Wilderness permits in november

Hi all.

I want to hike in Yosemite from 25 till 28 in November, but i'm not sure that i will get wilderness permit in Thanksgiving day, because, as i remember, Wilderness Center (that issue permits) will be closed during this day. I can't reach them via phone or email.

Could you please advise how can i reach them till Thursday (when i will arrive in Yosemite) and get permit? Or may be i do not need to get permits?

I'll be really appreciated for any help. thanks in advance!

Where were you planning on hiking?

Scroll down to the "Wilderness Center Hours" section for information:
http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wildcond.htm

The Wilderness Center is closed for the season. Get your permit at the visitor center.

eeek, do you know will Wildernsess Center be open during Thanksgiving Day? This is the main question: could i get this permit during holiday.

szalkowski, thanks a lot, but i readed this article already and i didn't found any useful information.

It's self registration now. Nothing needs to be open.
You can fill out a permit for yourself at any entrance station and be on your way.
In the past the permits at, say, Big Oak Flat entrance, used to say
"No LYV" or "No Yosemite Valley"... so you would have to go to the wilderness
Center to pick up a permite. That is not the case this year from the few times
I have gotten a self-reg permit at BOF.
Regardless, you need to be well versed in winter travel at this point. There
are few places I would venture now without Snow Shoes after the recent storm.
Where are you planning to go? How do you plan on traveling?
(unless you say what experience you have... people will assume you have little to none)
Be safe

bill-e-g
> You can fill out a permit for yourself at any entrance station and be on your way.
hmm.. so, where can i find this entrance station if i will drive from Merced?

Previously, when i was in Yosemite in August, i just saw small cabin near Yosemite's entrance. I just paid for entrance (for car) and drive futher, no registration. It seems you've confused me a bit.

> Where are you planning to go?

i do not have map under my hands just right now, but i'm planning to go to Glacier Point then to Illuoette (i'm not sure in name) Creek. Then walking around Starr King and make a full circle via Ped Pike Pass. And, yes, i have winter experience.

I'd be impressed if you can pull that off in 4 days this time of year,
right now. Red Peak Pass will be interesting to say the least.
I'd like to see pictures if you do...
Not sure why you'd go to GP first... (the road is closed so you can't start there)

If you're coming 140 then just go the Valley Wilderness Center and
there should be self-reg permits on the porch.

I'm going go Glacier Point because it's a simplest and fastest way to get out of Yosemite Valley. I do not want to go upper thru Curry Village and then near Verdand and Nevada Falls because, as i remember from August, i saw marks that said that this trail can be closed. So i decided to go thru GP. If you can advice something else - i'm listening.

> I'd be impressed if you can pull that off in 4 days this time of year, right now
it is just plans. I'm not sure about snow depth in this area (right now). I saw historic data and i found that average snow depth in November usually around 14cm (5.5 inches). With this snow i'm do not even need snowshoes. But... on the other hand i saw shots from webcam and... i suppose snow depth is much more than usual 14cm so i need to take them and loose speed.

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rvn
I'm going go Glacier Point because it's a simplest and fastest way to get out of Yosemite Valley. I do not want to go upper thru Curry Village and then near Verdand and Nevada Falls because, as i remember from August, i saw marks that said that this trail can be closed. So i decided to go thru GP. If you can advice something else - i'm listening.

> I'd be impressed if you can pull that off in 4 days this time of year, right now
it is just plans. I'm not sure about snow depth in this area (right now). I saw historic data and i found that average snow depth in November usually around 14cm (5.5 inches). With this snow i'm do not even need snowshoes. But... on the other hand i saw shots from webcam and... i suppose snow depth is much more than usual 14cm so i need to take them and loose speed.

I'm sorry... maybe I missed something. Are you FLYING to Glacier Point?

You can't park there - Glacier Point road is closed for overnight parking, even if it were not closed due to snow.
To hike there, you will start from Curry/Vernal/Nevada Falls, via the Vernal Falls trail to the JMT to Clark Point to the cutoff back down to the trail above Vernal Falls - because the Mist Trail is closed, and the JMT between Clark Point is closed, both due to icy conditions that make them dangerous. And the Four Mile Trail is closed for the winter.

I suppose you could go via the Wawona Tunnel trailhead, up and across the rim on the Pohono Trail? Take your snowshoes....

I wasn't trying to be sarcastic, btw... just a bit agog that someone who's looked at the website where trail closures and weather conditions are posted thinks that Glacier Point is a destination? It's a long long slog in stormy winter conditions.

Ah... what I get for skimming previous posts. Yeah, Red Peak Pass. Three days? Hm. Skis?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/23/2010 06:53PM by AlmostThere.

Quote
rvn
bill-e-g
> Where are you planning to go?

i do not have map under my hands just right now, but i'm planning to go to Glacier Point then to Illuoette (i'm not sure in name) Creek. Then walking around Starr King and make a full circle via Ped Pike Pass. And, yes, i have winter experience.

rvn (For Your Information),
Here is the 7-day weather forecast for that area:
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=37.70609673460725&lon=-119.53605651855469&site=hnx&smap=1&unit=0&lg=en&FcstType=text

I saw it - useful link. I can share another one - http://www.yosemite.national-park.com/weather.htm

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rvn
eeek, do you know will Wildernsess Center be open during Thanksgiving Day?

No, it won't be open until spring.

eeek, i'm sorry. I wanted to ask about the Visitor Center... Will it be open during The Thanksgiving Day?

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rvn
eeek, i'm sorry. I wanted to ask about the Visitor Center... Will it be open during The Thanksgiving Day?

I didn't see anything that said it'd be closed.

Ok. Thanks for helping. It means that i'm fine with permit.

Thanks a lot!

Uh... sorry... now I remember... yes, the Visitor Center will issue permits.
Although I never bother since I enter on 120 and just self reg.

From the nps site:
"Wilderness center is closed, but visitor center is open for wilderness permits 7 days/week from 9 am to 5 pm."

You need a permit year-round to stay overnight in the wilderness.
For winter travel if you run into a ranger he/she may not ask for it
though since it's self reg. The usual... tell someone where you
are going, yadda yadda yadda applies.

btw... After Badger Pass opens if you hike from there then you
HAVE to get a permite THERE. Not self-reg.

I was giving you the benefit of the doubt...

I'll just state some things and expand on other I already mentioned and you can go from there:

- Right now you pretty much HAVE to start at Happy Isles if heading towards Starr King in any
expedient manner... and go up the winter route... the trail to Nevada Falls is open all year...
- You NEED showshoes right now... there isn't inches of snow... there's FEET of snow.
- Unless you are Super Chick-on it will be a stretch to even make it to Lower Ottoway in 2 days right now...
4 days for Red Peak loop is REALLY stretching it...
- You need SERIOUS mountaineering skills to get over Red Peak Pass now

My advice is to go have a nice chat with a wilderness ranger at the Visitor Center and tell
them what your plan is. They will hopefully enlighten you more.

Good luck



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/23/2010 09:08PM by bill-e-g.

What loop starting from the valley or even from Badger Pass out Mono that can be done in four days that takes one over the Red Peak Pass?

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Old Dude

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mrcondron
What loop starting from the valley or even from Badger Pass out Mono that can be done in four days that takes one over the Red Peak Pass?

Not a problem when the trail is all clear

Now... I'll just copy/second what Billy boy said above:
"I'd be impressed if you can pull that off in 4 days this time of year,
right now. Red Peak Pass will be interesting to say the least.
I'd like to see pictures if you do..."

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That loop in 4 days is probably a healthy hike for the average hiker even in the summer.

Thinking I won't be seeing any pictures...

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