Re: Pohono trail logistics

Hey Guys,

I'm planning on hiking the Pohono trail towards the end of this month from Glacier Point to Wawona Tunnel. We're leaving the car in the Valley, taking the shuttle to Glacier Point, and then the plan is for either both or one of us to hitcha ride from Wawona Tunnel back to the Valley to get the car. What does everyone think of that idea? Will we have a hard time making it back? Will people actually be willing to take us to the Valley? I figured odds are in our favor since this will be on a Saturday at the tunnel view parking area. What are your thoughts?

Thanks, Steven

How many days you taking?

Start at Glacier Point on Friday morning, June 25, camp overnight around Bridalveil Creek then get to Wawona Tunnel by early Saturday afternoon, June 26. Our main concern is will we be able to successfully hitchhike back to our car in the Valley from Wawona Tunnel.

As you as you don't look like Jack the Ripper it should not be a problem.

If the shuttle stops at "Tunnel View/Discovery Point" park your car there and hike directly to it. There is trailhead parking at the southmost parking area of Tunnel View.

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Old Dude

Even though you only taking 2 days...

Why bother with the shuttle? You're just burning time when you could be hiking.
Day 1 - drive to GP ... hike... setup camp at Bridalveil (or much better... Dewey)
dayhike over to Stanford and back (total miles depends on how much overlap you have)
It's only 6 to Bridal from GP
Day 2 - hike your butt back to your car

Drive down to Tunnel View. hike up to Insp. Point
You hit ever great spot. no shuttle

Bill,

That's a good idea. Any idea how many miles it is from Bridalveil Creek to Dewy Point?

We wanted to then get in the car and head to Hetch Hetchy for a hike to Rancheria where we would camp overnight. Am I biting off more than I can chew in one day of hiking?

Creek to Dewey is about 2 1/4 miles. About a 650ft. climb.
Dewey to Stanford is about another mile... but... Stanford is about the same elevation as Bridalveil bridge tho...

I guess you'd want to camp at Bridalveil to hear the Creek... me... I'd camp at Dewey area for the sweet view
carrying any water I need for the eve and morn.

Hiking back to car and then going to Rancheria... prob. too much... just enjoy where you are.
Go up Sentinel Dome too. Enjoy GP again... How can you not saw yowza every time u go there?

I would think it would be OK to camp at HH BP campground since you have the wilderness permit though.
Just not entirely sure since you drove there from GP. Def. would have been ok before 9/11... not sure
what they would say now.

Have fun whatever you do

Bill,

Thanks for all the great advice! Are there any fire pits by Dewey Point camping? I agree with you on the view over water - as long as I can warm up by a fire.


I am going to trim back the time in HH, the loop would be too much to do after Pohono. So what it boils down to then is if we do backpackers in HH the night after Pohono, we can either do the trail to Lake Vernon or the trail to Rancheria.

Which would you recommend? I'm thinking I'll get to see plenty of waterfalls in the Valley and on my way up to Half Dome so maybe Vernon makes more sense. Though I heard Beehive Meadow is still pretty wet. Help me pick?

Also, while on the topic of Hetch, does the backpackers camp fill up fast up there?

You can never see enough waterfalls. HH will be full... I'd pick Rancheria right now hands down.

As for fires... I just use my sleepy bag.

I don't recall any fire rings above Dewey (you shouldn't camp right at Dewey Pt.)
(you should go more up by the bench marker)

Have fun

Aright, looks like I'll be camping a lot in the Valley's backpackers campground quite a bit this trip if HH is going to be full. I read somewhere they only have ten sites - quite limited. Whereas, the Valley's backpackers grounds have a ton of space (so I've read.)

Mike and Bill, thanks for all the awesome advice!

The HH backpackers campground is rarely full. It can only be used for the night before and the night after your permit dates. I've stayed there a lot in the past and have never been shut out.

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Old Dude

By HH full I meant the reservoir... not the backpackers campground...

The BP campground is rarely full... but you never know ...

Oh, you're saying that the Hetch Hetchy region will be full of people given the slow snow melt elsewhere in the park?

That's almost a guarantee. On the weekend Rancheria will be busy.
But if you've never been there just know and go. The cascade and Ranch. Falls will be screaming.

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Wapama Falls is screaming as of last weekend and this weekend should be no different. The reservoir was about 20-30' below full and only two spouts of the six were open. Lots of water visible at the cascade on Rancheria Creek. Last Monday the trailhead parking lot was pretty full but I've seen it a lot fuller.

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Old Dude

From Monday June 14, 2010

Water squirting out of the dam:



Wapama Fall from the dam: (Tueeulala Fall is also visible)


Big snag that won't fall down: (on the way toward Miguel Meadow)

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Old Dude

Deer Mr. Theeeeodore Old Dudie Mikie,
Love dat tree.

Checky this one out in the GCT from last weekend.
We were nearly tracking this bear down there. Came across
a steamy one the guy left... it was almost florescent pink.
We thought maybe he got his hands on some Zingers.
We'd show it but some poopheads no likey poop pix.

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Crocker Point is also a sweet spot to camp. Short hike from Dewey. Stayed there once in the winter with the sierra club, and once last halloween. nice view looking down on Bridalveil Falls, as well as the headlamps of crazy people on their false ledges hanging off of El Capitan. The spot above Dewey is also though.

Fires are not a good idea in that area. It can be a bit breezy and there is a lot of stuff that will ignite quickly. It won't be cold, well not so cold you'll need a fire. And most backpackers get locked jaws when there is smoke drifting into their camp.

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Old Dude

I know they have the fire rings up by Bridalveil Creek. Just wondering if they have them by Dewy Point.

I know Bridalveil has something like a horse camp with a huge fire pit with a large metal plate used to saute marmots or at least there used to be this metal plate. I have no recollection of fire rings at Dewy Point. I would urge you to not have a fire at Dewey Point.

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Old Dude

Mm, marmots are tasty. Let's throw in a few chipmunks too

Quote
steve814
Mm, marmots are tasty. Let's throw in a few chipmunks too

Sew u wanna ruin the chipmunk meat? Dat watt u seying?

On da US Food Chanie Chart Marmuts weigh down der.
Ewe can finds alots of dem dumped on Half a Dome ...

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Quote
mrcondron
a huge fire pit with a large metal plate used to saute marmots

No, no, no! You have to braise marmots. They'll be too tough to eat otherwise.

Quote
eeek

Quote
mrcondron
a huge fire pit with a large metal plate used to saute marmots

No, no, no! You have to braise marmots. They'll be too tough to eat otherwise.

They're not all fat and flab like chickens.
(Anyway, marmots are too cute to eat - unlike chickens, where you are doing them a favor by taking them out of their jealous misery.)



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/18/2010 03:00AM by szalkowski.