Quotebill-e-g Pretty interesting article. Most of the guys other stuff is about bears though from what I saw... That's 'cause he's a ranger that works with on bear management.by calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I hate when people don't follow up on their question threads so for whatever it's worth, here's what happened: So we arrived in Wawona on NYE about 3 pm. Lots of snow around the gate but very little in Wawona. Camped on dry-ish ground. (well, slept in the truck, but you know...). Stayed up hootin' and hollerin' around the campfire until midnight (The campground was nearly empty and the two otby calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I have those feathered friends booties. Mmm nice. Slippy slidey a lot around camp though, especially in the evening when the tracks freeze over. Wheeee. Watch yer butt.by calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Packed up and ready to play. Massive amounts of down and wool packed (brr: http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/queryF?MPG) Back in 2011. Nothing like ringing in the new year in the best place on earth!by calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
We'll be spending NYE in the Wawona Campground then heading into the grove (or dewey) on NY Day for an overnighter. Can't think of a better place to ring in the new year. Did it last year (Dewey) and had a great time.by calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Anyone know what the snow conditions are like after this storm blows through? Planning on heading up for new years and would love to head in to snowcamp in Mariposa grove. Alternate is dewey/crocker points but have done that a million times. If there is snow we'll do the grove.by calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Depends - I have tried them but since I am such a cold sleeper I find I'm usually miserable. I like the coziness of being zipped up tight in my bag. If you sleep under a tarp, tarptent, or cowboy open-air style even light breezes can easily sneak under a quilt and chill you. I prefer sleeping under the stars or worst case (bugs or rain) in a tarptent, thus my aversion to quilts. That said, my husby calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Hm, crossing fingers that the long term forecast is correct and it's gonna be nice through next week. Would be great if it melted out for us to get over it the weekend before Thanksgiving and save a few hours on the northern route to DV.by calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Adding photos: November 6: Turtleback Dome view - some nice oranges in the foreground November 6: Looking down/across from Sierra Point November 6: Somewhere along the Merced November 7: Managed to sneak some shots from the Old Big Oak Flat Road before the clouds completely obstructed the view. I was struck by the tiny patches of bright yellow and red dotting the landscape.by calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I'm unloading 8 Gb of photos from this weekend right now. Colors are great - lots of bright yellows and reds in the dogwoods. Once I get through some I'll try to post 'em here. But as the poultry said, they will be gone soon. This storm isn't gonna help. Although the muted grey sky and light rain this morning really helped the colors shine...by calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I am in love with this series, but the new one on glaciers is just amazing. Make sure to watch it at 720p in full screen.by calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Can't remember name - is it one on the south side of Hetch Hetchy? I remember passing through something like that on my way back from Smith Peak several years ago.by calipidder - General Discussion
This viewpoint? (eta: my bad, nope it's not this viewpoint. This is Inspiration Point on the other side of 41)by calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Your picture reminds me of one of my favorite Yosemite Valley tourist moments. I can't remember what specific climb/hike we were doing, but I remember an icy winter day in Yosemite Valley. We were walking back to the shuttle bus to get back to our campsite (only time of year I'll camp in the valley - bad winter conditions = no people) and decided to detour and check out Lower Yosemite Falls.by calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Did the Timber Gap -> Black Rock Pass -> Sawtooth Loop in August. Awesome trip. Not doing the Timber Gap/Cliff creek thing again (would use Glacier Pass) but I actually liked black Rock. It's steep and dry but the views are great and it's got a lot of little details that make it continuously interesting. My trip report I love Columbine Lake - the fishing is great.by calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I never trust ducks anyways. Sometimes they help guide my eye to a good route, but just like snowshoe or ski tracks in the snow, there's no guarantee that the fool ahead of you knew where they were going either. And on an established trail - that's just silly.by calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Went out to Bishop via Sonora Pass (and Tioga on return trip) this weekend and the colors are indeed changing. Lots of yellow starting to come out around Bridgeport. Spent Friday fishing at Lake Sabrina and the colors along the road from Aspendell to the lake are starting - even some orange in there right now. Depending on reports, I plan on going out the first and maybe third weekend in Octoberby calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks. I let the Mr plan this weekend (I just got 10 days of peak bagging and playing in the bear lakes basin in John Muir Wilderness while he had to work, thus my handing over the reigns to what he wants to do) and his itinerary includes Conness tomorrow, Tom on Sunday, and Starr (hey, easy) on Monday. We'll see how much of this actually happens vs how much we get distracted by the noms at Whoby calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Well dang. Good thing I'll be driving it at stupid-o-clock in the morning. I've found that RVs and casual tourists aren't on the road until after Starbucks opens in Oakdale.by calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I'm pretty sure the Old Priest Grade closure signs said through 9/3. It looked pretty close to done when I drove by last Sunday. Anyone know if it is opening on schedule or will I have to take the ^@#%^& long way on my way up tomorrow morning? Thanks - Cby calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I woke up at Steelhead Lake (upper french canyon, 11k+) on Saturday morning to frozen water bottles and sub-freezing temps. I didn't have a thermometer, but I spilled some water when making my morning coffee and it was frozen within 5 minutes. We hiked out that day (Pine Creek trailhead) and it was really cold and cloudy and windy until we got below the lowest lake. All week (I was out from the 2by calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks for the timely post and pictures - I'm sitting here with Secor and topo maps finalizing the plan for a trip up there on the 21st for a 9 day loop. Our route will take us over Italy Pass (with a climb of mount JC), then over to Bear Lakes Basin via Dancing bear pass. A few days in Bear Lakes basin (our goal is to climb Seven Gables and fish). Over Feather Pass towards LaSalle and Merriam (wby calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Well, I actually have a bachelor's degree in astrophysics, but it's not my career (chose the silicon valley $ route instead of the higher ed route - did you know many physicists are really good programmers? Comes in handy when trying to find a real-life job). But I do enjoy a night out under the stars. One of the best jobs I ever had was working in a planetarium. I find it difficult to describe cby calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
In my profile pic? Yes, Precipice Lake. I've slept there a couple times during the Perseid meteor shower peak. It's one of my (many) happy places.by calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I've never seen them in the sierra but have seen them in Anza Borrego, Joshua Tree, Mojave, Death valley, on top of White Mountain and along Silver Canyon (whites). I have a friend who saw some just above Muir Lake in Cottonwood Lakes basin a couple of years ago - here's a photo of hers. I was up there a couple of weeks ago but didn't see any. (oh but the fishies were sure purty).by calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I love Pinnacles. I've hiked every mile of trail on the park map (and several miles off-trail) multiple times - including the 'unmaintained' north loop (great place for spring wildflowers). I've done volunteer work when they acquired the new parcel on the east side, including incorporating the old private campground into the park's borders (enjoy the fences - a lot of sweat went into those ) Anyby calipidder - General Discussion
I've driven out at night and arrived around the Tioga Pass campgrounds (junction, ellery, sawmill, etc) on weeknights and everything has been packed. Latest try was two weeks ago on a thursday night. The only spot we found was at Lower Lee Vining creek crammed in between two RVs. Good luck. Best to get there before dark.by calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Heh, I wrote this after coming back from a trip a few years ago: http://calipidder.com/wp/2007/07/a-public-service-announcementlecture/ The following winter I was rear ended at the bottom of OPG by someone who had their brakes burn out. I was sitting there waiting to turn out when BAM, some Rav 4 with smoking brakes hit my rear. I got a paint scratch on my truck's hitch. He got a crumpled hby calipidder - General Discussion
Oh yes, the fish tacos. Never found any quite as tasty as the ones from Whoa Nellie. I always look forward to the spring opening of Tioga Road because it means access to the fish tacos again. Got my first fix of the season last weekend. Also, thanks for the pointers about Priest Station. Looking forward to trying it on our next trip through.by calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Be careful - just make sure you are at the *front of the line* by 10 am on the day you have your permit (the time they are considered abandoned and the spots are opened up for other people). We had a really bad experience a few years ago with the whole 'use it or lose it by 10 am' rule on reserved permits. There were 7 (?) of us planning on GC of the Tuolumne on 4th of July weekend (low snow yby calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion