The 14 day summer camping limit in the park

I just talked to a ranger and was told there is a 14 day backcountry+frontcountry combined limit for camping in the summer season from May until September 15th. I am planning a 14-15 day backcountry trip (late Aug/early Sept) originating from and terminating in the park which will include some time around the 1000 Island Lakes area outside of it, and was told the nights I camp outside the park wouldn't count towards that limit. Thus I should be ok on that trip. However, I was hoping to get a couple of days to see Snow Creek and North Dome as a separate trip, but I don't think I could fit it into the 14 days (especially considering a night I'd want to spend at the backpacker's camp in between trips). I know lots of people (or at least pink fowl) here have to spend more than 14 days a summer in the backcountry; how do you guys get away with it? Do they not check how many days you have used up if you get a walk-up permit, for instance?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/24/2012 02:26PM by mbear.

Just don't sleep for a night or 2 when the moon is out and it won't count against your time. Kidding aside, there isn't any check out for a wilderness permit. Rarely, Rangers on the trail will request to see your permit. As long as you had a permit I'm sure they would understand if you took longer than stated to do your itinerary. By the way, North Dome/Snow Creek is a very cool area and not well travelled given it's vicinity to the valley. Be sure to do the spur trail up to Indian Arch. Have fun.

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boomtown
Just don't sleep for a night or 2 when the moon is out and it won't count against your time. Kidding aside, there isn't any check out for a wilderness permit. Rarely, Rangers on the trail will request to see your permit. As long as you had a permit I'm sure they would understand if you took longer than stated to do your itinerary. By the way, North Dome/Snow Creek is a very cool area and not well travelled given it's vicinity to the valley. Be sure to do the spur trail up to Indian Arch. Have fun.

Agreed. The views on Snow Creek are fabulous. The trail is in better shape too, much of it due to less traffic. Unique views of HD, Ahwiyah, Watkins, and the intriguing Basket. Speaking of North, I gotta take the use trail up the gully, stand on top of Washington Column, then do the clockwise/western traverse up to the top of North.

It's usual to find people camping near the saddle of North.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/2012 02:30PM by Ohnivy-Drak.

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boomtown
By the way, North Dome/Snow Creek is a very cool area and not well travelled given it's vicinity to the valley. Be sure to do the spur trail up to Indian Arch. Have fun.

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Ohnivy-Drak

Agreed. The views on Snow Creek are fabulous. The trail is in better shape too, much of it due to less traffic. Unique views of HD, Ahwiyah, Watkins, and the intriguing Basket. Speaking of North, I gotta take the use trail up the gully, stand on top of Washington Column, then do the clockwise/western traverse up to the top of North.

It's usual to find people camping near the saddle of North.

What's the most spectacular trailhead for backpacking the area in 3-4 days, starting from Tioga Pass Road? Olmsted Point? May Lake to Snow Creek? Porcupine Creek? Yosemite Creek? Lukens Lake to Yosemite Creek? I think I would lean towards Olmsted and go west, but I'd like to hear from you guys who have done these trails before. Are the views into Tenaya Canyon pretty good from the Olmsted Point trailhead?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/2012 06:28PM by mbear.

I don't think it is much of an issue. I think they have the rule to prevent people from living in the park, so they need to have something on the books, but I don't think they enforce it much. I bet that I have stayed over the 14 day limit at some point in the past and I never had any issues, so I wouldn't worry about it at all.

Use a disguise?

http://www.ske-art.com/skestuff9/B000VLQ5MK

Do I need a permit if they think I'm a chick-on though? I think holding the bear can would give me away anyways.

Don't worry about it. It's a non issue. I have no idea what the ranger that told you that was thinking.
Just to give you an idea... I got 4 permits from the same ranger last year and he was there
two other times when I got 2 others... and I talked to him every time I was in there.
At the end of the season he pretty much said "enjoy the backcountry in winter" and I said
"I will... and hope to see you next year".

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chick-on
Don't worry about it. It's a non issue. I have no idea what the ranger that told you that was thinking.
Just to give you an idea... I got 4 permits from the same ranger last year and he was there
two other times when I got 2 others... and I talked to him every time I was in there.
At the end of the season he pretty much said "enjoy the backcountry in winter" and I said
"I will... and hope to see you next year".

To be fair, I did ask specifically about it since I saw a 14 day limit (May - Sept 15th) for camping in valley campsites (but not backcountry) on Yosemite's main website. I wanted to clarify, as I plan to get my tickets to Merced and back (coming from Texas) as soon as I can get the first wilderness permit locked down; the current oil speculation orgy seems like it could bring a lot of uncertainty into those ticket prices. I'd prefer not to wait two more weeks for when my dates for the second permit (Snow Creek or North Dome) would become available to get that part taken care of.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/2012 11:45AM by mbear.

I actually think the ranger you talked to was misinterpreting things...
But reading the Snoopervisor's Compendium it's a bit vague.
Since it's under CampGROUND regulations it's very vague w/r to backcountry:
http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/campregs.htm

Again I would not worry about it... I have been spending monthS in the backcountry
for a long time now.... easily a couple of months for many many many years now...

I have only heard someone getting denied a permit b/c supposedly it was too long and
they didn't believe there was any way they could carry that much food.

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What about the new enforcer?

http://www.ske-art.com/skestuff9/B000MZXM0S

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chick-on
I actually think the ranger you talked to was misinterpreting things...
But reading the Snoopervisor's Compendium it's a bit vague.
Since it's under CampGROUND regulations it's very vague w/r to backcountry:
http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/campregs.htm

Let's see:

http://www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/upload/compendium.pdf

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36 CFR § 2.10 – CAMPING and FOOD STORAGE
(a) The sites and areas listed below have been designated for camping activities as noted. A
permit system has been established for all campgrounds and camping activities, and conditions
for camping and camping activities are in effect as noted.
Camping is permitted for not more than a total of 30 days in any calendar year, provided that
during the period from May 1st through September 15th inclusive, camping within Yosemite Valley
and Wawona is limited to not more than a total of 7 days, and camping within all other portions of
the park, during the same period, is limited to not more than a total of 14 days.

They break down "camping" into "non-wilderness" and "wilderness", so I think it's logical to conclude that the 14 days applies to any kind of camping. I doesn't mention it, but I'd assume that the camp hosts get a pass as employees.

How did Velma Melmac manage to spend entire summers in Yosemite Valley?

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y_p_w
How did Velma Melmac manage to spend entire summers in Yosemite Valley?

It took her that long to vacuum the park?

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y_p_w

How did Velma Melmac manage to spend entire summers in Yosemite Valley?

She was the campground hostess of Upper Pines... Didn't you know?