Re: JMT Closed?

My friend and I want to go to Nevada Falls next week using the JMT. We don't want to take the Mist Trail. This page says it is still closed in the "ice cut" area. I don't know where that is.

http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm#CP_JUMP_469992

Is this correct? Is it still closed?

I saw the trip report about going to Liberty Cap but they took the Mist Trail and bypassed the section of the JMT we want to take.

Thanks!

So go the winter route - up the JMT, down to the top of Vernal and onward. The upper part of the trail being closed probably means there is still patchy snow and ice along part of the trail. Or, it means they just haven't opened it yet. A few weeks ago the Mist Trail was still gated yet the trail was ice free and people were jumping the gates.

You could take the chance and jump the gate, I suppose. Judging from calipidder's liberty cap report what's there is mostly gone. (There's a picture of the largest patch, which doesn't look much like a patch.)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/19/2013 07:14AM by AlmostThere.

Those were the pictures I was looking at. So that's the ice cut section. We can deal with that little bit of snow and it'll likely be gone with the warm temperatures starting now. I haven't been in this part of the park since the late 80's so I've forgotten what it is like. We want to take the upper JMT for some photos of Nevada Falls.

It's pretty much clear. More annoying than the snow (which was still just a few patchy stretches that could be avoided) was the dripping snowmelt dripping down like a shower. The gate was still closed but we were coming from the top and I knew the 'bad' section was only about 500 yards away. We decided to check it out and just turn back if there was too much snow/ice. It was fine. They did get some snow earlier this week though, so there are no guarantees that it's better.

I've been watching the web cams and what little snow fell a few days ago looks to be melted. We're not going until the middle of next week and the forecast for that elevation is sunny and highs in 60's everyday for the next week. I'm not so worried about snow. I assume it's not that hard to get past the gate if it's still closed.

I think the problem at this point is the possibility of ice and snow falling on hikers.

It's the traverse section at the very top. It's called the ice-cut b/c it's a blasted section that
fills with ice. You may or may not get a kick out of these photos:
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,62878,63663#msg-63663
and
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,62878,63675#msg-63675

(the other photos in that thread is The Mist Trail below Vernal)

Basilbop took this section of trail a couple of weeks ago already and now
the patch is nearly all gone. His stuff is right here:
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,64860,64860#msg-64860

Mist Trail has been open for weeks now. This section looks like it will be open by the time you go.

Have fun

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Those are cool pictures! I wouldn't want to be climbing over that ice though.

Quote
Calaveras
Those are cool pictures! I wouldn't want to be climbing over that ice though.

That's child's play compared to the stuff that went on earlier this year:

Ice Climbing Widow's Tears

Skiing Clouds Rest

Moral of the story though is... Have fun doing what YOU want to do... and be safe doing it.

Look forward to some 3D faux toes (please)
(even eeeeeek finally bought a set o 3D goggles)

I guess he didn't want a Ride on the Magic BusChoo Choo though since
it took Merced Lake to get him to buy a pair.

Have fun!

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I'll see what I can do about the 3D. I'd like to get the falls in 3D if I can find the proper separation to do it.

I took some last year looking towards Grizzly. I think they turned out decent.... I'll have to
look and see if they're worth sharing when back in town.

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