The Mist trail below Vernal Fall closes more due to ice than snow. Likewise, the JMT has an icy section just below Nevada Fall that would be pretty dangerous. Crampons would work, but I don't know if the trail closure is "enforced" or "advisory". So the winter route is up the JMT from the Vernal fall bridge, to Clark point. Then down a steep zigzag trail to the Mist traiby Sierrafan - General Discussion
I read about Joshua Tree's change from national monument to national park not too long ago. In their case, apparently some mining operations had to be stopped before it was acceptable for a national park. I don't know, though, whether it was managed as a monument by the NPS or not. I think the NFS generally allows more commercial use of their land...lumbering, mining, etc., where NPS doesn't.by Sierrafan - General Discussion
Well, what's left? They might as well close 120 and make it complete... 8^) (news story sometime next spring) "Yosemite staff has discovered the reason for the valley's record low of having no visitors during December and January, despite the mild weather. It seems they got their signals crossed and closed all the access roads at once. The few visitors who actually tried to consolidate aby Sierrafan - General Discussion
y_p_w wrote: > You can do that right now. Cute. But can you make a bear that breaks into other peoples' posts and steals their stuff, then a ranger that gives them a ticket for improper word storage...?by Sierrafan - General Discussion
california-trailwalker wrote: > $40 for an unheated tent cabin at CV?? > We paid $89 for the same thing in mid-September this year > (definitely not a good value, in my opinion). > Is $40 the off season price, or does this price go back a few > years? The prices change a lot, and September is still usually considered "in" season (not sure why...the falls are dry, the valby Sierrafan - General Discussion
Eeek, here's one link about the reservations at Upper Pines: http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/upperpines.htm Last year they went off the reservation system for the winter also; prior to that I remember making reservations in February, so it may just be some interim policy, but it goes until Mid March. Mixolydian, I figure a first time visitor can use ideas; whether they use them or not isby Sierrafan - General Discussion
> No, you can't enter html at all. > Well, italics and bold can be pretty handy, but as one who, by choice, gets all his email in plain text, and prefers Usenet format over Choose your Avatar-motion gif riddled web formats, I like this one fine. Hopefully whatever the new upcoming format is, it's not too glitzy....a bear gif bouncing across a message isn't going to add much to usefulnesby Sierrafan - General Discussion
Ryan, I'd suggest staying at Upper Pines campground, especially for a first visit. With 6 of you, you could either share a campsite, or get two next to each other. As of Nov. 1, it's on a first-come, first-served basis, but I doubt you'll have problems in mid-November unless you try to get in the day before Thanksgiving without already being there. The nice part about Upper Pines is that it isby Sierrafan - General Discussion
eeek wrote: > It's Lower Yellowstone Falls. > Thanks eeek, no wonder I didn't recognize it, since I haven't been there. One of these days though...by Sierrafan - General Discussion
Eeek, what Fall in the top photo? First I thought Nevada, but the surroundings don't look right; then Vernal, but from where (?) and there's no sign of Liberty Cap behind. So I assume it's somewhere "else", but where? Great photo and angle though, especially with the snow. As for the wish list, I'm happy to be lens-lust free...when I see the big-to-gigantic lenses and correspondingby Sierrafan - General Discussion
y_p_w wrote: > I tried , , and , but none of them worked. I > think this board is set up only for a single font size and no > animation. Is that bad? Sounds kind of nice to me...by Sierrafan - General Discussion
sierranomad wrote: > I'm going to head to Yosemite this Thursday. Hope the leaves > hold until then. > There was supposed to be some significant rain on Tuesday (today) but it never materialized, so I think you may be in luck. Last Friday when I left, there was plenty of color, with some maples still showing a touch of green; and the oaks and dogwoods still had lots of leaves and coloby Sierrafan - General Discussion
Some of the visitors, especially to the valley, seem to think it's just a petting zoo and that if it wasn't safe, they wouldn't "have" the animals there. Last week there was a cub climbing a tree near the bridge at Stoneman meadow, with mama down below. Several of us stopped along the path to watch and take photos, but of course there were the half dozen or so "special" folkby Sierrafan - General Discussion
I stayed in the valley for a few days last week (Tues-Fri) and it was more summery than autumn-like for weather. Plans for a couple of hikes got shoved into the "next time" bin as temps were in the mid-80's. With the fall color in the valley, it just seemed natural to have a relaxed, bike-riding and enjoying the valley visit. Lots of photo opportunities, with the maples, dogwoods, anby Sierrafan - General Discussion
sierranomad wrote: > They were a little anxious to find out that "closed" could mean > closed for the winter. > Yes, when I read the first message, I was not happy, as I'm heading there in a few days and was hoping to use the Glacier point road for Sentinel Dome etc. and maybe the Pano trail. Then I read the second message and all was well. At least assuming nothing majorby Sierrafan - General Discussion
Thanks for the info; guess I'll go in (next week) via 41. I don't mind the delay at the slide, but add another half hour and it could be annoying.by Sierrafan - General Discussion
Not bad though; you got some pretty decent scenes in there. I assume it was in 'night shot' mode, and you had little or no light but the flashlight, so it's good that you got anything at all.by Sierrafan - General Discussion
Vince wrote: > It is interesting that Mt. Broderick is considered a mount and > Half Dome is merely a dome. Mount Half Dome? Mount Half? Half Mount? Mount Dome/2? > Excuse me while I shade my dome with my Liberty Cap Liberty Cap deserves more respect too. How about Liberty Hat? 8^) I've seen the visor called the diving board so often that unless it's someone pretty familiar withby Sierrafan - General Discussion
Definitely foot-only from the valley side, though there's some firewood cutting that goes on near the lower part, so vehicles can go a short distance. I don't know about heading down from the upper end (yet). v_p_w posted a link to my pbase gallery from last year's walk part way up...I'm planning a longer walk at least to Rainbow view and probably beyond this year (though there won't be any raiby Sierrafan - General Discussion
Yes, but you're "supposed" to get a license for GMRS for $80-90 a person, the last I heard (on a $30-40 set of radios, go figure). They might be able to get a bunch of volunteers to move the dam for free, or at least take the old one apart...8^)by Sierrafan - General Discussion
I have a great idea; instead of wasting money on upgrading their communication system, why not just move the darn dam closer to their offices, and the signal won't have to go so far. Just trying to help... 8^)by Sierrafan - General Discussion
Forrestranger, thanks for the comment. Hope you get some fall color, though there's always something in the valley if you look around at the right times. Usually, when I see a bunch of people taking photos, I figure they've got that one covered, and go the other direction, to see if I can find what they're missing 8^).by Sierrafan - General Discussion
I went at the end of October last year, and I think the colors were about at their peak for the valley. http://www.pbase.com/roberthouse/yosemite_autumn This year has been so different, weatherwise, that I'm not sure what will happen. The dry year may affect it by making it early, but it's also been really hot, which may affect it another way by delaying things. I'm heading up a little earlieby Sierrafan - General Discussion
I think it's just another example of the general trend everywhere. There "needs" to be a high-tech solution to everything, even the simplest things. To add to that, people are used to being catered to on their own terms...to get things when "they" want them, not having to accommodate to anyone else's schedule, and to have things done for them, rather than do them themselves.by Sierrafan - General Discussion
bill-e-g wrote: > According to the "Death in Yosemite" book the Ledge Trail is > the 3rd Deadliest Geographic Entity in the park behind El Cap > and The Merced River. > If you attempt it can you please report back your experience. > Good luck > I heard of this trail a year or so ago, and thought it would be a good one to add to my "want to" list. After reaby Sierrafan - General Discussion
I think the public in general thinks "hotel" when they think of staying in Yosemite, and doesn't necessarily even consider camping there. If you mention "camping" they'd be asking about where to get an RV. A tent is my first choice for staying in the valley, even in the off season. It puts you in tune with your surroundings, the climate, the sounds, the smells; usually a raby Sierrafan - General Discussion
Also, if you don't want the detour into the Little Yosemite Valley campground, there are easy river access spots shortly after you leave the Nevada Fall restroom at the Mist trail/JMT junction. Just watch for when the trail gets near to the river, and get it there. If you go too far and get away from the river, you can still take the Little Yosemite Valley campground fork and fill up. I'd beby Sierrafan - General Discussion
Dan-O wrote: > I was wondering if anyone was a member of trails.com? If so, is > it worth joining? Or can you find most things floating around > the internet for free? > Thanks! > I had a 3-month trial that came with a GPS unit. It's a nice site, but I tend to buy hiking books of areas that I'm interested in, so most of the hikes I looked at, I already had in a book. The downloby Sierrafan - General Discussion
mellowyellow wrote: > They may be related, but (thank goodness!) plumber cleavage > habitat is largely limited to the southern portion of the > state, and they rarely migrate farther north than Santa > Barbara. > Thanks to the quick actions of many volunteers who watch for this invasive species and know what to do on those rare occasions when it appears north of Santa Barbara. Iby Sierrafan - General Discussion
I think it's obvious that we need to stop the illegal harvesting of road cracks immediately. Then we can study how best to save these endangered road crack inhabitants from certain extinction. Until then, we should fence them off with warning signs telling people to stay away. As far as the danger to humans from the seals, statistics show that you're twice as likely to die from being bitten byby Sierrafan - General Discussion