiking I had, (and I gather I can speak for out group of 9 as well) hiking into May Lake & Raisin Lake, at the foot of Mt. Hoffman, in Yosemite.
Our guide, John DeGrazio, was extremely insightful, imaginative, and thoroughly informative. His varied knowledge of all the surrounding flora, fauna, the various types of pine & fir trees, and of course, all of the surrounding lakes, rock formations, peaks, valleys, (names, elevations, how they were formed, etc.) kept me on my toes at all times, inquiring for even more insights. John also displayed a keen sense of humor.
A good time was had by all.
Ben Anderson, Burlingame, CA

We hired John from Y Explore to see Yosemite in a day. We met John at Glacier Point and he took us on an awesome intermediate hike up Sentinel Dome, Taft Point, the Fissures and more. The Yosemite views were breathtaking. John was knowledgeable and friendly. He was our teacher, photographer, and friend for the day. Even my teenagers enjoyed the hike. I highly recommend Y Explore to see Yosemite.

We had a great tour with John and Lindsay on Sep 30, 2011. The hike was a great balance of doable and difficult. More importantly, they were both GREAT. John was VERY encouraging from working on breathing early in the hike to coaching up the cable steps at the top. Lindsay was a font of knowledge about birds, trees, nature, etc. We could have not make it without them. Mark and Susan

Highly recommended. Absolutely first-​rate operators. Knowledgeable guides. Ethical, friendly, family-​run business. Sustainable hiking philosophy.
* My fiancé and I recently went on the Half Dome day hike. We are experienced hikers, but it was her first time to Yosemite and with the additional requirements of the cables, this seemed like the ideal option. Very lucky to have found Y Explore
* Leading up to the trip, Catherine (the wife — books the trips) was very responsive and organized, answered all of our questions, and helped us prepare for the trip. She checked-​in frequently and provided updates as we got closer to the departure date
* During the hike, John (the husband –guides the trips) was encouraging, super knowledgeable of the mountain, very well-​equipped and prepared, and just an all-​around great person. We enjoyed his company as much as his help summiting the mountain
* Overall, we could not have been happier with the service. We plan to (and already have) recommended to numerous friends
* Ideal if you are a beginning hiker or new to the Yosemite park. Also great even if experienced hikers that just want a knowledgeable and helpful guide
* Big thanks to both John and Catherine (and Ricky) for a truly memorable day

We went on the 18 mile Half Dome hike and although I have read lots about it prior to going out there, I was still slightly nervous as it is definitely a strenuous hike and probably the toughest I’ve ever done. There were points where I didn’t think I would make it and certain times where I just wanted to turn around but the breathing technique John taught us really helped me through a lot of it. There were also parts of the hike that got me nervous but I was never pushed to do anything I was uncomfortable doing. Knowing that I would be upset at myself if I didn’t make it up to the top, I ended up challenging myself and knew that I was in good hands. The most grateful thing was the fact that I always felt safe and was given pointers on the best way to hike because if I had gone on my own, I would probably still be stuck somewhere in the park with no cell phone reception and a mountain lion in site. Yes, there are mountain lions! ;)
The goal was to climb up to the top of Half Dome and as we attempted (though I chickened out by then), all of a sudden, it began to hail and it was then deemed too dangerous to climb. They ended going about ¼ of the way up until the conditions worsened and they had to climb back down. So, we all made it to the cables. The weather and the lack of the poles is what scared me but I definitely want to hike back up again in sunnier weather and when the poles are put up though it won’t be fun when tons of people are lined up along the cables but I guess that’s what happens in better weather.
I definitely want to go back so I can make it to the top of Half Dome and John definitely gave me a peace of mind which is PRICELESS!
If you want to be in the BEST hands possible, go with Y Explore!

My husband and I booked a challenging guided hike this past week with YExplore Adventures so that we could do more than just look around in the valley while we were in Yosemite. We had a limited amount of time in the park and wanted a unique experience.
We booked our guided hike with Catherine DeGrazio on Saturday ⁶⁄₂₁ for our June 25^th hike. She was more than accommodating even with the short notice we gave her for this hike. She conveniently emailed all of the necessary paperwork as well as spoke to me in order to gage our fitness level to customize our hike. She gave a follow-​up phone call as well to make sure we didn’t have any other questions before our hike.
We met John and Travis, our guides, at 7 am at Glacier Point. It was wonderful to get started so early, because the park was peaceful and quiet. We had the Panoramic trail all to ourselves. Being from Philadelphia, and not acclimmatizing ourselves to the high elevation, I immediately began to not feel well. I also think that I didn’t realize that I really do have a slight fear of heights, and looking out onto Half Dome and Yosemite Falls, while beautiful, was overwhelming! John was wonderfully patient.
I felt well enough to hike and didn’t want to waste our money or our time. John continually asked me how I was feeling and made it clear that we were in no rush, so if I needed a break to just speak up. I was feeling much better and was able to listen to John explain the history of Yosemite, the trails that we were on or going to, the vista points, the reasons behind the names of some of the peaks, waterfalls and valleys. We ended up hiking down to Illoutte Creek and falls, up the Panoramic trail with great views of Vernal Falls, continuing to Nevada Falls. We then turned around and came back up to Glacier Point.
We were blessed with spectacular views of Nevada Falls where we had a snack and a rest on top of the falls in ths shadow of Liberty Cap and Half Dome. We lunched by the side of the Illoutte creek and made our climb back up to Glacier Point.
This climb became very difficult for me. John and Travis were wonderful. They continually stopped, let me know exactly where we were on the trail so that I could see the progress I was making to the top and encouraged me to keep going. John monitored how I was doing and made me drink water. He was wonderful and exactly the reason why we wanted to choose a guide for this type of hike. We made an excellent choice with Yexplore. It was a great sense of accomplishment when we finished the hike.
Oh– and we saw a bear. But, if you want the story of that incredible encounter here is a link to John’s blog.
Thank you John, Catherine and Travis. Best of luck in school Travis! You gave us an experience we will never forget!

Y Explore specializes in photography and hiking tours in the gem of our National Park system: Yosemite. I’ve found that Y Explore’s guides combine an extensive knowledge and understanding of the park with superior customer service. I recommend their services without hesitation.