Re: Blankety Blank Generators!

Hello... I've appreciated lurking on this post site for several months. Being older (an artist and writer), I'm a camper at best. Just today, got back from five fabulous days with a river camp site! Unfortunately, my stay was marred by the insistent sounds of generators! I planned to stay in my beautiful river side campsite all day yesterday, to paint and write. The beautiful sounds of the river, the birds, the falls, were obliterated by people's need to have hot showers, microwave, what ever! I was surrounded by huge RVs... I gently spoke to one lady who suggested I go to a picnic area. She also said that is "the price we have to pay"... what ever that means.

This was my second trip this year. I plan to visit again in the fall when there are fewer people. Is there any movement away from allowing the generators to operate all day? How about Lower Pines being a no-generator zone.

Sorry, I had to vent. I love Yosemite so much. Been going since the early fifties.

A vague regulation like this doesn't really help much:

Quote

•Quiet hours are from 10 pm to 6 am; generators may be used sparingly during daylight hours.

Perhaps next time you'll need to camp someplace that doesn't allow RVs like Tamarack Flat or Yosemite Creek. Submitting your suggestion about a generator-free zone to the Park Service is an option, and perhaps if more folks asked for a generator free zone or a limited time for generator use, the NPS would do something.

Personally, I tend to avoid campgrounds with lots of RVs or to look for a quieter tent only loop. Of course that isn't possible in Yosemite Valley. And the large number of rental RVs with novice users just makes things worse; they may not understand common campground courtesy.

Glad you still had a lovely visit.

I would love a generator-free zone. The unfortunate part now is that when we go, its a gamble because any site can possibly have a RV, even a small one.

When the river campgrounds were open in the valley, one was for tents only, and one was for RVs which worked out great.
Since they took them out due to flooding tent campers are mixed in with the RVs
There was a plan to improve the valley campsites by building new bathrooms, more separation between sites (therefore fewer sites) and electricity at the sites. Altho ths could encourage more RVs it would mean that generator operation would not be necessary. This plan is probably waiting on the approval of the new Merced River plan.
Here's an idea - Why not make the North Pines Campground for tents only and upgrade the bathrooms to include showers!

One of my pet peeves with the Park Service is that they shouldn't have completely closed down the Rivers campgrounds after the big food in '97 -- especially, the tent only campsites. So what's the big deal if sporadically a 100-year flood went through the Rivers campgrounds? It's a campground for goodness sake! The only thing they needed to do is remove the campsites that were closest to the Merced River because they were inversely impacting the health of the nearby riverbank of the Merced.

But to shutdown the entire two campgrounds was a bit extreme.

Amen on no generator areas. Colter Bay campground in Grand Teton Nat'l park has some no generator loops. Some loops are OK for generators and some aren't. I've found the Yosemite rangers pretty cooperative when it comes to asking someone to use their generator SPARINGLY. I have called into the non emergency dispatch desk at times to point out a campsite that is continually running a generator. Within a few minutes a ranger shows up talks to the owner and from then on usually the the generator is only used SPARINGLY. The problem you run into is people who run a generator for hours at a time while watching a movie or playing video games. I have a 24 ft. trailer and don't need a generator as I have two rv batteries that charge while hooked up to the tow vehicle. If there is some 120 volt item that I have to run for a short period I use an inverter (12v to 120v.). Of course I don't run a microwave or big screen tv......... The biggest violators of generator rules are the drivers of the rental rv's. They seem to think that the generator has to be on to do anything in the RV. And here's a flash: You don't need a microwave to cook a meal!! It's called a stove, range, or outside grill!

Thanks for letting me vent.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/07/2011 08:19AM by mtn man.

Although we stay in the campground in an RV, we are amongst the folks who are clapping when a generator shuts down. We stay for a full week and don't need to run a generator.

A couple of loops at the Manzanita Lake campground in Lassen have generator free loops, as do other campgrounds there. That was nice last year, especially since my husband and I were tent camping, although the rest of our family still had the big motorhomes.

It's sad that the camping experience is changing from a quiet outdoor experience enjoying the natural world, to bringing your home and your electronic world with you to the outdoors...and it is getting worse everywhere. Even at very remote campsites, people are finding a way to drag in their trailers or RV's and making a big ruckus. If people need TV's, music or video games, maybe they should just save the gas money and stay at home. There isn't anything on TV as fascinating as watching the flames in a campfire.

And just the general respect for others has been lost while camping. My sister and I would've got a spanking if we cut across other people's sites in the old days. That was just on foot...now it is common for bikes to come riding through. Ha, maybe we should get a camo hammock to replace our current one...still had evidence last year that at least one person ran into the hammock in the middle of the night.

I don't see any real solution to this and similar problems at Yosemite or any other major campground where RV's are present. This is just one of many problems associated with packing a large number of people into a relatively small area for what is essentially auto camping. There will always be jerks who have no concept of "quiet enjoyment" or even the need for it. They bring all their conveniences, plan to use them, and call it their version of camping. Some will even light up their campsite like a house decorated for Christmas! This is a classic clash of values and the only sure way to avoid it is not engage in this kind of camping. Otherwise, you have little choice but to put up with it or endure the hassle, frustration, and inevitable alienation with neighbors trying to restrain it. I feel sorry for those whose only feasible way to enjoy Yosemite is this kind of camping, especially if they are looking for a totally peaceful experience. Camping is not what it used to be.

I agree with you about the camping experience changing. I am a tent camper these days, but when I was growing up my parents had motor homes and campers. We rarely, if ever, used the generator. We had to use the camp bathroom, cook over the fire or use a Coleman stove, "shower" with a washcloth, etc. It made for a great experience growing up and I cherish those memories! The most frustrating generator experiences for me seem to come from the rental RVs as well. I cringe when I see a CruiseAmerica or CruiseCanada RVs pull in to the campground and then secretly cheer when they keep going in the other direction. Not all RVers are disrespectful though, and I appreciate those who are considerate. But for those who are not, I make it a point to get the know the camp hosts

We too would get spankings if we walked through other's campsites. The lack of respect for people's campsites today is just sad. We have been in our campsite relaxing after a hike and people will walk right in front of us, between our tent and car, and it is so frustrating! I always say excuse me, could you not walk through our site, and am usually ignored. We have had both kids and adults ride their bikes though our site as well. I yell to them and ask them to be courteous, and it rarely has any effect. Perhaps they should add a "campground courtesy" section to the rules you receive at check in. Not sure this would help though.

When I was a kid, my parents would always give us a bag to fill full of trash on our last day of our trip. We couldn't leave until it was "full". I remember it was so hard because we rarely found trash in our site, and we had to start walking around the campground to fill the bag. It is a practice I still continue today though, but more out of respect for nature. I always find trash in our site when we arrive, and it just makes me sad

Quote
hikerchick395
It's sad that the camping experience is changing from a quiet outdoor experience enjoying the natural world, to bringing your home and your electronic world with you to the outdoors...and it is getting worse everywhere. Even at very remote campsites, people are finding a way to drag in their trailers or RV's and making a big ruckus. If people need TV's, music or video games, maybe they should just save the gas money and stay at home. There isn't anything on TV as fascinating as watching the flames in a campfire.

In a similar vein, what tends to momentarily ruin my outdoor experience at National Parks and other scenic outdoor locations is when you're stopped at a beautiful vista point or pullout, enjoying the scenery and the fresh air and some stranger stands next to you and light's up a cigarette.

And one time this happend to me a few years back at Tunnel View in Yosemite (before the recent reconfiguration). I was there with friends, when someone driving a NPS truck stopped next to the viewing area (in a no parking zone) and started to eat his sandwich while admiring the view, and his truck still idling and spewing out noxious smelling exhaust. He was there for about four minutes before he drove off. Talk about a jerk.

Quote
hikerchick395


And just the general respect for others has been lost while camping. My sister and I would've got a spanking if we cut across other people's sites in the old days. That was just on foot...now it is common for bikes to come riding through. Ha, maybe we should get a camo hammock to replace our current one...still had evidence last year that at least one person ran into the hammock in the middle of the night.

Hiker Chick,
I was raised the same way and have noticed these kids and their bikes. One incident, the kids peddled through, while my son and I were eating dinner. After that, I immediately laced up my plastic clothesline...I usually run the entire permieter of the site, with the line. I even had adults (mainly foreigners) try and cut through to get to the bathroom. I have no tolerance for it...my dog is the best deterrent, he won't let anyone pass.

Quote
Red Lipstick

Quote
hikerchick395


And just the general respect for others has been lost while camping. My sister and I would've got a spanking if we cut across other people's sites in the old days. That was just on foot...now it is common for bikes to come riding through. Ha, maybe we should get a camo hammock to replace our current one...still had evidence last year that at least one person ran into the hammock in the middle of the night.

Hiker Chick,
I was raised the same way and have noticed these kids and their bikes. One incident, the kids peddled through, while my son and I were eating dinner. After that, I immediately laced up my pyosemitenews.infousually run the entire permieter of the site, with the line. I even had adults (mainly foreigners) try and cut through to get to the bathroom. I have no tolerance for it...my dog is the best deterrent, he won't let anyone pass.

We find that our Polish Griffinhound is ideal for the task.
(SheAlsoLovesToDevourStrayChikinsly Yours)
The Marmots





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/12/2011 07:23AM by szalkowski.

One envisions routing the generator exhaust into the vehicle cabin as an enticing solution to the problem.
(Environmentally Yours)
The Marmots

This way, in due time, the problem will fix itself like evolution, and only quiet tent spaces remain :-).

Try talking to the campground hosts or rangers. They usually walk over and give them a lecture.

It would be nice if there were tent only and RV only areas.

They have done this with certain campsites like Hodgdon Meadows. The tent campers are all crammed in a small space and you hear everything (think of it in terms of one valley site with five sites on it = tent only site). Plus, you have to walk in to you campsite (park in a lot and walk your gear back). I don't mind the walking in part, but this involves walking right through other campsites. It's the same price as the much larger and spread out RV sites. I don't like this style of tent camping and hope they don't change the valley campground layouts to accommodate this.

Also, there are some great campsites in the valley and many ho-hum ones (but really, I would take any site rather than none). I wouldn't want a great site that I love deemed RV only and I am sure many RVers wouldn't appreciate some of their favorite sites being deemed tent only.

Regardless, if there is an issue of any kind, talk to the hosts (and rangers if you can find them). They have been very helpful with rule/generator abusers in the past. Except the time that a huge group of partying people were throwing axes at the tree next to my tent.... The hosts didn't want to touch that one and I had to call a ranger. All they got was a warning.... All I got was mad



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/10/2011 08:16PM by robinjayp.