Cinthya's Birthday Trip 🎂

Wed May 20 — Departure night

DFW → SAN → FAT · Pick up rental · Sleep at Jorge's

Half Dome lottery — apply today

Applied for Thu May 21! Keep applying every day. Window: 12 AM–1 PM Pacific (2–3 PM CT). Results ~9 PM PT each night.

recreation.gov/permits/234652

Schedule

19:09

AS1490 DFW → SAN UJHGAR

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Arrives SAN 20:24. 1h40m layover. Both flights on same Alaska reservation — bags checked through to FAT. Don't stress the connection.

22:04

AS3472 SAN → FAT UJHGAR

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Arrives Fresno (FAT) 23:30.

23:30

Pick up rental at FAT L59215128E1

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Presidents Circle — skip the counter, go straight to the lot. Hertz confirmed they'll hold even 2h past closing. Midsize SUV AWD (Jeep Compass or similar). Drive to Jorge's: 9439 N Saybrook Dr Apt 229 — ~15 min.

~00:00

Check Half Dome results, then crash

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If you won for Thu → pack gloves, fill water reservoirs, set alarm for 03:30. If not → normal 06:30 wake-up.

🎂 Thu May 21 — Cinthya's Birthday

Yosemite · Curry Village check-in · She turns 33

Half Dome scenarios

If you have the permit: Leave Jorge's 04:00. Start at Happy Isles 06:00. 16 mi RT, 4,800 ft. Off cables by 1 PM. Back at valley ~5 PM. Check in Curry Village after. Casual birthday dinner by the tent.

No permit (likely today): Normal 06:30 departure. Apply again tonight for Fri. Full day itinerary below.

Schedule (no Half Dome)

~06:30

Leave Jorge's → Yosemite at sunrise

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Drive CA-41 N straight through. Snacks + electrolytes packed from home — no stops needed. ~2h to south entrance.

~08:30

Yosemite South Entrance

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Show America the Beautiful pass. No timed entry in 2026. Drive in, park at Curry Village or Happy Isles trailhead early — you'll be ahead of the Thursday wave.

~09:00

🎁 Tunnel View — the surprise reveal Birthday moment

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First look at El Capitan + Half Dome + Bridalveil Fall all in one frame. This is the moment she figures out where she is. Have a card or something small ready in the glovebox.

~09:30

Hike: Mist Trail → Vernal Fall (+ Nevada)

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5.4 mi RT to Vernal (~1,000 ft) or extend to Nevada Fall via JMT return loop (~8 mi, 2,000 ft). Thursday before Memorial Day = manageable. The spray by Vernal is the whole point — shoes will get soaked. Worth it. Start early before the midday crowd hits the trailhead.

16:00

Check in — Curry Village 16P5DD

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Tent 1 Dbl No Heat. Drop gear. Shower at the central bathhouse. Tonight will be cold (~40–45°F) — warm layers + Jorge's extra blankets will handle it fine.

~15:00

Valley floor walk — El Cap Meadow or Sentinel Bridge

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Easy stroll. Half Dome alpenglow from Sentinel Bridge at golden hour is the postcard. Good way to wind down before check-in.

~18:30

Birthday cocktails + dinner 🥂

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Start at Mountain Room Lounge (Yosemite Valley Lodge) — picture windows on Yosemite Falls, proper cocktail list. Then dinner wherever feels right: Mountain Room restaurant, Base Camp Eatery, or wine + cheese by the tent. No reservation needed, no pressure. Good food + good drinks is the whole point — not fanciness.

~21:00

Apply Half Dome lottery for Fri 22 Every day!

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12 AM–1 PM PT window (open now until 1 PM tomorrow). recreation.gov/permits/234652. Results ~9 PM PT Friday night.

Fri May 22 — Big hike day

Cables open today · Still in Curry Village

If you have the Fri permit — Half Dome

04:30 start from Happy Isles. 16 mi RT, 4,800 ft. Off the cables by 1 PM. Work gloves mandatory on the cables. This is the hike.

Plans (if no permit)

00:00 PT

Apply lottery for Sat May 23 Last shot

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Apply by 1 PM PT today. This is your final permit opportunity. Results tonight ~9 PM PT.

06:00

Plan B — Upper Yosemite Falls

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7.6 mi RT, 2,700 ft gain. Steep brutal switchbacks — real Monterrey-style grind. Top of the tallest waterfall in North America. Almost nobody past Columbia Rock. Start early.

06:00

Plan C — Four Mile Trail up + Panorama Trail down Best value

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~13 mi point-to-point. Up Four Mile to Glacier Point (+3,200 ft), then Panorama Trail past Illilouette → Nevada → Vernal Falls back to valley. Confirm Glacier Point Rd is open at nps.gov/yose — usually open by late May. More views than Half Dome. Most people never do this loop.

~17:00

Back to camp — easy evening

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Pizza Deck at Curry Village, or charcuterie + wine by the tent. If you have a Sat Half Dome permit → rest now. Early start tomorrow.

Sat May 23 — Checkout day

Exit via Mariposa Grove · Back to Fresno · Relaxed evening

If you have the Sat permit — Half Dome

04:30 start. Skip sunrise hike. Do the 16-miler. Return the car Sunday — still plenty of time for Carmel.

06:00

Sunrise — Mirror Lake or Sentinel Bridge

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~2 mi easy. Half Dome reflection in Mirror Lake at dawn. You'll have it almost to yourselves while the Saturday holiday crush is still in their cars on CA-41.

11:00

Checkout — Curry Village

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All packed. Load the car. Car isn't due back until Sunday 18:00 — no rush today.

~11:30

Exit via CA-41 S → Mariposa Grove

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~45 min. Giant Sequoias — walk the Grizzly Giant Loop (~2 mi). Quick preview before you see General Sherman on Monday. Don't extend — parking fills fast Saturday noon.

~14:00

Lunch in Oakhurst

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South Gate Brewing Co. or El Cid Mexican. ~30 min from Mariposa. No rush — enjoy it.

~16:00

Arrive Fresno — Jorge's place

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9439 N Saybrook Dr Apt 229. Shower, real bed, unpack the tent smell. Car stays parked until Sunday morning.

~19:30

Dinner with Jorge — Fresno

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The Annex Kitchen — modern Italian, real cocktail list, genuinely good food. Good match for Cin's palate. Or Heirloom if Jorge prefers it (he might — saving Heirloom for Sunday at Carmel or back here). Relaxed evening, celebrate the first half of the trip.

Sun May 24 — Carmel & Monterey Peninsula 🌊

Car due FAT 18:00 · Jorge joins after his SF lunch

Logistics

You drive from Fresno (~2h30m via CA-99 + CA-68). Jorge goes to SF morning, joins you at Point Lobos or Carmel village in the afternoon, and you all drive back to FAT together to drop the car by 18:00. Jorge drops you at his place.

⚠️ Note: Presidents Circle grace period is 30 min, not 4h — the 4h is an Amex Platinum card perk. Check your reservation confirmation for an Amex CDP code if you think you have it. Either way, plan to drop by 18:00.

Morning — Point Lobos

~07:30

Leave Fresno → Carmel

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CA-99 S to CA-68 W, or CA-99 S to CA-101 N into Monterey then CA-1 S to Carmel. ~2h30m. Arrive ~10:00. Take the coastal CA-1 approach from Monterey into Carmel for the scenery.

~10:00

Point Lobos State Natural Reserve 🌊 Crown jewel

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3 miles south of Carmel on Hwy 1. $10/car. Get there early — lots fill fast on holiday weekends. If full, park on Hwy 1 shoulder and walk in (free).

Best hike: Point Lobos Full Loop — 6.3 mi, ~700 ft. Hits every major cove, sea lion point, China Cove, Cypress Grove. Harbor seals with May pups, sea otters in kelp beds, Monterey cypress on ocean cliffs. Turquoise water like nothing else in California.

Shorter option: Bird Island Trail + China Cove + Sea Lion Point loop (~3 mi). Same wow factor, less distance.

No food inside the reserve. Bring snacks.

Afternoon — Carmel Village

~13:00

Quick sea swim at Monastery Beach or Carmel River Beach

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Monastery Beach is right at Point Lobos Rd on Hwy 1 — raw, dramatic, surfy. Carmel River State Beach (just north) is calmer and more sheltered. Water will be cold (~57°F in May) but doable for a quick dip. Strong currents at Monastery — don't go past the break.

~13:30

Drive 3 min north → Carmel village

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Park near Ocean Ave. The whole town is one square mile and walkable. Storybook cottages with names instead of addresses, hidden courtyards, galleries tucked off alleyways. Zero kitsch. Very European feel.

~14:00

Lunch + cocktails — Carmel Cin's food world

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Chez Noir — Monterey County ingredients, four-course menu, all-California wine program. The best food in town by most accounts. Reservation required. Worth calling ahead.

Grasing's — seasonal, local, award-winning wine list, cocktails with actual craft. More casual than Chez Noir.

Stationæry — brunch/lunch, modern, chilaquiles on the menu (yes). Good for a quicker stop.

Book at least one of these before Sunday morning.

~15:30

Carmel Beach walk + Ocean Ave stroll

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Walk Scenic Road from 8th Ave south — cypress-lined path over white sand, Pacific views, Frank Lloyd Wright's Clinton Walker House sitting on the cliff. Then back up Ocean Ave for window shopping, galleries, The Cheese Shop (legendary — get something for the flight).

~afternoon

Jorge joins + Heirloom for dinner? 🍽️

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If Jorge makes it in time from SF (depends on his lunch), meet him in Carmel. He mentioned Heirloom — that's in Carmel too (cocktail-forward, local ingredients, good vibe). If timing doesn't work, grab drinks on Ocean Ave and head back to Fresno for a late meal together.

~15:30

Drive Carmel → FAT (drop car) Due 18:00

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~2h from Carmel to FAT. Leave by 15:30 max to be safe. Jorge picks you up at FAT and drives back to his place. Done with the car.

Mon May 25 — Memorial Day · Sequoia · Fly home

Jorge drives · Last park · AA2472 23:47 FAT→DFW

Why Sequoia on Monday works

Memorial Day Monday is paradoxically quiet — weekenders are all driving home. You arrive as they leave. General Sherman parking doesn't gridlock. Sequoia is yours.

~07:00

Jorge drives to Sequoia — Giant Forest

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~1h45m from Fresno. Coffee in the car. Show America the Beautiful pass at the entrance. Free for you.

~09:00

General Sherman Tree + Congress Trail Largest living thing on Earth

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~2.5 mi loop. General Sherman is the world's largest tree by volume. Congress Trail loops deeper into the grove past President Tree and Senate Group — fewer people go this way even on busy days. Get there before 10 AM to beat the parking crunch.

~11:00

Moro Rock + Tunnel Log

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Moro Rock: 400 stone steps to a 360° dome with views of the Great Western Divide. Feels like a Monterrey rooftop at 6,700 ft. ~0.5 mi RT. Then drive under Tunnel Log — a fallen sequoia with a car-sized passage carved through it.

~12:30

Drive back to Fresno

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~2h15m via Generals Hwy → Three Rivers → CA-99. Stop in Three Rivers if you want a quick late lunch — small town with good tacos.

~15:00

Jorge's — shower, repack, rest

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Real nap if possible. You're flying the redeye tonight and going straight to work. First class helps, but rest now is better.

~18:00

Farewell dinner with Jorge

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Keep it honest and easy. If you didn't do The Annex on Saturday, now's the time. Or just good tacos — La Elegante Taqueria, one of the best in the Central Valley. Ending a California mountain week with real California tacos with the friend who made it happen is the right move.

~21:00

Jorge drives to FAT — 20 min

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Arrive ~21:20 — 2.5h before the flight. Plenty of buffer for Cin. FAT is tiny, TSA takes 10 min. She can relax, no rush. Hugs to Jorge.

23:47

AA2472 FAT → DFW — First Class 🛫 HFOLMI / ITDFJF

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Arrives DFW 05:00 Tue May 26. Straight to work. You're both legends.

✓ Checklist

What's done, what's pending, what's urgent

Confirmed ✓

Flights — AS1490 + AS3472 outbound (UJHGAR). AA2472 first class return (HFOLMI / ITDFJF).

Curry Village — Thu 21–Sat 23, conf 16P5DD, Tent 1 Dbl No Heat.

Car rental — L59215128E1, FAT pickup Wed 23:30, drop Sun 18:00. Presidents Circle, skip counter, SUV AWD.

Yosemite entry — No timed entry in 2026. America the Beautiful pass works at Yosemite, Sequoia, Kings Canyon. Valid through May 31, 2026.

Kings Canyon Hwy 180 — Open to Roads End since April 24, 2026.

Still needed 🔴

Half Dome lottery — apply every day. recreation.gov/permits/234652. 12 AM–1 PM PT. Results ~9 PM PT. $10 fee + $10/person if you win. Applied Wed 20 (for Thu 21). Keep going: apply Thu for Fri, Fri for Sat.

Carmel lunch reservation. Book Chez Noir or Grasing's for Sun May 24 ~13:00–14:00. Memorial Day weekend. Do it now.

Leather work gloves for Half Dome cables. Any hardware store. Cheap. Mandatory if you get the permit.

Monitor ⚠️

Glacier Point Road. Verify open at nps.gov/yose before counting on Four Mile / Panorama option Friday. Usually open mid-to-late May.

Jorge coordination. Confirm: he joins you in Carmel Sunday afternoon after SF lunch → drives back to FAT → his place. Also confirm Heirloom Sunday dinner or Annex Saturday.

Hertz 4-hour grace. Standard Presidents Circle is only 30 min. The 4h grace is an Amex Platinum card benefit. Check your confirmation for an Amex CDP code if you think you have it. Plan to return by 18:00 regardless.

Curry Village no heat. Valley nights ~40–45°F in May. Warm base layers + Jorge's blankets should handle it. Pack accordingly.

Point Lobos parking. Arrives fast on Memorial Day weekend. Be there by 10 AM. Can park on Hwy 1 shoulder if full.

ℹ Key Info

Reservations, addresses, contacts

Flights

Outbound: AS1490 DFW→SAN 19:09–20:24 · AS3472 SAN→FAT 22:04–23:30

Confirmation: UJHGAR (Alaska Airlines)

Return: AA2472 FAT→DFW 23:47–05:00+1 · First Class

Alaska conf: HFOLMI · AA conf: ITDFJF

Car Rental

Hertz · FAT Airport

5175 E Clinton Way, Fresno CA 93727

Confirmation: L59215128E1 · Member: 18862055

Pickup: Wed May 20, 23:30 · Skip counter (Presidents Circle)

Drop: Sun May 24, 18:00

Vehicle: Midsize SUV AWD — Jeep Compass or similar

Accommodations

Curry Village — Yosemite National Park

9010 Curry Village Dr, Yosemite NP CA 95389

Itinerary: 10005C4BW · Conf: 16P5DD

Check-in: Thu May 21 at 16:00

Checkout: Sat May 23 at 11:00

Room: Tent 1 Dbl — No Heat (bring layers!)

Jorge's place (Sat–Mon nights)

9439 N Saybrook Dr Apt 229, Fresno CA

Half Dome Permits

Daily lottery only (preseason closed March 31)

Apply at: recreation.gov/permits/234652

Window: 12:00 AM – 1:00 PM Pacific daily

Results: ~9:00 PM Pacific same day

Cost: $10 application fee + $10/person if you win

Applied for: Thu May 21 ✓ → keep applying through Fri/Sat

Park Passes

America the Beautiful Annual Pass — valid through May 2026

Covers: Yosemite, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Point Lobos (federal parks only)

Point Lobos State Reserve: $10/car — state park, pass does NOT cover.

Carmel Restaurants

Chez Noir — Jonny & Monique's, Monterey County ingredients, $165 four-course menu, all-CA wines. Reservation required.

Grasing's — seasonal, local, award-winning wine + craft cocktails.

Heirloom — cocktail-forward, local. Jorge's suggestion for dinner.

Stationæry — brunch/lunch, modern, great for a quicker stop.

🎂 Cinthya's Birthday Trip

Wed May 20 — Departure night

Half Dome lottery — apply today

🎂 Thu May 21 — Cinthya's Birthday

Half Dome scenarios

Fri May 22 — Big hike day

If you have the Fri permit — Half Dome

Sat May 23 — Checkout day

If you have the Sat permit — Half Dome

Sun May 24 — Carmel & Monterey Peninsula 🌊

Logistics

Mon May 25 — Memorial Day · Sequoia · Fly home

Why Sequoia on Monday works

✓ Checklist

ℹ Key Info