The Wilderness Office confirmed that all the available permits are taken through August. If anyone else wants to do Half Dome they'll have to do it during the week. I also asked about the High Country Camps. If they can't stay open for a few months DNC can't make any money on them and won't bother to open those camps. That means llamas can.by Dave - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
A warmer climate means more energy in the atmosphere. Weather is the Earth's way of moving that energy around, trying to equalize it. That means bigger storms moving more energy. They're going to have to add a "Category 6" to the hurricane scale.by Dave - General Discussion
QuoteeeekAt least a lot of that money stays in the park now. 80% I think. Some goes to help out parks that don't get much in the way of entrance fees.by Dave - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Entrance fees pay for quite a bit of things.by Dave - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteeeekI'll bet more than half of them will be unused. The price is low enough that people got reservations just in case. By doing that they prevent someone else from going. That's not nice. It will cut down on the traffic though.by Dave - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
That sounds expensive. Who pays for all this?by Dave - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I heard a rumor that all the available permits are taken. I'll stop by the Wilderness office tomorrow and ask.by Dave - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotechick-onDavey , I taught you wanna bring ur llamas to HSCs? Me tinks u gonna bee able to dis year. Dis bird not surprised if they not open this year like in ought sixer. That would be GREAT! Hiking in the high country without all that "manure" coating the trail.by Dave - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteeeekHalf Dome cables will not be in place for the May 28-31 weekend due to snow. Where's Global Warming when you need it?by Dave - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks. I'll have to go this spring and get some.by Dave - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Where is the best place to bet pumice free obsidian? I've been to one place, I think it was Obsidian Dome but the obsidian had a lot of specks/streaks of pumice and rhyolite in it. I need some nice clean stuff to make arrowheads with.by Dave - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
For more weird clouds google "lenticular clouds." Here's one on mt rainer http://science.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/Science/Images/Content/lenticular-clouds-agr1n8-sw.jpgby Dave - General Discussion
Quotesactown23I was going to go on Thursday. Do you think it will be a mess on a Thursday as well? If the road is not open, yes. You might have a better experience at one of the other groves. Being alone in a grove of giants is a profound experience. The Nelder Grove is not too far off Hwy 41. Nice trees, great walks, more flowers because the ground is less trampled. Shouldn't be much snow eithby Dave - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I was there a few days ago. Parking was a mess. The entrance station has to bring in extra help just for parking. I'd avoid the whole area. The busses can't go down the road from the entrance station to the grove so I don't know if they're even running the shuttles from Wawona. The problem is that many people save the Mariposa Grove as their last stop. The smarter people will either go to the Merby Dave - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteThe Other TomThat's because a major highway (US 441) runs through it. I don't recall paying a park entrance fee when I drove it a few years ago. So a lot of people drive it and therefore "visit" the park. That's what I was thinking. If Yosemite had I5 running through it we'd have 100 times more "visitors."by Dave - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Sounds like they're trying to find more excuses to build the peripheral canal. Does anyone really believe the story that taking water out of the Delta and sending it to LA is going to IMPROVE water quality in the Delta? I don't.by Dave - General Discussion
Quoteeeek QuoteDaveYou could try the Briceburg Visitor Center (209) 379-9414. Isn't that BLM? I think so, but the lady there knows what's going on in the area.by Dave - General Discussion
QuoteFrank Furter QuoteDave The Hite's Cove Trail was closed yesterday afternoon. The story goes that the Forrest Service and the land owner have to complete some paperwork. The land owner, he also owns most of what's there at Savage's and the two hotels down the road, and the Forrest service are working on it and should have it resolved quickly. check with someone before you go. Anyone in partby Dave - General Discussion
The Hite's Cove Trail was closed yesterday afternoon. The story goes that the Forrest Service and the land owner have to complete some paperwork. The land owner, he also owns most of what's there at Savage's and the two hotels down the road, and the Forrest service are working on it and should have it resolved quickly. check with someone before you go.by Dave - General Discussion
I have June 10th in one pool. Should we start one here? The winner gets bragging rights and a free pass to the Lower Yosemite Falls Trail.by Dave - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteeeekIt does seem a wee bit silly. In my mind I keep thinking of this person as Dr. Whack-a-doodle. You give him that much credit? He reminds me of one of those people that wants to put pants on animals.by Dave - General Discussion
An animal that has no sense of self identity doesn't have a sense of privacy. A wild animal fleeing when a human come near is not seeking privacy, it doesn't want to be eaten by that human. I think this guy is anthropomorphizing just a bit too much.by Dave - General Discussion
QuoteFrank Furter QuoteDave One old timers trick; when you buy some nice, leather, boots - soak them in warm water for10 minutes, get your hiking socks and sock liners wet too. Put on all the socks, the boots and walk around until they dry. Shrink to fit. Works great. I've never had a blister from boots I've done this to. How many days does this process take? A few hours.by Dave - General Discussion
QuoteeeekQuoteDaveI'd bring a couple of MRE's instead of all that other junk. To the Chick-on a Twinkie is an MRE. And they last as long as an MRE - forever. A friend of mine has a 15 year old Twinkie. It looks the same as the day he bought it. Mine don't last longer than a few minutes.by Dave - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
One old timers trick; when you buy some nice, leather, boots - soak them in warm water for10 minutes, get your hiking socks and sock liners wet too. Put on all the socks, the boots and walk around until they dry. Shrink to fit. Works great. I've never had a blister from boots I've done this to.by Dave - General Discussion
I'd bring a couple of MRE's instead of all that other junk.by Dave - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteDuncanMeyers So roughly 37 miles, of which 4 miles have already been done? I know everyone is going to be extremely pessimistic here, but I think it's looking good :-) Sure, but don't plan on it going that good all the way. I remember a few years ago they were doing good but ran into a frozen avalanche at Olmstead. It was a solid chunk of ice they couldn't get through. It caused a delay of 3by Dave - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Does anyone have a map with all these place names on it? I know the major ones. like Crane Flat, but others are a mystery and I've worked in the park for 6 years now.by Dave - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I'll be back at work on Wednesday. I'll ask around.by Dave - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotey_p_w QuoteDaveTry the Merced River just west of the Arch Rock Entrance. Rainbow trout are catch and release. I'm pretty sure you can keep two Brown trout per day with, something like 4, total in possession. Check with the rangers at the Entrance Station, they'll have a copy of the regulations. The regs say five per day and ten total in possession. Just grill them and you won't end up stocby Dave - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion