QuoteJustKeepWalking Poor thing. He needs a little time to accept.... I'll explain tomorrow. You mean the RGB color codes pulled from his picture didn't help?by ttilley - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Pure orange, in hex color, is #FF8000. Pure yellow is #FFFF00. Poking around with Gimp's color-picker, I get codes like: #FFB06E (in the brightest spot), #EF8D42, and in more shaded areas BE6221 and #BC641D. This is, by and large, orange.by ttilley - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I asked about this at the Mammoth Visitor Center last year and the ranger seemed to consider the "trail" versus "cross-country" "permit type" on the webpage to be pretty confusing. I did note the remaining quota before and after reserving my permit, and found that both "permits" remaining quota had been reduced by the size of my party.by ttilley - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Nice snow cone built up, it's good to finally get winter in the Sierra.by ttilley - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
On the topic of avalanche zones...I follow the Tahoe Area's Sierra Avalanche Center on facebook, and...lately there's been some real unstable snow, with weak buried surface facet layers that haven't yet consolidated. On the other side of the crest, but closer to Yosemite, is the Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center in Mammoth.by ttilley - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Makes sense.by ttilley - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
The Ahwahnee: I like your suggestion. Curry Village: Snark aside, I think this needs to remain Curry Village for historic reasons. Yosemite Lodge: If it were me I think I'd name it "Yosemite Falls Lodge" - with or without this dispute. Wawona Hotel: For historic reasons I think this needs to remain Wawona Hotel - even more so than with Curry Village. Badger Pass: Tressider Rby ttilley - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Average Temperatures, Yosemite Park HQ. February's average low is 28 (Fahrenheit, the US hasn't joined the civilized world on this point yet), you can click a graph for extremes (along the left-side pane, click Daily Extremes and Averages) and see record lows around 10 F or so by mid-late Feb. I'd be prepared to enjoy lows of 20 F and survive colder. In an average year the coldest February day isby ttilley - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Nice pictures, thanks! Glad the weather held and you could make it out to the point.by ttilley - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
The pickup location was here, as buster says on the flat area just a few feet northeast of the outhouse. Hard to know where she fell without official details, the face itself looked icy in the video and the upper half has steep switchbacks, then there's a final set of switchbacks in the trees just before the top. Hoping for a good recovery...by ttilley - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Nice to finally see winter again!by ttilley - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
From the park's Superintendent's Compendium, which compiles the park's regulations: Quote2015 Yosemite Superintendent's Compendium, Page 18 An exception to the above requirements is granted for winter use in designated areas within Yosemite Wilderness. Overnight visitors using skis or snowshoes in the following areas are not required to store food in bear resistant food canisters: 1) above 7by ttilley - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
QuoteFYI, others have mentioned certain rental car companies prohibiting chains. I don't recall any restrictions from Hertz (although a. this was about 10 or 12 years ago and b. it was bright and sunny at SFO where we picked up the car and I never mentioned anything about where we were going so it was not a natural conversation to have). Installed correctly, I'm unaware of the status by rentalby ttilley - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteThe snowpack in the central sierra resembles more of a continental climate than the maritime climate which is more typical of this region. Cold temperatures and low snow depths over the past month have caused depth hoar (weak, unconsolidated snow crystals found at or near the ground) to form, primarily on north and east aspects. I've seen a few snow pit reports from the Sierra Avalanche Ceby ttilley - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I saw a lot of dead trees around the 5,000 foot level driving to Kings Canyon on 180 back in October.by ttilley - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotejchapell Great info everyone! We are driving in tomorrow (the 17th). We'll be coming from Sacramento - does anyone have some beta on coming in 120 at currently? I've checked CalTran and it looks like there aren't any chain restrictions on the highway, but would love to hear anyone's thoughts. When are you planning to leave? Here's the forecast for Crane Flat, looks like a good chance you mby ttilley - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I've never been asked to show chains with my Subaru either. However, in addition to the fact that it's possible...if you do get stuck for whatever reason you'll be expected to pull out your chains and put them on your 4WD/AWD - had that happen to a friend once. He had his chains, you'd be cited if you didn't have them.by ttilley - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Nice report, thanks. QuoteSince we were so close to the official beginning of winter, we were in the tent by 5:00pm Strictly speaking, the earliest sunset isn't necessarily the solstice due to the Equation of Time, a combination of the eccentricity of the Earth's orbit and the tilt of the earth's orbital plane relative to the solar equator. The most rapid shift in solar noon occurs between eby ttilley - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
As Chick-On noted it's groomed (though watch the forecast, it's not groomed daily, you could "break trail" depending upon timing). I've done one-night trips to Taft Point and Sentinel Dome. Haven't gone all the way out to Glacier Point, but when I do that I'll plan a two-night trip. I don't think I'd plan this in late December as a camping trip, though - there's not much daylight toby ttilley - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
This is actually my first time to the Watchtower, my two other trips out of Wolverton have been winter trips, only open route is over the Hump.by ttilley - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Nepal has been in my mind for some time, as has Chile and/or Argentina. If I could be assurred things were calmed down in south-central Asia, northwestern India would also be on my list.by ttilley - General Discussion
Deleted...misinterpreted your response...by ttilley - General Discussion
I love Paris, have been several times, and if it were in my current plans I'd gladly stick with them. This past February I visited New Zealand's South Island and would love to go back. This offered hut-based backpacking (Milford, Kepler, and Routeburn tracks) as well as wine tasting in a very nice Pinot Noir region. I was debating between that and Tasmania, which I'd also love to visit. I'vby ttilley - General Discussion
Adding Mirror "Lake" to your "boat all the Yosemite lakes" quest?by ttilley - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
The Rough Fire was finally contained last weekend after 3 months.They're not re-opening Cedar Grove until next year, the park newsletter mentioned roadway and guardrail damage.by ttilley - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Nice view and water flow, but...March? That should all have been buried.by ttilley - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
In that location the trail is crossing rock, so perhaps the blacktop was to provide a less-downward-tilted surface for the road?by ttilley - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Do we have any evidence of that? I'm not a fan of mandatory sentencing, I think judges should be able to look at the overall situation and make appropriate decisions. In this case, though, we're hoping he's learned his lesson based on...what?by ttilley - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
There is also a section of the Ostrander Lake trail where old blacktop is present, as it crosses the first major open area after climbing away from Bridalveil Creek, about here.by ttilley - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Halloween weekend saw near perfect weather, and I had previously reserved a room at Wuksachi Lodge. Saturday I hiked from Wolverton to Heather Lake via the Watchtower, returning by the Hump. The watchtower. I didn't see Tokopah falls going, but I heard some water coming from somewhere, so the rains have had some impact. From the watchtower, looking east, up the Marble Fork Kaweah:by ttilley - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra