Well, I guess that explains the mystery. LoL! I went to Yosemite Dec 15-17. On the morning of the 17th I was driving into the village and couldn't understand why a handful of busses were parked at the maintenance building with engines running. I left mid day and didn't actually see them running. I wonder how long that will last.by JohnC - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I've stayed there a couple times in recent years. Sure they're a bit old, but they're clean, very well priced and close walking distance to everything. I guess now we can pay twice as much. :-(by JohnC - General Discussion
I was there Feb 20 and 21. I had no interest in Horsetail Fall. Wednesday the 20th was snowing and therefore overcast and there was no mania occurring. But it didn't completely stop the ignorant crowd. As I was set up on Sentinel Bridge trying to photograph Half Dome through some hopefully clearing fog, a driver pulled up. He parked in the street over the bridge, got out, and rushed over to showby JohnC - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
This time of year rooms are pretty cheap in El Portal. I'm going up for a couple of days tomorrow and will be staying there.by JohnC - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I'm leaving early in the AM tomorrow (Wed) to go up there, but not for Horsetail. I'm wondering if all this weather will cause any changes to the posted rules. The weather has put a rather large crimp in the Horsetail opportunity so far this year. Either way I'm hoping the parking on Southside Drive near Cathedral Beach will be allowed earlier in the day. I like photographing there in the morningby JohnC - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I'm hoping to go up this weekend. Hope they get everything squared away before then.by JohnC - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotehikerchick395 recreation.gov has a clock? Yes, as noted above. it's also linked somewhere in the instructions on how to make a reservation. It helps very much to click in within a second or two of them going live.by JohnC - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotehikerchick395 mtn man...exactly as you described! There were also messages that there were 0 requests for a site (?) John C...some one has to be lucky! (My sister...two of her sons...got two side by side sites for a different date than I was trying for. She was panicky the night before when so many sites were x'd out after May 28.) My biggest problem Dec 15 was that the computer cby JohnC - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quoteeeek QuoteJohnCI don't quite understand how I got through it so easily given the obvious problems noted here. Perhaps it was luck. Well, I had my site picked out for the exact dates I wanted. Right on time I hit enter and immediately got confirmation I had the site. Other than paying, I did nothing else. So I guess it could have been luck. But a few days before, I tried all kinds of thiby JohnC - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I just saw this thread and don't know what to say. Prior to Dec 15 I logged into Rec.gov in preparation for some May reservations in Upper Pines. I noticed the change in format and spent some time learning how it worked. I didn't run into any problems at all while practicing. On the morning of Dec 15 I logged in early, prepared for my attempt, and closely watched the time. The second 7:00 hit, Iby JohnC - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I had reservations in TM Aug 12-17. I almost cancelled but am glad I didn’t. The air around there was pretty good from the begining but got even better each day. The whole time I was there they had a lot of vacancies. The first day I got there you could hardly see Half Dome from Olmsted Point. By the time I left the view had improved greatly even though I’m sure the valley was still far fromby JohnC - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Please do report back (with pics if possible), when you go. Thanks. :-)by JohnC - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I’m not sure you’ll find all that for free. I pay for a Smugmug account that has a lot of convenient features for organizing, uploading, and easily accessible on an app.by JohnC - Photography advice, critiques and tutorials
I was there from Sunday to Friday. The noisiest neighbors I had arrived Thursday so I only had one evening of them. Can We Talk? You Talkin' to Me? Hold My Beer and Watch This.by JohnC - General Discussion
I was in 31. Just got home last nite. Where were you? FYI, I finally saw a bear. It was so cool. He was eating bugs out of an old log right next to the trail. Awesome!by JohnC - General Discussion
I’m currently camping in Upper Pines in the Core tent I purchased from Costco last year. Good stuff, good prices.by JohnC - General Discussion
Quotecalberry This is a test to see if I have figured out how to upload a pic. Even though I used the Insert Image URL before, I don't think I had the kind of URL for my source pic. Thanks to JohnC for some instruction. Hopefully this works this time: Edit #1: Argh...after posting I see that neither of these Shutterfly links worked, so it is back to the drawing boardby JohnC - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thank you.by JohnC - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Yeah, you can't get photos like this either, without rain.by JohnC - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Steve, great story. Thanks for sharing. :-) Last year I was able to move my May camping reservation from Wawona to Upper Pines a week before the trip because the forecast was for rain. It rained two of the three days I was there but it was one of the best times ever. I rode my bike in the rain, stopping to take pictures often. The worst weather can make for some of the best memories! This Mby JohnC - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I was hoping it would be open when I went May 6. Oh well.by JohnC - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I'm leaving for Moab a week from tomorrow. Guess I'll have to see how this plays out. I've already got a rental car and hotel booked. Not sure I'd make the trip just for Dead Horse Point.by JohnC - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotehikerchick395 If you try to exceed your limit of days in Yosemite, your last reservation attempt will be kicked out and say "inventory not available...choose fewer days." Or, at least that's what I've experienced in the past. And this was when I've tried to get another reservation for my sister along with for myself. Last year, for Tuolumne, I was able to get two campsites for tby JohnC - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotebalzaccom I don't know specifically about Yosemite, but in some cases recreation.gov allows you to make a reservation before the official window for that date opens, if it is a continuation of a reservation that starts in a current window. So if you want to stay from August 12-18, you make the reservation when it becomes available for the first date...and simply extend it beyond the currentby JohnC - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
If you don't drink your coffee black, it isn't coffee anyway. Starbucks is far from my first choice when it comes to coffee. But as the sailors say, any port in a storm.by JohnC - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotetroutwild You could book your early August reservation for 4 days only, allowing your later, 5 day reservation to work. Tuolumne campground is not "site specific" so you can likely get your extra night when checking in (if the second attempt fails). PS. check your PM That is an option. Thanks.by JohnC - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Well, it's not exactly a math test, but it does involve numbers. :-) I currently have a 5 day reservation in May at Upper Pines. I would like to reserve 5 more days during the second half of August at Tuolumne Meadows. However, I could probably make the first half of August work, if need be. So what I would like to do is…… 1) Book 5 nights for the first half of August on March 15 2) Bby JohnC - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Rudolf, that's not funny. You bring back my suit right now!by JohnC - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quoteparklover QuoteJohnC Thanks to those who offered suggestions and PMs. I managed to get 5 nites in Upper Pines (site 31). The site looks land locked, but I'm sure there's an easement somewhere. :-) Congrats on getting a site. I have only had sites on the upper loop so I can't say what 31 is like. Thanks. I'm sure it will be fine. This year I had 165. I think the only real difference betweeby JohnC - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks to those who offered suggestions and PMs. I managed to get 5 nites in Upper Pines (site 31). The site looks land locked, but I'm sure there's an easement somewhere. :-)by JohnC - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion