Bear spray is illegal, but people still carry it. They also carry bear bells. Neither of those is useful in any way unless you enjoy intentionally annoying other hikers or carrying extra weight around.by AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
As someone mentioned above, if you are going in summer, there is a bus to Wawona and a shuttle from there to Mariposa Grove, where there is then a tram to ride around in if you don't want to hike it. No hitchhiking necessary.by AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
It sounds like you are assuming summer up there is the same as summer everywhere lower elevation. 20 degree setup is my summer Sierra habit. Depending upon weather patterns and topography you can easily wake up to a good frost, or light snowfall, any time in summer. I won't go anywhere without at least an emergency poncho, either. You can be warmer at night by not camping in the bottoms of caby AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
This is not only the wrong forum, but the wrong website. Have you looked this up on the Microsoft support website? or maybe a forum where they talk about computer software instead of Yosemite?by AlmostThere - General Discussion
Even if there is snow the 2 miles to Mariposa Grove is easy to just walk without snowshoes, tho it can get slick in the afternoon. But yeah, no snow yet. Keep looking at the weather. I may be cancelling snow outings I have on calendar for January at the rate we're going....by AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I wonder if the rescuers had to tell them it was also after dark...by AlmostThere - General Discussion
What would you want to do with it that's different than what you use the CSX for? I know there are more recent models, but the 60csx is pretty good.by AlmostThere - General Discussion
I have the Yaktrax Pro (step up from the cheap ones) and would not use them in the wilderness, these things are best suited to parking lots and emergencies. Getting microspikes and I have snow shoes, either one is more appropriate for real work. And the traction devices don't help in powdery snow anyways. Would not try to sleep in the car - I have seen rangers checking parking lots late at niby AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
There could be snow at any time, in any amount. People get caught out by winter weather - you should go prepared for a full snow trip, especially this late in December.by AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
The lower grove at Mariposa Grove is accessible even with snow everywhere. The 2 mile hike in on the road gets trampled to the point you don't need snowshoes, just watch your step coming out in the afternoon after the snow gets a bit slippery. Take snowshoes and you can tramp up into the upper part of the grove too. Of course, right now, it's not even under snow yet. If you are a centralby AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
The GPS is not essential, and you can easily get 30+ hours out of a set of batteries by using suspend religiously. It will turn off all functions except tracking. When you stop for the day turn it off entirely. If I ever went beyond two sets of batteries on a trip, I'd just use the map. The headlamp/flashlight thing is a non starter - two sets of triple As get me through two weeks and then soby AlmostThere - General Discussion
I have a Canon point and shoot. The battery lasts multiple trips and I can take up to 60 - 100 pics per two - three day trip sometimes. It also takes some video, not pro quality, but not bad, and has a multi-gig SD card for storage - if I never erased it the card would last me many months and many trips. A spare battery (generic, from ebay) cost me less than twelve bucks and works great. Charby AlmostThere - General Discussion
Caveat with the vac sealed stuff, whether food saver or Mountain House pro packs - they do not help you pack a bear canister. Best way to store food is in ziploc bags, leaving the food free flowing enough to meld together inside the can and not waste any space. This makes a huge difference, especially if you take a Garcia instead of the much larger Bearikade cans. I can fit a week of food in theby AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Also, you can clarify butter (google ghee, that's what it's called) and reduce the possibility of it going rancid in higher temps. Butter actually doesn't require refrigeration either. It's just really messy as it melts at relatively low temps. I have left (covered) butter on the counter many times... keeps it soft enough to spread, doesn't go bad. Butter and most hard cheese travels well becaby AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Further: hiker boxes are common in resupply spots along the PCT. Hikers get tired of instant potatoes or whatever else they took lots of, leave those in the box, take something else some other hiker was tired of. Last time I looked the TM box had variable quantities of toilet paper, various meals and bars, and something unidentifiable in a ziploc. There are similar boxes in spots like Vermillionby AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Remember it's all got to go in a bear can. I recommend a Bearikade. Expensive but you will enjoy more space, less weight for the canister itself, a much larger opening to get stuff into and out of, and a nice wide seat for your tired hiker bum. You can do the math on the by-mail rental vs. buying one. I'd go with the middle size, and resupply at TM once. There is a hiker box in the store, plus thby AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I've lived within 2 hours of the park all my life. Think I started visiting as a fetus.... These days I run a very large hiking group and of course we end up in Yosemite or SEKI monthly, year round. It's almost time to dust off the snowshoes. Planning trips and always having more in the to-do list is a big part of what I do. I backpack and dayhike.by AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Actually, there are classifications existing - if you look at SAR terminology you end up with high angle, low angle, alpine (high elevation mountaineering), mountaineering (what we all think of as hiking with occasional use of nontechnical aids such as crampons or hiking poles) - all classifications require knowledge of how to use navigational aids and do night navigation.... For a grading ofby AlmostThere - General Discussion
Quotemuirman That is good advice from eeek on taking into account the time. The Glen Aulin hike is beautiful, but it is a long one. If you have time constraints take a look at the hike to Ten Lakes. It is a wonderful hike as well, and just not quite as long. Good luck! Glen Aulin is a 13 mile round trip, downhill going out, uphill coming back. Go to falls below the HSC and it will be longeby AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
You'll have to wait and see like the rest of us - the weather will do what it wants, and there's no guarantee it will let the road open in time. The snow needs to stop falling so the road can be successfully plowed, repaired and then opened. This year, that didn't happen til much later than usual...by AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quoteeeek QuoteitchbayI think it's a fundamental misunderstanding about wilderness and responsibility. The permit system may also be putting pressure on people to complete the hike since they won't have another chance. People were do or die-ing the Dome long before the permits were in place, and they do it on Whitney, too. That "once in a lifetime" status makes people think ridiculby AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Yosemite Bug - Cabins of various luxuries, and a hostel. In MidPines on 140 just before the descent into Merced Canyon. Very Good Food.by AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I actually have one of those, it doesn't violate the patent either. It's sold everywhere under the guise of rain protection. Umbrellas work great.by AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotey_p_w I still think the way to prevent a BV from being compromised is to just crank the lid on tight. I know it's a pain in the morning to open, but I don't see a bear generating enough torque to open a tightly closed lid with its teeth. I would venture that most of the lids that were compromised by the Marcy Dam bear were left pretty loose or barely tightened. Last year the ranger aby AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quoteplawrence Huh? If one is worried about possible avalanche dangers, it doesn't matter if the person stays on a trail or goes off it. Avalanches don't discriminate between trail hikers or those hiking cross-country. What's important is to be able to recognize if one is entering a possible avalanche zone regardless if they're sticking to a trail or traveling cross-country. One shouldby AlmostThere - General Discussion
Quoterroland QuoteAlmostThere Quoterroland Hey everyone...Do you think it's safer to go off trail with snow cover or not..the reason I ask is I took a Map/Compass class at REI and the instructor taught us an acronym 'S.C.O.P.E' Did they teach you how to use the clinometer on the compass? Might be safe, might be avalanche territory. you mean this? no just a silva compass Then it is pby AlmostThere - General Discussion
Group safety... If the leader is a volunteer, you are not paying for a commercial outing, there is no leader. You are responsible for your own safety. Or you should plan to be! Volunteer group leaders aren't there to keep you out of trouble, they are there to keep the group organized, more or less. Sierra Club groups ask you to sign a waiver because they will not guarantee your safety. Going wby AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quoterroland Hey everyone...Do you think it's safer to go off trail with snow cover or not..the reason I ask is I took a Map/Compass class at REI and the instructor taught us an acronym 'S.C.O.P.E' Did they teach you how to use the clinometer on the compass? Might be safe, might be avalanche territory.by AlmostThere - General Discussion
Quoteszalkowski QuoteAlmostThere You can be sure it was a king snake. There are no coral snakes here in Cali. The only venomous snakes are rattlers. Can't the California Mountain Coral be found at elevations above 15k? You mean the winged ones? Sure!by AlmostThere - General Discussion
What channel on a GMRS do you use to call for help (assuming that it's one of two devices you intend to use and you don't just mean the phone)? The park service doesn't use those channels. They use VHF/UHF high band. I can't even get my high band radio to connect to the park towers. They don't advertise what frequency they use. Cell phones work great as long as you are in line of sight of theby AlmostThere - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion