Um... no... it's just my "golden" water bottle ... with "Hi Poopy Brain" on it... Unfortunately it is no longer with us... Guess I should not have filled it up all the way when the temp hit 25 during the night on a different trip... Used to take a couple of Fosters or Guiness with us... this was kind of stopped after a trip to Tiltill Valley after stopping at Rancheria Faby bill-e-g - General Discussion
Um... ya right... If you see a cougar on the trail then you either: a) are very lucky - enjoy it b) got pounced on and st. peter is now confiscating your gun you chance of either is slim to none... for part 1 of b) I'd prefer a knife actually If everyone carried a gun in the city then it would not be pretty. ... Oakland marks this day as their 100th random shooting... Good morning, todaby bill-e-g - General Discussion
20 Miles from the trailhead... Ahh... the tranquility...by bill-e-g - General Discussion
I cannot agree with your cow bellsh*t. The pack trains that go in there do not put bells on their mules. It's only the log "crews" which, IMO, should not be spending more than 1 night there. Cut the logs as you move along. It's only the log cutters that are there, not the true trail crews. They set up spike camps and bust their hump. We always say a hearty "thank you" toby bill-e-g - General Discussion
From where the railing is it looks like they WANTED you to go in there. That certainly is not the case now. Darwin has taken too many out. There didn't used to be a sign saying no swimming in Emerald Pool either. The very first time we ever went to Yosemite we swam in there. (along with 20-30 others). Heres the railing now. You can see the rock in the picture. Next time I'll look for the old rby bill-e-g - General Discussion
F-ing wonderful. This is why when people always ask my wife and I "aren't you afraid in the wilderness?" We always respond. "We feel safe as long as we don't see other people." "bears, mountain lions, rattlesnakes... whatever... no big deal... Neanderthal man... then we start worrying... he's probably thinks he needs a gun"by bill-e-g - General Discussion
Happy 4th.. should be in the woods but something came up. Just got back from Elizabeth-Nelson-Mathes-Budd Lake Loop. This is what the ranger at Big Oak Flat said: Big Oak: 8am Hetch: 7am Wawona: 8am Tuolumne: 7:30am Valley: 7:30am As I mentioned before the people at the station closest to the trailhead have priority over walkup permits. So, in theory if you get to the Valley at 7:30 and waby bill-e-g - General Discussion
Just one thing needs mention .... the last time we were at Benson... the log crew... (they cut the logs across the trail)... were schmucks and were there at the same time... and HAD to have their (they said they were mine... the goverments... whatever!) mules walk around untied with COW BELLS on... um... we only spent 1 night there instead of the planned 2... Just have to mention that to coby bill-e-g - General Discussion
It's doable. Done it many times. REPACKAGE EVERYTHING into Glad Bags. (ok, not candy bars ) Check out Pasta-Roni. All you need is powdered milk and butter or oil. Real Butter stays fine for many days. Repackage it and it lays super flat. (the Pasta... not the butter... hahaha) Could probably fit 50 of them in a bear can. It's not just boil water tho. Gotta cook it for 5-7 minutes. For lunch wby bill-e-g - General Discussion
I don't know your conditioning but probably your mileage is too much. to McCabe is around 14 miles.. first 5 are not bad... next 9 are up 2000 ft. so maybe you can do it - other option is to stay in cold canyon when you hit the "meadow" (you'll know when u are there) -- that is 10 miles from McCabe jct. it is another 15 miles just to summit Matterhorn from Matterhorn tby bill-e-g - General Discussion
Coming down from Rodgers Meadow there is a set of 75 switchbacks with >2000ft. descent. (from Rodgers it's over 5K down). Anyway, in that section the trail is overgrown and you will have to do a little bit of bushwacking. (was there 3 weeks ago) Just want to give you a heads up. Hiking up it was a pain... Seriously consider hiking up Volunteer Peak from the Rodgers saddle. It's aboutby bill-e-g - General Discussion
Um... can you say... "trail not maintained"?by bill-e-g - General Discussion
Its first-come first-served, simple line. people at the "proper" Wilderness Permit center are suppose to get priorty though. (for White Wolf it is Big Oak, for Glen Aulin it is Tuolumne) (I think that is correct) However, you can get your permit at any station so if there is not a long line at the closest one there I would stop there. If there is a line then you may want to just goby bill-e-g - General Discussion
All the major falls besides Bridalveil (didn't go into the Valley) were very impressive and flowing nicely last weekend (22nd). Since there is still snow melting you will not be disappointed. Not sure about Bridalveil ... hard to tell from Bridalveil Creek on Glacier Pt. Rd. but fairly certain it should be very nice too since there is still snow on Horse Ridge. Have funby bill-e-g - General Discussion
I was told that if you get a Mono Meadow permit you HAVE to stay in the Illouette Basin the first night. The second night if you want to go up Merced River Canyon you have to go 4 miles beyond LYV (to Moraine Dome) to camp. I'm certain after talking to the Ranger that this is all due to the fact that 99% of people look at the map and say... "no, problem, I can make it this far..."by bill-e-g - General Discussion
Mosquitos near Mount Starr King were mild to medium. Only had to put dope on near Starr King Lake. Interesting weather on Saturday... Beautiful as usual... thunderclouds to the east.. then around 3pm storm came in from west and rained some and blew really hard... just a bit of thunder and lightning. crystal clear blue skys by 7pm. Smelled smoke by 8pm. Next morning huge amount of smoke eby bill-e-g - General Discussion
Talked to Ranger when got permit at Wawona. The link that y_p_w listed is all you need to know. I learned a couple of things too. 1) You have to stay at LYV if you get GP to LYV or HI to LYV the first night. 2) If you get a Mono Meadow permit you cannot stay at LYV or beyond the first night (so the trip I mentioned that we did in the past Mono (or GP) to Lost Valley is not allowed)by bill-e-g - General Discussion
No doubt this is an incredible site. Thanks for pointing it out to everyone. Along with the defunct Ledge and Sierra Pt trails it's really interesting to see other no longer maintained trails in the backcountry. (there are a couple near Rodgers Meadow and Benson Pass (going towards Rock Island)) Now I have more to explore! Thanks Another really good Valley Map was: Yosemite Valley Map showingby bill-e-g - General Discussion
There is Glen Aulin passthru too. It IS an attempt to make sure that there is enough campsites for those with permits. One person I know got a permit for Glen Aulin and they were told they HAD to camp in the bp campground in Glen Aulin. So it must be the case for LYV. If you are gonna get that permit you have to camp in LYV. Anyway, I will ask at the "Mariposa" / Wawona / this thatby bill-e-g - General Discussion
Hmm... Don't know why it's not an option. They have Happy Isle to Sunrise/Merced. A few years back we got a permit from Mono Meadow and went all the way to Lost Valley on the first day. I'd just go in and say this is what I want to do. Maybe I'll ask tomorrow and report back as to what they say at the Mariposa Permit Station.by bill-e-g - General Discussion
Riana, Since you say most have not seen Yosemite my suggestion is this: On the first day get a permit from Glacier Point for a Little Yosemite Valley PASSTHRU. The backpack trip you can take the Panarama Trail to Nevada Falls and then to LYV. From there continue up the JMT towards Half Dome and turn right away from HD. Stay at the Sunrise Creek/Clouds Rest Tr. Jct. This is 9 Miles with totaby bill-e-g - General Discussion
Talked to some people coming out of Pate Valley who came from Glen Aulin and they said the Mosquitos were "screaming" when I asked if the waterfalls were. For me there were relatively none from 4600-7000 ft. I consider them bad if they are landing on you when you are hiking. It was only that way around Harden Gardens which is around 7500 and is quite wet. Going to go to Starr King Lakby bill-e-g - General Discussion
From what I know when White wolf Campground is closed the gate to the road is also closed meaning you can't park at the trailhead. Is that the case now? What to do? Do you have to start at the Lukens Lake trailhead? Is the gate actually open now? Anyone know? Or do I need to call? Wanna go check out Rattlesnakes at Pate Valley and up to Rodgers Lake.by bill-e-g - General Discussion
and Royal Arches... niceby bill-e-g - General Discussion
Chuck, You've already gotten some great adivce already. Here's my 2 cents. Let me say that I just ran up to Miwok Lake and over to Ardeth Lake down into Jack Main Canyon. Ardeth is at 8400 ft. There was approx 3ft of snow on the ground still and Ardeth was still half frozen over. I was postholing around 8 inches. On the way out talking to a ranger he said they just got another foot of snby bill-e-g - General Discussion
With (dis)respect to campfires... 3 words: Leave NO Trace They should be outlawed in ALL of Yosemite. The day will not come soon enough. Seems like everyone that goes backpacking insists on building a new fire ring even though when you get your permit they say use an existing fire ring blah blah blah... I know people would be amazed at how many fire rings there are! You can go offtrail manyby bill-e-g - General Discussion
Amen Bill... On the HUGE sign "High Sierra Loop Trail" that maps out the distances to Whitney it says right on the bottom in huge letters "NO PETS ON TRAILS". I'd put the picture but I am just a caveman. Have a nice dayby bill-e-g - General Discussion
Ok. My turn since someone said I was slightly cynical lately. I think it's fine to actually pave the section from Happy to Vernal. JMT is already paved that far so why not keep it ship shape? I think we all know how many people use that trail! Regarding the PCT/JMT paving... um... I kinda think they almost do that already. Instead of asphalt they just use "pavers". I definitelby bill-e-g - General Discussion
Don't know how to make this a hot link: http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/oct2007/2007-10-15-05.asp Anyway, Half Dome has been bought by Taco Bell and is now officially "The Taco Bell Bean Burrito Dome". People at the bottom of the cables are entiled to 1 free bean burrito. Taco Bell feels that this will lessen the number of people on the cables .. or at least the spacing between them.by bill-e-g - General Discussion