I was there last week and talked to a Ranger about what seemed to me to be an ever increasing number of mosquitos these last so many years. She said I was right and it is because they have reversed a process that started many decades ago where they used to drain the meadows every year to reduce the mosquitos. They have stopped that process and the meadows are now retaining more and more water, anby mtn man - General Discussion
This is an interesting dilemma that I myself have looked into. I would add another 6' to their "maximum trailer length". They took into account the amount of access road room to back your trailer in if you are an amateur. Sometimes you have to come down the wrong way on the one way campground roads to get the right angle to back in. My experience has been that you can easily get into thby mtn man - General Discussion
In the summer of 1966 meeting a group of friends there (summer after our senior year in high school), and then again the next summer after our freshman year in college. Was a great group of kids. I especially remember the rafting and our evening campfires. 43 years later I',m still going and still rafting but now with a wife and 4 kids.by mtn man - General Discussion
Good job!! There are still some left. This phenomenon didn't happen in Lower Pines or Upper Pines.by mtn man - General Discussion
Numerous campsites on the system this morning.(North Pines). These are probably ones left off the system 5 months ago because of fears of flooding. Go for it! They are in loops 3 and 4.by mtn man - General Discussion
Yes, thank you Cornbread. That is a great link. I've always been totally astounded by the dedication and skills of these search and rescue people (especailly when I listen to them on my scanner). During the summer there are pretty much daily call outs for these members. Does anyone know are they made up totally of NPS employees or do employees of Delaware North get involved too?by mtn man - General Discussion
I was heading home out of the Valley yesterday after 3 days there and saw a helicopter landing in El Cap meadow. There were a lot of vehicles there with people and equipment, and an ambulance. The helicopter was trailing a long orange rope from underneath it. Does anyone know what was going on? Was there a rescue going on or was it just ferrying men and equipment to the top of El Cap for someby mtn man - General Discussion
Got info from the above mentioned website and followed it up with a call to the Park's recorded road info number and it also listed it as open. This was about 1:30 p.m. today.by mtn man - General Discussion
Per the NPS Tioga and Glacier Point road plowing website it opened today.by mtn man - General Discussion
What' really frustrating is you really don't NEED a generator. They are only needed for microwaves (so use your propane fed stove or oven in the rig instead), TV's (you can use an inverter that will run a TV off your batteries), or air conditioners (So go outside and sit in the shade instead). If your rig is set up right you should have 2 batteries for the rig which are charged as you are drivinby mtn man - General Discussion
Where's there to eat in El Portal and about how much? My friends are staying at the Yosemite View Lodge.by mtn man - General Discussion
Sierra Fan, I think you got it right. That's the way I remember it and I believe one of the main reasons they stopped it was becasue of the damage to the meadows from all the people coming out of the campgrounds to watch the specatacle. It was fun, but the trampoling of the meadows was definately a problem. And I think you are right about the dialogue.by mtn man - General Discussion
Yes, I remember it. First enjoyed it when I was there in the summer after my high school graduation (1966) and a few consecutive summers after that. It got pretty crowded in Camp Curry at Fire Fall time. I was amazed that you could hear the guy at the top of Glacier Point yelling down to Camp Curry to ask if they were ready for the Firefall. Anybody remember the exact dialogue between Glacier Poiby mtn man - General Discussion
Yes it is very frustrating. But of all the reservation programs that have been in effect, and then changed, I think this is the one that is the most fair. I've been ( In the last 25 years) through the old wait in line for Ticketron, the call ins 8 weeks ahead of your starting date, which worked pretty well, then the 15 th of the month 5 months ahead of time, which took hours , then the really sloby mtn man - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
As far as the Valley is concerned, Cook's Meadow, and Happy Isles.by mtn man - General Discussion
One of the biggest problems of the hike is those who do it the first day they arrive in Yosemite. It's better to do it the last day you are in the area in order to give yourselves a little time to adjust to the altitude. At least a couple of days is pereferable.by mtn man - General Discussion
Just checked through the same campground site reservation system you use for Yosemite campsites (Recreation.gov.) and there are numerous campsites available 7/30 for 2 nites in Cedar Bluff c.g. (Bass Lake)by mtn man - General Discussion
Search for campsites in the Bass Lake area. This is about 1 1/2 hrs. from Yosemite Valley. They are reservable and if you can do midweek you might have a chance. That time of year hiking to Half Dome can be very warm at the start so start about dawn and carry LOTS of water. Good Luck! When you get down from the hike go to Camp Curry and get pizza at the pizza porch, then pick drivers who will sby mtn man - General Discussion
Y P W. Glad you got something. I had thought about the lottery system as an alternative but then I realized the current system is somewhat like a lottery system as its pretty much random if you get a site. I would think this current system would be better than a lottery because at least if your first choice is taken you can always click on your next choices and hope to land something, like youby mtn man - General Discussion
I have been making (or attemping to make) campground reservations for June every year now for about the last 30 yrs. I have to admit this current system is about the fairest and most efficient I've seen. The only unfair part about it would be for someone who doesn't have access to a computer and has to rely on phoning in, which for the summer reservations will get you nowhere. I've done Ticketronby mtn man - General Discussion
Thanks Y P W for the clarifying info on the use of that campground. I 'll have to assume that there is no wilderness permit required for a round trip day hike to Half Dome so this campground is not a viable choice for this group's plans? Thanks , Tomby mtn man - General Discussion
Bridalviel is at a different elevation and different area than where you want to be. There is a little known group backpackers campsite area just norht of, and accessed through, North Pines campground. From there it is about a one mile hike to the trailhead for Half Dome. I'm not sure about the logistics of getting into that campground, I think it is first come, first serve and is generally empby mtn man - General Discussion
There were some computer glitches yesterday with the system. Some sites were showing available when they weren't. DBL 3 showed available for hours for 7/5 for 7 nights yet whenever you clicked on it to buy it said "inventory unavailable." It was proabaly already sold out but the computer still showed available. Normally this system works pretty well, better than the old way of calling iby mtn man - General Discussion
About what time of day does this happen?by mtn man - General Discussion
Did Tioga Pass ever reopen after it was closed 10/30??by mtn man - General Discussion
Yes, the colors are incredible. My wife and I were there 10/28 to 10/31. My wife said the colors rivaled New England. And due to the rain Yosemite Falls is running again. Tomby mtn man - General Discussion