Re: First Visit

My wife and I will be arriving on Saturday afternoon for our first visit to the park (we're coming from Wisconsin--go Pack!). I've been lurking on the site for a while and have picked up some outstanding tips from all of you!

We'll be day-hiking, mainly because I haven't quite gotten the missus too fired up for wilderness camping yet (I do quite a bit of it myself in the Boundary Waters), although I'm working on it. Not this trip, though!

I really do appreciate the knowledge I've gotten from all of you. For example, I never would have heard of options like the Old Big Old Flat Road but for the old threads here. My problem is, we have only five full days available, and about 50 hikes we'd like to do. Narrowing it down is a problem (We have Half Dome permits for the 21st, but the cables won't be up by then. The missus is still pushing to do it anyway, but it seems to me there's lots more to see rather than trying to negotiate the cables down, never having been there before. We'll see.)

One question: even though the Tioga Road is opening on Saturday, is the Clouds Rest hike from Tenaya Lake doable for first-timers? We're good strong hikers, but I don't want to get into water/snow situations that would be a problem.

Can't wait to get out there! In the meantime, I think I'll start planning our next trip

Thanks again--
Scott

Quote
ScottS
One question: even though the Tioga Road is opening on Saturday, is the Clouds Rest hike from Tenaya Lake doable for first-timers? We're good strong hikers, but I don't want to get into water/snow situations that would be a problem.

You probably wouldn't like the stream crossing at the start of the hike. Last year (and it's worse this year) on the 10th of June it looked like this:


http://yosemitephotos.net/main.php/v/yosemite/nsh-dscn4471.jpg.html


http://yosemitephotos.net/main.php/v/yosemite/sh-dscn4462.jpg.html


http://yosemitephotos.net/main.php/v/yosemite/nsh-dscn4465.jpg.html

A month later:


http://yosemitephotos.net/main.php/v/yosemite/cr-dscn4820.jpg.html

ScottS,

Wow, I've heard stories of the Boundary Waters area ... got to get there someday myself (lived in Wisconsin (Madison) for 6 years .. should'a have gone then .. but never did) ... must be really beautiful, from everything I've heard.

You's got moose sauntering around up there, don't yuh?

I lost a bet with my sister (who lives in Belleville) over a Packer championship game (forget which one .. there were many) ... and I had to agree to wear her cheesehead thing one entire day when visiting!!! ... duh ...

only good thing about it was it's a great alternative to baldness ... hahaha

A moose once bit my sister...

Thanks for the photos, eeek--I think that makes a pretty good case for staying away from that zone!

Anvanho--We live in Madison and I have enjoyed the amenities in the booming metropolis of Belleville from time to time over the years

I'd recommend the Boundary Waters to anyone here. It really is a beautiful part of the world.

And there are indeed a fair amount of moosen up there!

Quote
ScottS
Thanks for the photos, eeek--I think that makes a pretty good case for staying away from that zone!

Anvanho--We live in Madison and I have enjoyed the amenities in the booming metropolis of Belleville from time to time over the years

I'd recommend the Boundary Waters to anyone here. It really is a beautiful part of the world.

And there are indeed a fair amount of moosen up there!

And rescues are done via short line hauls by mosquitoes.

---

Old Dude

ScottS,

I used to live on Williamson Street ... Jennifer Street ... East Johnson Street ... Hancock Street .. to name a few ..

Worked for the University ... (Lathrop Hall mostly)

drove Checker Cab too!

Did you know John Muir once lived in Madison?

Yeah, he stayed somewhere on Gilman Street.

I remember "The Pub" on State Street ... not to mention "Chesties" ...

You will love Yosemite ... one of the planet's truly heavenly temples ...

I'll be up there in a few weeks myself, doing my annual b'packing trip ... if the snow will ever mellow ... and the water levels will become a scosh more "sane" ...

If you've camped up north midwest, (Wis; Minn: Mich'; ...etc) you're gonna be right at home with Yosemite 'skeeters ...

lather yourself up with deet ... like a Hollywood starlet wears Channel #5 .... some other perfume ...