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KevinD
July 4th? Anyone?
June 23, 2016 03:51PM
Anyone got plans in Yose for July 4th weekend? Thinking about going and taking some time off and going over towards Kuna Pass towards Donohue but temperatures aren't encouraging me.
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JustKeepWalking
Re: July 4th? Anyone?
June 26, 2016 09:41PM
We were lucky enough to snag four sites in Tuolumne Mesdows campground for July 1-5.

We are maxed out with 24 peeps joining us. Most are car camping friends, but we have one set of backpacking buddies who just had a new baby in December and they'll be joining too, barring last minute ikkies! The child's first snow backpacking trip was at one month old! He's already quite the little outdoorsman! Hehehe!

We just got home from an extended weekend backpacking in the high country, and I can't wait to get back! Got some Trail Quest bits to finish.. Bits and bobs around Tuolumne that just got ignored over the years.

And I'm very much looking forward to a swim or four in Tenaya and catching up with friends!

Three things in not looking forward to:

  • Idiots stopping in *middle* of, exiting their vehicle, and standing on the side of Tioga road!
  • Campfire smoke
  • Mosquitoes*

* In this order. Those that know how I welt and itch from bites might find mosquitoes in position 3 odd, but DEET works. Haven't seen anything that stops fools from almost getting killed on a 45-mph two-lane highway. Use the turnouts!!!
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avatar Re: July 4th? Anyone?
June 26, 2016 10:32PM
Quote
JustKeepWalking

Three things in not looking forward to:

  • Idiots stopping in *middle* of, exiting their vehicle, and standing on the side of Tioga road!
  • Campfire smoke
  • Mosquitoes*

* In this order. Those that know how I welt and itch from bites might find mosquitoes in position 3 odd, but DEET works. Haven't seen anything that stops fools from almost getting killed on a 45-mph two-lane highway. Use the turnouts!!!

In regards to car camping in Yosemite, I think you left out one other big annoyance:
  • Idiots who arrive at the campground in the middle of the night and take an hour or two setting up their camp very noisily, including talking and laughing loudly without a clue that others are trying to sleep.


Leave No Trace
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avatar Re: July 4th? Anyone?
June 27, 2016 01:09AM
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plawrence
In regards to car camping in Yosemite, I think you left out one other big annoyance:
  • Idiots who arrive at the campground in the middle of the night and take an hour or two setting up their camp very noisily, including talking and laughing loudly without a clue that others are trying to sleep.

Even worse: idiot that arrive at midnight on Friday and take an hour or two setting up their camp very noisily, in a spot that isn't even a campsite!
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KevinD
Re: July 4th? Anyone?
June 27, 2016 02:20AM
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eeek
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plawrence
In regards to car camping in Yosemite, I think you left out one other big annoyance:
  • Idiots who arrive at the campground in the middle of the night and take an hour or two setting up their camp very noisily, including talking and laughing loudly without a clue that others are trying to sleep.

Even worse: idiot that arrive at midnight on Friday and take an hour or two setting up their camp very noisily, in a spot that isn't even a campsite!

No no no the worst is one you wake up to find another few tents in your campsite! That happened to me last year haha
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troutwild
Re: July 4th? Anyone?
June 27, 2016 05:17AM
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KevinD
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eeek
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plawrence
In regards to car camping in Yosemite, I think you left out one other big annoyance:
  • Idiots who arrive at the campground in the middle of the night and take an hour or two setting up their camp very noisily, including talking and laughing loudly without a clue that others are trying to sleep.

Even worse: idiot that arrive at midnight on Friday and take an hour or two setting up their camp very noisily, in a spot that isn't even a campsite!

No no no the worst is one you wake up to find another few tents in your campsite! That happened to me last year haha

After hours generator use! It was rampant in N. Pines 2 weeks ago. (and the ELL-MERRR chorus after dark)
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JustKeepWalking
Re: July 4th? Anyone?
June 27, 2016 07:27AM
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KevinD
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eeek
Quote
plawrence
In regards to car camping in Yosemite, I think you left out one other big annoyance:
  • Idiots who arrive at the campground in the middle of the night and take an hour or two setting up their camp very noisily, including talking and laughing loudly without a clue that others are trying to sleep.

Even worse: idiot that arrive at midnight on Friday and take an hour or two setting up their camp very noisily, in a spot that isn't even a campsite!

I've experienced and dislike all the other irritations.. But wow.. I think having strange tents in my site would send me over the top!!! Grrrr...

No no no the worst is one you wake up to find another few tents in your campsite! That happened to me last year haha
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lilagray
Re: July 4th? Anyone?
June 27, 2016 06:09PM
I have really gotten sensitive to campfire smoke the last few years. I really cannot stand it. In Crane Flat a few weeks back it was so bad in the MORNING (the night was also very bad) that we just rolled out of bed, packed up, and made our coffee and oatmeal at the big oak ranger station. Nice clean air (car exhaust only) and the people watching was out of this world!!
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JustKeepWalking
Re: July 4th? Anyone?
June 27, 2016 06:14PM
I hear you! Sometimes I wonder how I get thru it, as I am very sensitive to smoke!

If not for friends and family, I would not car camp at all for a long time I think.
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mtn man
Re: July 4th? Anyone?
July 03, 2016 08:52AM
At least in the valley campgrounds you can't have fires until 5 p.m. Makes a nice difference in the morning air. Of course there's usually at least one per campground who starts a smoky fire in the a.m. I'm usually up and walking by 6:30 and I can smell a campfire in the morning a mile away. I'll usually walk that direction and when I come across it I'll politely say " Hey, just a friendly word of advice. You may want to put that campfire out before the morning ranger comes by because it's about a $200 fine". I usually get one of 2 answers: "I didn't know you can't have a morning fire" in which case I politely point him towards his campground rules sheet, usually laying on the picnic table, and I say" Oh I'm glad I happened to be walking by and got to you before the ranger did". I usually get thank you's and the fire goes out quickly. Or I get "Well, we have to cook our breakfast". In which case I say "You might want to use a propane stove or go to the cafeteria because the ranger doesn't care about your breakfast. Just a friendly warning". And then I say "Oh I think I see the ranger's car across the river right now". I usually get thanks from these people too, and the fire goes out.

My wife says I should mind my own business and I tell her that enjoying the morning air is my own business.
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avatar Re: July 4th? Anyone?
July 03, 2016 09:36AM
mtn man, keep up the good work, I agree with everything you said (and do)! I like a morning devoid of smokiness also (nights too for that matter, some evenings you can gag on the smoke from the accumulation of all the campfires roaring away in the campground).
I've never had the desire to have a morning campfire ever. I can't count the number of times over the years I have spotted still-smoldering morning campfires in sites where the occupants have either checked out and departed, or are already off and away for the day, where they did not do a proper job of completely extinguishing their campfire before leaving, and thought it was out when they left.
Also, the regulations do change at the beginning of October, and at that point forward through April, campfires are allowed at any time of day (mornings included) up until 10 PM and campfires-out.
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hikerchick395
Re: July 4th? Anyone?
July 04, 2016 09:23AM
Just got back from Tuolumne July 2nd, somewhat avoiding the 4th of July stupidity.

Had a good campsite but had one touron across from us. Very quiet EXCEPT he thought it was OK to avoid generator rules and crank up his motorhome engine at 5:45 am several mornings, to charge up his rig. Otherwise didn't hear a generator for 5 days.



edit...did have folks come in at staggered times right next to us on Friday night, setting up camp and using their "daytime voices"...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/04/2016 09:27AM by hikerchick395.
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recycling1991
Re: July 4th? Anyone?
July 04, 2016 09:42AM
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hikerchick395
Just got back from Tuolumne July 2nd, somewhat avoiding the 4th of July stupidity.
"...

What were the mosquitoes like? Heading out to Lake Alpine off of highway 4 this week. Are they terrible?
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avatar Re: July 4th? Anyone?
July 05, 2016 09:10AM
I wasn't at Tuolumne, but I spent the weekend backpacking to Edson Lake (8100') then cross-country to Ostrander (8520'). There were clouds of mosquitoes at Edson, not bad at all at Ostrander (possibly due to a combination of campsite location and breezier conditions that day).
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avatar Re: July 4th? Anyone?
July 06, 2016 07:25AM
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hikerchick395
Just got back from Tuolumne July 2nd, somewhat avoiding the 4th of July stupidity.

Just got back too.
Avoid the Forth? Do not come Forth? Seek not the Forth?
(saw about maybe 10 people total in 10 days) ... was close enough to talk to 3... (i.e. passed 3 when on trail)
tongue sticking out smiley

But wow! Amaze-balls the turkeys in TM campground. Musta saw about 10 yellow warning signs
on cars hiking back to car. Food let out. Bug Spray left out. Inappropriate boating.
Sheesh.

tongue sticking out smiley

Have fun!


Chick-on is looking at you!
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pines
Re: July 4th? Anyone?
July 04, 2016 01:35PM
WOW. and I thought it was just me who loves smokeless peace and quiet. I have witnessed examples of 'improper' behaviour: two in the valley and one most recently at crane flat. the most thoughtless one being when a 'gentleman' was playing LOUD music from his big car after hours. when a ranger got from his car and suggested the man 'think of his neighbours' the camper remarked " I don't care about my neighbours" which was quite ironic really as it exactly mirrored the attitude of a similar 'gentleman' who at one time lived next door to me. despite his remarks everyone who wanted to was able to go to sleep peacefully.sleeping in tent
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ags
Re: July 4th? Anyone?
July 15, 2016 12:26PM
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pines
WOW. and I thought it was just me who loves smokeless peace and quiet. I have witnessed examples of 'improper' behaviour: two in the valley and one most recently at crane flat. the most thoughtless one being when a 'gentleman' was playing LOUD music from his big car after hours. when a ranger got from his car and suggested the man 'think of his neighbours' the camper remarked " I don't care about my neighbours" which was quite ironic really as it exactly mirrored the attitude of a similar 'gentleman' who at one time lived next door to me. despite his remarks everyone who wanted to was able to go to sleep peacefully.sleeping in tent

Really? The ranger accepted that reply? Isn't there some noise "ordinance" that can be enforced? Or is it too qualitative to forcibly enforce for those that do not fall under the category of "reasonable" behavior?
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JustKeepWalking
Re: July 4th? Anyone?
July 21, 2016 12:49PM
Why would you even need to try the "think of the neighbors" tack? The guy was obviously rude.

Why didn't the ranger just go with: The campground rules state the quiet hours. You are violating the rules. Stop or I will have you ejected from your site.

PS. Our Fourth of July car camping trip in Tuolumne Meadows was the best we've had so far. Very little smoke overall, very quiet near us, no disturbances, no overturned cars in front of our campsite, quite peaceful actually! Very pleased! Had expected the worst, and was delightfully surprised! Of course, we had a lot of dust and pollen everywhere all the time! But hey...
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avatar Re: July 4th? Anyone?
July 21, 2016 09:45PM
Don't forget the little maggotity things falling out of the tree.


Old Dude
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ags
Re: July 4th? Anyone?
July 22, 2016 09:01AM
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JustKeepWalking
<snip>
Why didn't the ranger just go with: The campground rules state the quiet hours. You are violating the rules. Stop or I will have you ejected from your site.
<snip>
That's exactly what I would have expected. I suppose there are different types of rangers; hiking, interpretive - and the ones that carry guns. They are all agents of the federal government though, and you really don't want to mess around with them. If they chose to engage in a dispute with you, they have a lot of power on their side.
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avatar Re: July 4th? Anyone?
July 06, 2016 08:25AM
Inappropriate boating? You've piqued my curiosity!
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avatar Re: July 4th? Anyone?
July 06, 2016 09:20AM
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JasonS
Inappropriate boating? You've piqued my curiosity!

Boating on any lake he has not boated on like the Gaylor Lakes or the Granite Lakes.


Old Dude
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avatar Re: July 4th? Anyone?
July 06, 2016 10:55AM
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mrcondron
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JasonS
Inappropriate boating? You've piqued my curiosity!

Boating on any lake he has not boated on like the Gaylor Lakes or the Granite Lakes.

Yeah... now I am regretting not hitting Florence, Bernice, Gallison, and Ireland...
Was being nice... Guess nice birds finish boatin last...

O well... there is tomorrow...
tongue sticking out smiley

On the bright side... Boothe, Babcock, Vogelsang, Fletcher, Townsley, Hanging Basket, Evelyn
Check!


Chick-on is looking at you!
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JustKeepWalking
Re: July 4th? Anyone?
July 06, 2016 09:21PM
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chick-on
On the bright side... Boothe, Babcock, Vogelsang, Fletcher, Townsley, Hanging Basket, Evelyn
Check!

Aside from Babcock, all checked a while back... And oh yah... Hidden..check!

No need to ruffle your feathers, you are still ahead by a good bit!!
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hikerchick395
Re: July 4th? Anyone?
July 07, 2016 11:27AM
I forgot a few gripes...lots of dogs and bikes where they weren't supposed to be
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avatar Re: July 4th? Anyone?
July 07, 2016 01:41PM
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hikerchick395
I forgot a few gripes...lots of dogs and bikes where they weren't supposed to be

I was just about pushed off the mist trail by a guy and his german shepard a few years ago. Sigh.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/07/2016 01:41PM by eeek.
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lschaaf
Re: July 4th? Anyone?
August 15, 2016 03:47PM
Ear plugs and an eye mask can really help at car campgrounds. It's a shame it's necessary, but there it is.
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