I think basilbop nailed it. Legal protection and surface contamination. The water might be clean but the spring area isn't. Ie taking clean water from the faucet and pouring it into a dirty cup to drink it. I know people who swear by it and drink it all the time and then those who find trash, toilet paper, etc around it or people soaking their feet in it. Likely it's fine to drink most of theby buster - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotebalzaccom The permit system is really designed to manage the traffic on the first night of your trip. After that, you are free to explore the back country however you wish, as long as you don't leave it and then come back again. The large majority of back-packers rarely make it beyond that first day's hike, which is why many beautiful places in Yosemite still don't get much traffic No, tby buster - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
We shouldn't be encouraging trips like this. This is an obvious use of a loophole. The OP wanted to go somewhere else and doesn't want to go to Illilouette, an area they nothing about and which is in a different direction than they want to go for an extra night. It is only because of a quirk in geography and of the permit system that it is possible with some jumping of hoops. Instead of going toby buster - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
I would think Sequoia would be harder to pronounce that Yosemite. But then again I guess Sequoia is a car model so more common. You would think he would go over his speech beforehand to make sure he could pronounce everything correctly. Nice to have something to joke about and the the NPS is getting a little more money.by buster - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I wonder how often this happens. I doubt he is the first or last to do so, either for day use passes, or any other pass or permit. I bet employees do it too as they are able, like a bartender giving a free drink to a friend, barista a free coffee, etc. I'm conflicted. I can get on my high horse and condemn them, but if we had a friend in Yosemite that could get us a day use permit, half domeby buster - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
The trail from White Wolf to Smith Meadow is very overgrown, to the point that it doesn't really exist at times. Unless you want to do a lot of bushwhacking, I would advice against it. White Wolf to Aspen Valley is the old Great Sierra Wagon Road. Not well traveled. Mostly forested and follows the Middle Fork of the Tuolumne for much of it. Not sure if you are planning an out and back or a looby buster - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Considering that there are thousands of visitors to Yosemite per day, most of them coming from California with a significant number of Covid cases, it is not surprising that some of them have Covid or at least remnants of covid in their system. While not great news, this is on the order of saying the sky is blue. Was at Tenaya Lake last week and lots of people not wearing a mask. On the beachby buster - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteMY HAPPY PLACE Thanks for the heads up Coolburn,,,,,,,,,,,,,, and thanks Yosemite for making things as hard as possible. Im sure all the folks that work in the Mono area but live in Mariposa, Groveland etc Love to drive around, and the same for the folks on the other side. Well I hope my camping trip to Mammoth still happens at the end of September, Guess I better reserve my PRIVILEGE toby buster - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Usually I don't like to social media shame people, but I do have my exceptions: Aramark Vice President Mike Grisar hitting golf balls in Ahwahnee Meadow Totally unacceptable behavior for someone living and working in Yosemiteby buster - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteNot quite The Geezer, but getting there How many PCT through-hikers enter Yosemite in a given day (assuming they spend at most one night in Yosemite) - 30? 50? I haven't looked at the quotas. But it's a small number of people, most of whom have already been on the trail for a while, and therefore are unlikely at that point in time to be infectious, even if they were previously infected, andby buster - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteMTE @buster: I have checked the NG map. You're right, the Medlicott trail is not on this map. I suppose I discovered on All Trails. We have tried three options: Rafferty Creek, Lyell Canyon and Sunrise trailhead and applied two times. None of these were succesfull. The idea was to hike from TM area to Red Pass to Tenaya Lake. We can still try one time to get a permit, or wait for an waby buster - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Quoteags Quotebasilbop...or the historic blasting of the El Cap moraine that lowered the valley water level. Every time I hear about "restoring Yosemite Valley to it's original beauty" I think of this specific event. I haven't found anything other than brief references to it, and cannot claim detailed knowledge of the extent of the changes it spawned. It strikes me from just the shortby buster - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quoteabetterpitchfork Anyway, chick-on, I get your disappointment, but I'm not sure I can share your anger. I think abetterpitchfork said it really well. The only thing that I would have to add is that if you are doing a restoration project, and that is your justification, you open yourself up to some strong criticism if you don't also remove sentimental trees that are otherwise against yourby buster - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteMTE Thanks, this is very helpfull. @buster: I discovered the trail at the National Geographics maps. Later, I found out that is was an approach trail for Medlicott. I'm monitoring the full trailhead report since last summer. It seems that Catheral Lakes trailhead is very busy, so we suppose our chances to get a permit are small. We have planned to go in July. We have to check onby buster - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
QuoteBilko Didn't they also change the rules on the Backpacker Camp in the Valley. I'm sure you used to be able to stay there on the basis you were going to try and bag a walk up permit the next day. Last time I was there you had to already have a Wilderness Permit for the next day or be at the end of your trip Not that I know of. Maybe that was unofficially allowed or not enforced. I did heaby buster - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
To follow up on my post, I thought about the permit rule changes that have come about in the last 10 years or so that were very likely because of abuse of the permit system. Half Dome: At first, with the half dome permits, there was no limit for backpackers. If your trip reasonably went past Half Dome, you could a permit to go up Half Dome. Now there is a limit for the number of backpackers thby buster - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
1. Yes you could. It is a separate trip, but might as well put it as one of your choices. The problem is if you get both choices. Of course you can cancel one of the choices and feel better about yourself, but if someone else tried to get one of those routes and wasn't successful, they'll be out of a permit they could have gotten. They won't be likely to apply again for the same route if they gotby buster - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
What mkbgdns said is within the rules it is not something that should be encouraged. It is an obvious workaround, busy trailhead, find alternate trailhead that you don't actually want nearby ("you're only at Budd because Cathedral's full" fulfill the minimum requirement for that trailhead, and then proceed as normal on your route (even with the snarky comment about "overly zealous&qby buster - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Quoteabetterpitchfork Interesting that the Restore Hetch Hetchy folks are in favor of allowing an electric ferry and kayaks on the reservoir. Seems to me like it would have the opposite effect of what they hope for, which is to say would make people enjoy the reservoir quite a bit more than they already do. My guess is that is multi faceted. Probably one is to piss off SF water and bring more aby buster - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Though I have heard and seen them for years, I have no idea what the loud insects are called that you often find on the trail. I was backpacking with a friend this weekend and he asked what they were called and I had no idea. I consulted my John Muir Laws book and tentatively identified them as the Sierran Blue-Winged Grasshopper. Other than their appearance, their distinctive characteristic is tby buster - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Unless I am mistaken, Walker Burger is in Walker, not in Bridgeport. (or is that just comingling of the sentences) I've always liked Walker Burger (4.5 on yelp for what it is worth) The garden is lovely, and the burger, shake and fries are delicious. It's a burger joint in eastern California. Don't expect a fancy burger, but a solid one. The initial poster may have gotten a bad one, or somethiby buster - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
No?! Do you know why it is closed? Our go to spot in Lee Vinning. Good milkshakesby buster - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
There is a trail crew camp and they are working on it now. Just the stringers from the last few years, still working on the foundations. Seems not to be much visible progress, but once the foundation is complete progress should be much faster. They said nothing of a timescale, but my guess reading between the lines would be sometime in mid-September. When they are working, they don't want anyoneby buster - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
I have a number of issues with this study. The first is that the primary purpose of the permit system was to improve the wilderness character and then the visitor experience. Safety is the 4th objective, but even then it is more specifically for the cables section, the actual permit required area, so that people can freely move up/down the cables if needed, say in a thunderstorm. Safety along theby buster - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quoterecycling1991 We did have a fantastic time rafting the Merced three days ago, with experienced guides (with an outfitter), with many safety checks. They said it was class 3-4. I highly recommend it. I'm assuming that it was not in the valley and outside the park, starting in the El Portal area (Cedar Lodge)? Just wasn't explicitly clear in your statementby buster - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotegophersnake The stream gage at Pohono Bridge shows the water level just inches from flood stage (the red line at 10 feet) and still heading upward. It sure looks like it'll cross the line tonight, even if briefly, and probably crest even higher tomorrow night. Any idea why NPS hasn't mentioned the possibility of flooding yet? I'm not in the area but I will be in two weeks, and I'm tryingby buster - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Many times, too many to count (or it was just too long ago to remember clearly). For a while I had more times doing the trail in the dark than during the daylight. QuoteOhnivy-Drak A few people passed, but most were courteous and didn't mind the extra time spent going down. While there are courteous and non-courteous ways to pass someone, implying that anyone passing is not courteous is justby buster - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotechulavista Any one familiar with the background on the issues there? I figured it's just too well known now. The press release summed it up pretty well, people camping out in line with the associated problems of trash, food storage, etc. I bet there were people just camping there saying they were 'waiting' in line. The lines were getting too long, both in duration and actual length. The pby buster - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteNot quite The Geezer, but getting there I don't know for a fact, but I suspect you're right. The internet has made information available for little cost, bringing news of - and spectacular photos from - places like Yosemite and Zion NPs to a much wider audience than was the case 30 and even 20 years ago, when you had to make a greater effort (at least get to the public library to look at somby buster - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
My first thought would be it would be the groomer(s). Not sure when they usually go out, but if they did the road to glacier point first and then came back to hit the slopes the timing would be about right.by buster - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion