When dispersal camping in National Forest land in California, you can just lock stuff in the car. If you go camping out in Sierra National Forest, you'll see bear lockers in campgrounds with broken latches. They don't really get much bear activity. Counter balancing is still allowed while backpacking tho rangers will tell you canisters are *preferred.* I just take a canister, usually, and hby AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Okay... but I'd still buy it, cause it's then twice as likely that you'd have to hike miles to find it, since they allow it.by AlmostThere - General Discussion
You will not be able to gather wood. It's prohibited because people keep doing it, and sometimes start chopping up living trees. You'll be able to buy wood in the store in the Valley floor. Backpackers are allowed to gather wood that is no longer than your forearm, no bigger around than your wrist, and taking an axe for that is ... ridiculous. I usually backpack and have never taken nor needeby AlmostThere - General Discussion
Quoteeeek QuoteAlmostThereor poke it with sticks. Had to do that one time. The blasted snake just wouldn't get off the trail and there was no way to go around. Gave him some nudges and eventually he slowly slithered off. I use really long (extended trekking pole) sticks when that has to happen - like in Muir Gorge where the big dude was spread out across the trail and we wanted to get by him.by AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
There is a lot of hysteria, none of it shared by me. I saw more rattlesnakes in my backyard when I was 5-10 years old than I have ever seen hiking. I have stepped on one. They are not prone to chasing you down and biting you - they go the other way, if you don't do something stupid like pick one up or poke it with sticks.by AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotechick-on I thought you said you only slept in a hammock... ? I love to sleep in my hammock! But I also love to go above 11,000 feet. So I have a tarptent. The only way I sleep in a tent willingly is to have a tent that is much, much lighter than the hammock, and therefore easier to carry up tall mountains.by AlmostThere - General Discussion
"Charles M. Bogert has advised me of a northern Pacific rattler killed above Sally Keyes Lake, Fresno County, in the Sierra at 11000 feet. The lake is at elevation 10175, and several nearby peaks exceed 12000 feet." Rattlesnakesby AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotechick-on There's a reason why you see mice and other rodent up high. Unless you find a Rattlesnake with fur on it... I'll give you 100 bucks if you see one above 10K. Heck, make it 9K. How many Rattlesnakes have been seen in Tuolumne Meadows? The internet: where mis-information spreads like wildfire The highest rattlesnake *documented* was in a book about them. It was spotted on Salby AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I have Gossamer Gear Lightreks. Have had them for a few years now and thoroughly abused them, they are still going strong and I rarely go without them - only on search and rescue when the poles spend time attached to the pack, when I take some aluminum Eastons that collapse shorter. Will not go back to heavier poles in a zillion years. These are my shelter poles and have seen a lot of miles aby AlmostThere - General Discussion
You might see snakes anywhere. They have been seen in the Sierra up to 11,000 feet. But they are like any animal, they go where they want, and if you see them you are fortunate - take a picture and don't go close. Rattlers most like lower elevations and water - most of the ones I have noticed have been near creeks or rivers in brushy canyons. But I bet there are a few up high, chasing pika...by AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotehotrod4x5 Quotechicagocwright 3. Curry Village Pizza is the best pizza you can get west of Chicago. Do not listen to this, you are better off bringing a digiornio rising crust pizza and eating it cold and raw. I've eaten there twice this year, for the first time ever. I thought they were digiorno. But the beer's good.by AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
It was either a medivac or a search. While we were looking for Gene Hall last year, we had the Yosemite chopper as well as the one from Sequoia NP helping us from the air. They diverted the Yosemite ship a couple of times because there were other searches going. I think people do not realize that there are medical interventions every day, numerous times per day, on trails in Yosemite, andby AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Microspikes? What for? I was on Kibbie Ridge when the snow was falling. It was melting while new stuff was coming down. It's spring snow, it won't even be there in a few days, and it'll be pretty darn muddy.by AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I'd think that would be kind of dumb, unless they weighted it down with lots and lots of rocks. Tents make great kites.by AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotehoodie07 Here is the full clip of the bear encounter. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6unYAFhl8hQ Note this bear was spotted by the road side - dont give up looking! I suspect that is where he hangs out. We saw one that looked just like him, tearing apart a log, ignoring people. We got tired of looking and left. I want all bears to stay as far away from roads as possible. They get kiby AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Great! I can drive my limo up there this weekend, then.by AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quoteplawrence Quotey_p_w Quotettilley Starbuck's "Via" is quite nice for backpacking coffee. I don't generally buy their stuff for home (I buy beans from a local roaster), but I've tended to get sick of various backpacking coffee options and that problem hasn't come up with Via. I've had no problem with Taster's Choice. It comes in little single serve packets and cost something liby AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteSpeedyE ~Also, can someone please explain how the Wilderness permit system works? Last month I got permits to enter Cathedral lakes trailhead on the 4th for a party of 3. At the time, the trailheads report showed Cathedral to be available from the 4th-7th, but NOW it says there are no reservation openings for June 5th. I ask because I would like to add 2 more ppl to our party. I've calledby AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quoteplawrence Quotechick-on Pa lease... well... lemme do the math... hmm... since Aug of last year.. 1 2 3... 29 backpacking trips... used the Steripen every time... worked every time... hmm... looks good to this bird. mwa mwa mwa You have to admit though, before you got the "Opti" version of the SteriPEN Adventurer, you thought SteriPENs stunk too. . "But it wby AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotedqniel I think UV is the way to go. Chemical has a hard time with parasites (because of the lack of penetration through the "shells" and physical has a hard time with viruses and smaller bacteria. Just make sure the UV is used in water that is pre-filtered or naturally low turbidity and that the retention time is long enough (follow the instructions.) I've done a lot of waterby AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotechick-on QuoteBigR Almost, thanks for the great thoughts. Will certainly try some of suggestions, especially about dehydrating the rice.... Randy No disrepect really... but why bother? http://www.knorr.com/Products/Rice-Sides.aspx Buy something like Spanish or Mexican Rice... take some Taco Bell Hot Sauce. A package of Tortillas... and you got yourself a Poor Chick-on's Burrrrr-by AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
There are signs in every bear locker I looked in between Kearsarge and Crabtree Meadow not to leave food or trash. There was also trash. There was also two really scroungy looking guys rifling through the trash - we confronted them opening our bear locker in Vidette, and they said they had run out of food a few days ago and were getting "leftovers" out of boxes. Of course, had we beeby AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
trailcooking.com Forget all the hyper-expensive freeze dried crap. Ban expensive and low calorie (ha, look at the label, how low can they go?) foil wrapped junk full of preservatives. Eat real food that fits in bear cans. Oatmeal can get old, but you can get other stuff in packets - instant cream of wheat, instant grits. Or bag up some granola and a few spoons of Nido - full fat milk poby AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotewherever My favorite approach to the the Diving Board is none of the above. When the water is low, as it is in your photos, you can walk west along the shore after crossing the Silver Apron bridge, and go up between Mt Broderick and Grizzly Peak. You can then head up to the ridge at the first easy opportunity, and miss having to deal with any exposure. This is the best if you have newby AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I was up there this same weekend. Had a companion suffering a gimp and cut things short - but we would have made it the 10 miles to Vernon well before dark on the first day, because the group were all veteran hikers with a good 2-3 mph pace even up hills. It is a constant climb up to the ridge right before you descend to Vernon. Lots of downed trees up there. The less used trails tend to disapby AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteJRinGeorgia Day 1: the day before we will be driving Big Sur and then heading to Merced for the night, so Day 1 in Yosemite starts in Merced. We'll head out early, when we get to YNP the plan is: Bridalveil Fall UYF Trail to Columbia Rock afternoon horse/mule ride to Mirror Lake late afternoon/evening is open, maybe rent bikes or do LYF or Cooks Meadow night in Oakhurst (yes I know,by AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotey_p_w I'm pretty sure that bleach is effective against bacteria. The residual chlorine (or chloramine) in municipal water is supposed to reduce bacteria - especially where they might grow in the distribution system. I even remember old phone books used to contain emergency procedures, which included how to make questionable water potable. It recommended ordinary household bleach to kiby AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteKatyAnderson I read this article on Giardia in the Sierras in 2004. Seldom treated any Sierra water after that. Lived to tell the tale. YMMV. that's nice. I know 20+ people who would tell you research ain't the whole picture. They lived to tell the tale of giardia and how awful it is. The swiftwater rescue team in my county have ALL had it, and you can't really blame kitchen habitby AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
The chemical packaged with the MSR Sweetwater is just for the viruses that might be in the water, so doesn't have to be at all effective against the other stuff, which the filter gets. Bleach works for viruses and not for much else. Iodine is risky stuff - it's not terribly effective against giardia, and not at all against crypto - and there are health risks associated with repeated usage. Notby AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
If you want a purifier, chemicals or the First Need work okay. A filter will do and I use a Hiker Pro - it's not so expensive and I've worn the fittings off one of them so far without having issues with clogging. There is a learning curve - read up on the instructions for various filters and purifiers before deciding. Knowing what to do with it if something goes wrong is important. And ifby AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion