We are first time Yosemite visitors and just completed a wonderful hike from Glacier Point Hike down Panorama Trail and the Mist Trail (8 miles +\- but mostly downhill) guided by Scott and Guide in Training Colin. We picked Lasting Adventures based on this site and other reviews of their services. Based on our experience, we would highly recommend Lasting Adventures to anyone considering a hike in the Yosemite area. Before we arrived, we received several helpful communications from Scott that told us what to bring, where to meet and what to expect. During the hike, Scott and Colin were engaging, informative and just fun to be with. Scott constantly checked on us (our group of 4 was 56, 52, 22 and 22) to see if we needed anything, how we were feeling and did we need anything. Scott set the pace at a speed to match our group's ability and let us stop whenever we wanted for pictures, a short rest halt, etc. At several stops, Scott and Colin refilled our water supply using a water filtered pump; as it was in the 90s I don't think we could have carried enough water without this. For this hike, you need good hiking shoes or boots, a day pack and need to layer your clothing. You will for sure need to bring some water bottles, some snacks (although Scott provided some as welll) and a lunch for this all day hike. You can get some lunch supplies at the bus stop where you meet your guide but plan ahead as your choices at that location are both limited and expensive. A hat is also a must as is sunscreen. It takes a bus ride from the valley floor to get to this trailhead and that takes about an hour and a half depending on traffic. We met Scott and Colin at the shuttle stop at 8:30, moved along at a pretty good pace and hit the valley floor shuttle stop at 5:30 that afternoon so it is a full dayhike. All in all, it was just a great day and if we returned to the area, we would really like to try one of their other hikes (Halfdome here we come). Finally, as an aside, the other really cool and good thing about Scott's outfit is that it is a non-profit. They use the proceeds of the hiking fees to provide outdoor opportunities for youth in the summer which makes for a unique experience for kids.

My 15 year old son just got home today from backpacking with Lasting Adventures for 6 days in Yosemite and he was full of enthusiasm over the trip! He really loved the experience and feels accomplished (not his words but I can tell!). He talked about it to me for about 2 hours :) This is so great, especially considering I had to make him go in the first place. He really liked the guides and the other kids, talked about bears and waterfalls, water slides, hackey sack playing, singing songs, endurance, mosquitoes, pooping in the woods, the bracelets they were given at the end, jumping in cold water, mineral springs, setting goals, etc. He said he wants to go next year and thinks a job doing something like being a guide in the future would be very cool :)
Thank you SO MUCH!!