I don¡¯t really understand the change either. LYV is very developed and has facilities, including toilets and developed sites, that can accommodate a large number of backpackers. You could be right that they want to make LYV more available to backpackers doing local trips and assume that longer distance hikers can do more than that short distance on the first day, but some hikers prefer to take it very easy the first few days, taking advantage of being able to resupply at Tuolumne Meadows.?
ravi_jmt2013