I took that picture with the lady in orange (Laura's) camera because she wanted a picture of her and Gene to show her dad who also worked with Gene for many years. I knew Laura for her famous mountaineering exploits that she posts online and had never met her but knew her immediately as we topped out on Dana. She had been talking to Gene at length and turned out that Gene and her dad knew eachby apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I saw Gene on top of Mt Dana on Sunday August 28th. What a great guy. He was having a great time. He left the summit about 10 minutes before me and my daughter did and we did not catch him until the last mile back to the trailhead. Gene is a very strong hiker so I'm hoping he just decided to spend a couple extra days out. He did mention he was cheating a little by not carrying a lot of foodby apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I ran into Moose Tracks on top of Mt Dana yesterday. I took the easy way and hiked up the trail while she had come up the Dana coulier. What a great lady full of energy and just having a great time and loving life. She reported the conditions as being great in the coulier. It was so much fun meeting her. She reminded me of the new pack by Archwood for those that think ultralighters are pussieby apeman45 - General Discussion
Wow those are awesome pictures. How long is that hike from that route?by apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
The lower elevations of the sierra aren't as fun or scenic. You should head to the coast. I wouldn't recommend doing it alone but the lost coast is about 25 miles and pretty fun. You'd have a few high creek wades at that time of the year. Pt Reyes is pretty sweet also. You could do a nice 20 mile loop there to wildcat beach and coast camp. Big Basin has some pretty nice hiking in the coastaby apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
An early start on the HD hike, especially on weekdays always avoids the crowds. As long as you hit the cables by 11:00 crowds aren't that bad. On weekends around 1:00 seems to be the gridlock time and then a ton of people line up and then put themselves into danger with not only the crowds but thunderstorm danger too. Yea 1st shuttle on Angels'landing is the way to go. During Thanksgiving tby apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I always like to do half dome as kind of a spring warmup hike. Same as almost there - friends always want me to take them there and they always show up unprepared. They always whine when I make them get up at 4am to start the hike and then thank me when we come down through the hoards of people of all walks of life. I do a lot of backpacking and don't really consider this a wilderness experiencby apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Not sure but could be milkmaids. They come out early.by apeman45 - General Discussion
Never owned a gun and never will. I'm in my 50's and have a daughter. Grew up in a bad neighborhood and live in a rich neighborhood now. Never in my life have I remotely felt the need to protect myself with a gun. I too have educated myself and know the odds are much higher for me or a family member to be killed if we own a gun. Simple choice. The Arizona tragedy would not have been avertby apeman45 - General Discussion
Here's the link to the current trail conditions http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wildcond.htm There shouldn't be that much snow on the trail to Vernal until you cross the bridge and start climbing up the JMT after you pass the mist trail junction which will be closed. I'd call to get the latest conditions or check at the visitor center before heading out. It's been pretty cold this pastby apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Yes Rancheria was bear central in the 80's. That was our early season loop when I was in college: Rancheria to Till Till and over the hill to Vernon. I kind of miss the bears before the canisters were required. I never lost any food to a bear but lots of morons could never figure out proper counterbalancing. The canisters are working and I haven't had a back country camp raided in years and mby apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I used to go there all the time like in 1980 before the chicken even lost his baby down feathers. The 10 miles in from Hetch Hetchy seemed easy then. I can't imagine breaking trail in the snow all the way. Well done. The fishing was quite good in the old days and the bear activity is still the highest I can ever recall anywhere in the Sierra. Do they still dump the problem bears from the valby apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Awesome pics! Looks like fun. I know a crazy guy that has done most of Cherry creek in a kayak when the water is high in the spring. Definitely for experts only. A fall stroll seems the way to go and it is on my to do list - especially after seeing these pictures. Gotta love all that granite!by apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Stretching helps a lot. I had this for a year and boy did it hurt and was hard to get rid of. I had trouble sitting still which probably caused it to linger. Stretching did make it bearable. I finally went to the doctor and got some custom orthotic inserts for my shoes and it finally went away. I had a good doctor too and I convinced him to shoot me up with cortisone so I could do a 50 mileby apeman45 - General Discussion
Obviously these guys didn't have a map. They were lost on the backside of Whitney and after finding the JMT they just started hiking north in hopes of running into other hikers who could tell them where to go. They hiked well out of the SAR area and crossed over the 13,200 foot Forester pass which is pretty difficult. Luckily they did find some hikers who directed them to Cedar Grove. If theyby apeman45 - General Discussion
Thanks for that bizarre yet interesting story Ken. I've enjoyed many of your posts like the bristlecone pine threat but this one is so wrong on so many levels. I fail to see an emergency in this situation unless inclement weather was coming. These gym rats couldn't hike 30 miles? Really they only had to hike far enough to get cell service to call for a horrifically expensive tow that would havby apeman45 - General Discussion
Camp 4 and the valley is a zoo. If you have never been then you gotta see it but I think you guys would have a lot more fun in the Toulumne meadows / Tioga pass areas. There is lots and lots of granite up there to climb on, especially around Tenaya Lake. Much better chance getting a campsite. You can line up for 1 in TM around 9am or probably get one at Porcupine flat /or Yosemite creek if yoby apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
If you are entering from 395 I wouldn't even bother looking at the campgrounds around the pass because they will most definitely be full. I'd go straight to the Lee Vining creek campgrounds, I think there are 3 or 4 spread out a couple miles apart. The next day you can move up to the pass and snag a site when people leave.by apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
It was Sunday morning for a Monday permit. This was TM not the valley so that could be different. Yes I napped on my chair as much as possible and ended up finishing the book I planned on reading on the trail. Met a couple nice people and yes walked around the parking lot quite a bit.by apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Lessons learned. No need to show up at 4am as I did to get the walk up permit. I was 1st in line and no one else showed up until 6:30. At 7:30 when they opened there was about 20 people in line. Trip was great. The line for campgrounds at TM was worse than the wilderness permit line.by apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I love Yosemite Creek - spaces not on top of each other and quiet. Only problem is a slightly bumpy 4 - 6 mile drive of Tioga rd. No services but very nice.by apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I guess I actually planned better last year and got my permit early. If you've done Whitney already then the zoo might be worth avoiding. Have a great trip!by apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Hey Almost there. I did Whitney from Onion Valley last year with my daughter. I've also done it from Horseshoe meadows. Approaching Whitney from the backside on a multi day trip is the only way to do it. Bring your fishing pole - there are Goldens to be had all along these routes. Beautiful area. Actually the exit permit to come out at the portal are not that hard to get with a few weeks adby apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I usually avoid crowded trails so this isn't usually an issue. I need this trailhead because my daughter wants to do the whole JMT in chunks and this is her second to last segment and I only get her one more summer before she goes off to college. I love the JMT but it's a little crowded for my tastes. This lining up thing seems crazy but I really enjoy hiking with my kid so through the hoops Iby apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks for all the advice. I'm pretty much a rule follower and as an old guy I've seen a big improvement in backcountry conditions because of quotas and no trace camping. I appreciate the advice anyway. I think I'll go with the 4 am line idea at the Tuolumne Meadows permit station. What's scary is you can be 3rd in line and not get a permit because the 1st 2 guys could take all the permitsby apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Ok so I procrastinated and didn't get a reservation for one of the most popular trailheads in the park even though I planned this trip a year ago. My daughter and I are hiking from Tuolumne Meadows to Devils Postpile and I'm wondering how early I need to line up to get one of the 16 first come first served permits. We are leaving on Monday July 26 so I plan on being in line at 4am Sunday morninby apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Saddlebag will most likely have flocks of people. The Lee Vining campgrounds almost never fill up and it's a lot warmer at night. If you are parked legally and are a backpacker you can just bring your stuff and walk into the woods a couple miles, I think it's 4 out of Toulumne but I think you need a permit? I've done plenty of camping out of sight, possibly closer than 2 miles from a trailheby apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
For some less crowded spectacular scenery try this trip in the northeast corner of Yosemite and parts of the Hoover wilderness. Matterhorn canyon is pretty awesome. I'm not a climber but there are a lot of granite faces in this area and some nice peaks to bag including whorl mountain and Matterhorn peak. http://www.flickr.com/photos/equanimity/sets/72157606625140243/by apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
A couple guilty pleasures: Whitewater Summer with Kevin Bacon and why not Tremors which is technically survival, Shoot to Kill. Beliieve it or not Kirstie Ally is very believable as a wilderness guide in this thriller. My favorite is the Edge and I was enthralled with Grizzly Man as well.by apeman45 - General Discussion
This hike was doomed before they started. I hate when people use SAR like it is the concierge at the luxury hotel they are staying at. I hoped they tipped those rescuers.by apeman45 - General Discussion