Glacier Point Rd

What are the conditions of Glacier Point Road and what is the expectation date of opening?

Penny wrote:

> What are the conditions of Glacier Point Road and what is the
> expectation date of opening?

There is no expected opening date. Plowing starts today and with the very light snow this year it may open very early. Stay tuned for updates.

Thank you for the response.
I will make my first visit to Yosemite on May 15 & 16. I really want to be able to see the veiw from Glacier Point. It looks like it will take your breath away! I live in Alabama and it may be many years before I make my way back to the Yosemite area, if ever! There is so much to see and explore in this beautiful country of ours.
I look forward to my trip.

If Glacier Point Road isn't open, you can do other things... drive to Tunnel View, hike to Inspiration Point, the top of Yosemite Falls, the top of Vernal or Nevada Fall (I think the Mist Trail is super-fun on the way up). There are plenty of beautiful views in Yosemite, you can't see it all at once. Part of the fun is seeing Yosemite in different seasons, so go back again if you can! Springtime will be the best time to see waterfalls, so make sure to see as many as possible! I find the Lonely Planet Yosemite guide book to be very helpful. You can usually get guidebooks from the library if you plan ahead. Believe me, having a guidebook with you is in my opinion, essential. Feel free to ask more questions!



Post Edited (04-17-07 11:31)

I'd be very surprised if the road isn't open by May15th. I've heard rumors that the Tioga Road may be open before April ends

We will be entering from the south end. I was already anxious to see the tunnel view also. My husband and I have always loved water falls and they are the main reason I planned this trip this time of year.
How long and difficult is the hike to the top of Yosemite Falls? Can you get right at the brink of the falls? And how is the hike to Inspiration Point? Although we only have 2 days in Yosemite - we do want to make a couple of good hikes. The mist trail did sound fun to me too. I have my gortex jacket and shoes on my list to take!!
I do hope to return again but we try to explore some place new every other year. We do end up returning to our favorite places though.

Penny wrote:

> How long and difficult is the hike to the top of Yosemite
> Falls?

It's about 3000 feet of altitude gain in 3.5 miles. Not too bad if one is in shape.

> Can you get right at the brink of the falls?

Not really. But there's a ledge just below the brink you can go out on.

> The mist trail did sound fun to me too.

Do the Mist Trail and be sure to continue on to the top of Nevada Fall. If you're still feeling good you can hike up to Little Yosemite Valley too.

Penny,

Since you are coming in from the south, I presume Wawona, you must go to the Mariposa Grove and see the big trees. It will take about 1.5 to 2.0 hours for a good visit there. I would then go on to Glacier Point Road stopping at Taft Point and walking down to the point and checking out the fissures. A great spot and it will only take about an hour. Stop again at Washburn Point which is just about one mile or so before the Glacier Point parking area. The views from Washburn are spectacular. This is a pullout off the road and you will spend about 15-30 minutes taking in the view. Continue on to Glacier Point and spend 1-2 hours going everywhere you can. There is some food available there.

One the second day you could do Yosemite Falls and the valley floor.

Here is a little info on the Yosemite Falls Hike:

http://www.localhikes.com/Hikes/YosemiteFalls_0000.asp

When you get to the rim but before you get to Yosemite Creek there is a short trail to the right that leads to the VERY EDGE of the falls. It's a hairy little trail but well worth it. There are a couple of pictures of it in the above link.

Take at least two liters of water per person and maybe three large Snickers bars.
A waterproof jacket can be useful in the spring especially if it's chilly.

Stay away from the creek bed as it can be very slippery and if you fall in you WILL go over the falls.

What route are you taking out of the park at the end of your two days there?

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Old Dude

Penny,

Just to keep the record straight, that's not my web site. I don't have one.

I have lived in Riverchase and have hiked all the trails in Oak Mountain multiple times. My SO lived there and she has just moved to Carson City.

If you can do the trails in Oak Mountain you will be able to do Yosemite Falls. Just take it easy and don't push the hike too hard.

---

Old Dude

I feel in fairly good shape but we do not have any 3000 ft elevated hikes around here. When I hike in Oak Mt State Park (which I live about 4 miles from) - the most is about 1000 feet! And that begins at around 300-500 foot elevation! But I may hike the Yosemite trail and turn around if and when I feel like I should not proceed.

We plan on seeing Sequoia and the Mariposa Grove. I am so excited about seeing the large trees. We are driving through Death Valley and boating on Lake Mead before that. We are spending a couple of days in Vegas with my daughter and friends.

After Yosemite - we will take Hwy 120 out. We are spending a couple of days on the coast in between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Never seen the Pacific before!! I have always dreamed of seeing this part of the Pacific coast. From there, back to Vegas to fly home.

In Alabama, we enjoy the Emerald coast of the Gulf of Mexico, which if any on you have not been there - it is so beautiful - you must go sometime! The area in beteen Mobile, AL and St George Island, FL is the best with warm, green/blue, clear water and beaches of fluffy white sand. No whales, no seals, no cliffs, no rocks but lots of great fishing, beautiful sea shells, many different bird wildlife, miles of walking on the beach, great bike riding, interesting bayous/intercoastal waterways and great food and drinks!

Thank you all for the great information. I do appreciate it!

Mike - nice web site - when I have some time I will send you some pictures from some hiking trails here in Alabama.

Penny, If Glacier Point Road is open, Taft Point and Sentinel Dome are both at the same pulloff and trailhead on the road. If going up to the top of Yosemite Falls seems too difficult, hiking to the top of Sentinel Dome is a fairly easy way to see views of the high country. The hike is only 2.2 miles long, you have elevation change of 370 feet, and you're at the top of a granite dome at 8,000 feet!

Did you say you are going to Sequoia National Park or did you mean you are going to see the sequoias in Mariposa Grove (in Yosemite)?

I just got back from Death Valley, you can see my pictures here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/2carolyn/sets/

There's Yosemite albums in there, too.

There is a forum for Death Valley that I got some information from before my trip if you have any questions:
http://www.death-valley.net/forum/index.php
Make sure you see Badwater & Dante's View, & the Dunes.

This is a cute place to stay in Cambria, CA along the coast:
http://www.whisperingpinesbedandbreakfast.com/

Also, try to visit Pfeiffer Beach in or near Pfieffer Big Sur State Park
Print out the description of how to get there (it's tricky), you won't regret it!!
http://pages.prodigy.net/rhorii/favbeach.htm

If you're camping, there's a campground and cabins near there.
Here are my picures of our Big Sur pictures:
http://www.letterknit.com/photos/main.php?g2_page=2

I can see by your photos that I will be returning to this area when I can take more time. The photos of the Ansel Adams Wilderness area are beautiful! All were. I am looking forward to taking pictures out there. I need to set me up a web site so I can show some of mine.
We are going to Sequoia NP. I can't wait to stand among the trees.

Penny, if you're going to Sequoia NP, skip the sequoias in Wawona and go see Yosemite Valley.
In Sequoia NP, I woud suggest the following hike...

South of Lodgepole, in the "Giant Forest" section of the park, from the parking area at the end of Crescent Meadow Rd, hike on the "Trail of Sequoias." It is an amazing 5 mile hike that isn't difficult (the Lonely Planet "Hiking in the Sierra Nevada" book says it's "easy". It also connects with the Congress trail, so you can see that if you want, also. The Trail of the Sequoias takes you far away from the crowds at the main groves. Check out Tharp's Log. It's just you and the big trees and some beautiful meadows. I thought this was amazing because it leads you away from the cheesy groves with tons of tourists and named trees with plaques in front of them.

Pictures here:
http://www.letterknit.com/photos/main.php?g2_itemId=2120

You might want to call the park and make sure there aren't any winter road closures. I found this on the website:
MORE INFORMATION — Call the park for the latest on road conditions: 1-559-565-3341, then press 9 and then 4.

Penny, if you want waterfalls, follow this 2-day plan:

Day 1: Enter park at Wawona (that's the one in the south), drive to the Mariposa Grove and walk around for a while to see the trees.

Then do the Chilnualna Falls hike. This is one of those lesser-discussed hikes and it's a major waterfall experience. There are many falls all the way up. There's one area that seems like it's the "main event" because it's a really tall fall, but it's not, and if conditions permit, there's a place with a big rock "island" at the base of a multi-cascade waterfall that's nothing short of stunningly amazing.

Day 2: Drive to the valley, stopping at the tunnel view turnout (a turnout at the end of a really long tunnel...can't miss it), stop at Bridalveil fall and take the short walk to it's base.

After that, head to Happy Isles and do the Mist Trail to Nevada Fall. If the full loop is open, you can return via the John Muir trail, making a loop.

At that point, if you still have light and energy, consider taking the .5 mile hike to see lower Yosemite Fall near Camp 4 in the Valley.

If you do those hikes, I assure you that you will see much water and many waterfalls. Upper Yosemite Falls is cool, and worth seeing, but you can see it from the road in the Valley while going to the Mist Trail. The Chilnualna Falls hike blows Yosemite Falls...ahem...out of the water, IMO.



Post Edited (04-18-07 19:53)

What a small world we live in!
Thanks again for all the great information that all of you have given me.
I know it will make my trip filled with great adventures.
I can't wait!

Glacier Point Road has been plowed all the way to the Sentinel Dome trailhead. The rest will be finished when the weather clears.

With just 2 days, and wanting to get in a couple of hikes you'll need to keep busy. I don't know at what time of year they'll start the bus to Glacier Point, but if the road opens soon and the bus trips begin by the 15th, you might consider taking an early bus from Yosemite Lodge to Glacier Point, and then walking down the 4-mile trail to the valley. This gives you a nice hike with some great views, you get to see the Glacier Point view, and the bus ride in itself is informative. It's a relatively easy hike since it's all downhill.

I see fresh snow today at Glacier Point (via the Sentinel Dome webcam) so this may not work...the top half of the 4-mile trail could be closed if it's snowy or icy. The website may tell you if the trail is fully open, or you can check at the visitor center when you get to the valley.

For your 'waterfall' hike, you could still use the Mist trail as suggested; once you get to Vernal Falls, you may decide "that's enough!" after the steep steps and very wet conditioins, but the nice part is you can opt to continue to Nevada Falls or to go back after Vernal.

Or, the Upper Yosemite Fall trail is fantastic, but I'd rate it as a VERY strenuous trail (I'm a Half-Dome hiker, but the upper falls trail is a tough one, no two ways about it...up, and up, and up). You can go part way though, past the great views of Columbia Point (about a mile up), a bit farther to the base of Upper Yosemite Falls. Most people don't make it much farther than that, and while it's a pretty hike from there, you soon lose the falls view until you get to the top. If there's any fresh snow on top, you won't be able to find the trail to the falls overlook anyway. If you go all the way and back, I guarantee you'll be exhausted, so keep that in mind since your visit is short.

Of those two falls hike choices, I don't know which I'd pick, they're both great; Vernal-Nevada will be more crowded but is easier, despite the granite steps.

If you can't or don't do the 4-mile trail part, you mentioned Inspiration Point; there are different ways to get there, but you might try the Old Wawona Road, which will take you past artist point and at 2.6 miles, to Inspiration Point (actually on the Pohono Trail). You can find the Old Wawona Road by walking up highway 41 from the Bridalveil parking lot, about 1/3 mile...it's the blocked off road, and a pleasant hike. Or, you can take get on the Pohono trail near Tunnel View, if the old Wawona Road doesn't interest you.

Anyway, enjoy your visit; I just thought I'd throw in a couple of ideas to confuse things, but you can't go wrong in Yosemite unless you leave early 8^)

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Gary
Yosemite Photo Galleries: http://www.pbase.com/roberthouse/yo