Lyell was a beautiful hike and climb! Conditions are changing rapidly with the warm weather, so how to approach it depends, as usual on your confidence on snow and rock and how much it has changed since July 5th when we climbed it. We did the typical approach leaving the Muir Trail where it veers sharply left, before arriving at Donahue Pass. We camped near there. The next morning we wanderedby AlpenGlühen - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
A group of us are thinking to climb Mt Lyell this weekend. I think that the glacier's crevasses are probably easily negotiable even though it is early season because of the lower snow fall and overall warmer year. We plan crampons and ice axes (and we have experience on how to use them) but a rope would be a drag on the trip. Does anyone have pictures?by AlpenGlühen - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
I started this topic asking two questions. Always a problem - as many answers come for the first question and the second gets lost. So I will repeat the second one in the hopes that some info is available out there. Does any one know the trail conditions to Ottoway Lake and Red Peak Pass. I can imagine any fords of the river will be quite interesting this time of year with amount of melting goby AlpenGlühen - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Eeek, Can one camp down a ways from Mono Meadow trailhead? Michaelby AlpenGlühen - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I am thinking about staying Bridalveil Campground this Friday night. Any idea when the Bridalveil Campground 2010 opening date is? Also, does any one know the trail conditions to Ottoway Lake and Red Peak Pass. I can imagine any fords of the river will be quite interesting this time of year with amount of melting going on.... Michaelby AlpenGlühen - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Royal and his wife died in a small plane crash six years ago. http://www.yosemite.org/newsroom/clips2002/august/082202.htmby AlpenGlühen - General Discussion
There are climbing routes in the most improbable places. Here is a link to a Yosemite Falls climb: http://www.exo.net/~pauld/climbing/ViaAqua/viaaqua.html Mikeby AlpenGlühen - General Discussion
I went by the permit office on Thursday. They said that backpackers camp is closed because it is too wet. I asked if one could stay there if they could find a dry spot. They said "no" because when they had unofficially allowed it some had abused the privilege and left a mess. Mikeby AlpenGlühen - General Discussion
I agree the snow may be a bit of a challenge now. I plan to start from the north in the middle of July, I think it will be a lot more pasable by then. Check out other stories: http://www.trailjournals.com/journals.cfm?sort=&year=2008&trail=other#John%20Muir%20Trail Mikeby AlpenGlühen - General Discussion
I have hiked the trail to the top of Whitney (in the south) twice and the trail up from the Valley (in the north) countless times. I would not want to start a long hike like the JMT at 8000 feet and hike to 13000+ right away. I will be going form north to south in July. Mikeby AlpenGlühen - General Discussion
Gary, Snow Creek is a beautiful hike! I started at 6:30 and made it up to the footbridge and then the 7,400 foot level by 11:00 am before the driving snow and mist raised a route finding issue and I decided to go down. I was hoping to get to North Dome... Yes, long and strenuous... but I look forward to the John Muir Trail this July so all hikes till then are training. When I go back to do itby AlpenGlühen - General Discussion
On Friday we had snow at 6,000 feet on the Snow Creek trail (across Tenaya Canyon from Half Dome). Snow starts to fall early... http://s275.photobucket.com/albums/jj296/MichaelIrwin_photos/?action=view¤t=CIMG4989.flv Being early and being quiet on the misty trail revealed these shy deer.by AlpenGlühen - General Discussion
I was up in the VALLEY today. I climbed up the Snow Creek trail. Sprinkles turned to snow at 6,000 feet. The trail disappeared by 7,400 feet. Photos and video forthcoming. Mikeby AlpenGlühen - General Discussion
Check out this link: http://www.summitpost.org/route/158056/illilouette-gorge.html Mike Post Edited (05-20-08 09:56)by AlpenGlühen - General Discussion
A picture is worth 1000 words...by AlpenGlühen - General Discussion
Ah.. Cloud's Rest.... I suggest to get up very early and be on the trail by 6:00 am. If you quietly move along the trail you will see and hear deer and birds as they go about their morning routines. Your trail goes up steadily through the trees to the ridge and goes up toward Cloud's Rest. They will be a bit of scrambling (shoes of some kind would be a good idea) though not serious. Then you wiby AlpenGlühen - General Discussion
Check out the YOSAR web page: http://www.friendsofyosar.org/rescues/rescues.htmlby AlpenGlühen - General Discussion
Gary, The temps are still going to be warm the next few days, so leave early... They were only a few mosquitos below the Vernal Falls bridge. The water is really moving nothing stagnant for them to breed in.. Be ready for the best Mist Trail soaking in years. Mikeby AlpenGlühen - General Discussion
Let's not get off topic. If need be, please start a water filter topic! I was going up the trail from Happy Isles on Friday morning. At 9 am there was a ranger taking down the "CABLES ARE DOWN" sign at the trailhead, he verified that the cables were up as of Thursday. We didn't go to Half Dome only the top of Nevada Falls. The weather was a lot cooler than the Bay Area, but was quiteby AlpenGlühen - General Discussion
Todd Skinner freed Half Dome. "Free" in climbing meaning not using the ropes and other artificial means to aid in climbing; ropes are there for safety - to catch a fall. I don't think you met him though.. See: Loss of a Legend from Climbing magazine http://climbing.skrammedia.com/print/features/toddskinner/index.html Mikeby AlpenGlühen - General Discussion
Latest Conditions From Tuolumne Back Country Rangers Jeff and Kathi http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/tm.htm April 24, 2008 Weather: (April 16 to April 23) High temperature: 59°F (April 18) Low temperature: 6°F (April 21) New Snow: 3 inches (April 22) Total settled snow depth: 23 inches as of April 24 Ski Conditions and Weather: It has been a cool and windy week at Tuolumne Meadows.by AlpenGlühen - General Discussion
I saw many folks trying to cross over from Nevada Falls Saturday - they all turned back. Ice and snow melt above and come down on the trail making an extremely unstable formation that no mountain climber would cross wiht an ice ax and crampons because of it's instability.by AlpenGlühen - General Discussion
Yes, the mist trail is open. There is very little snow on the way up to Nevada Falls. Leaving Little Yosemite Valley toward Half Dome is another story. I was surprised to meet many people asking if I had climbed Half Dome that morning. I told them all that with the cables down, climbing equipment (and the knowledge of how to use it) was needed. Also the final snowfield which completely covers tby AlpenGlühen - General Discussion
Refering to the paving again.. When I hiked to Clouds Rest on November 17th the paving seemed to be complete up to the bridge. I was quite surprised and found it LESS slippery than before. Mikeby AlpenGlühen - General Discussion
Here is the news on Meghan Seifert, from Supertopo, a climber's forum. http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=494023&msg=494023#msg494023 Mikeby AlpenGlühen - General Discussion
It sounds like you are talking about Tuolumne Meadows rather than Kennedy Meadows. Both Kennedy Meadows, the one up north and the one down south are outside of Yosemite National Park. And yes, if you want to go to TUOLUMNE MEADOWS you would turn left at the gas station, coming on 120 from the west. The gas station was in repairs recently. Maybe someone has more recent information about it.by AlpenGlühen - General Discussion
Going north from Tuolumne Meadows there is water in Virginia Canyon and Spiller Creek (as of two days ago). If anyone needs to know about specific creeks up the Pacific Crest Trail, I can give you the latest. Mikeby AlpenGlühen - General Discussion
I just got back. AT&T worked in Tuolumne Meadows but the signal strength was only enough at the Lodge to make a call.... Of course, 911 may have gone through. Thanks for all the comments made...by AlpenGlühen - General Discussion
I might be helpful for some of us to rate these hikes for difficulty so that people don't get in diificult situations. My two-bits: Dana is a SERIOUS hike because of the altitude. Mikeby AlpenGlühen - General Discussion
I do not like the idea of using cell phones in the back country, but in emergencies it may be handy. Thanks for the quick and clear advise. That's what makes this list such a valuable resource. I'll post a report on mosquitoes and water levels on the river fords when I get back. Mikeby AlpenGlühen - General Discussion