Quotechick-on lakes will appear to drain from both ends. A phenomenon not present anywhere near Peeler Lake... present only at McGee. I won a bet with Da Bird on this one, Peeler Lake, like McGee, is an oddity in that it drains in two different directions... see:bifurcation lakes Can anybody come up with any more Yosemite, or even Sierra, lakes that flow in two directions? I think thatby Bearproof - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
If not obvious, I added a note that the pic above was couresy of Da Bird....and still have to do that for some on my flickr page...gotta watch those copyright guys out there. And I though that I took a lot of pictures, that Bird is a non-stop shutterbug. Can't wait to see the rest of his trip pics! and btw I just ordered my 3-D glasses...if I wear them while backpacking will I see in 3+3-D or 3by Bearproof - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
No swimming in Matthes, but it did look pretty inviting! I am sure that I have been in colder water than that. Amazing the difference in snow level from late July last year. Gonna be pretty dry later this season. Here are a couple more pics, and the rest of them here: Dome de Dome Dome Dome pictures On top of Peak 10,450 lookinig down at Lower Cathedral Lake (courtesy of chick-on) And Dby Bearproof - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I found OBOFR sometimes difficult enough to follow in the daylight...trying to find it at dark...yikes! Thanks for the report.by Bearproof - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I met up with the inimitable chick-on last week for a couple of days of cross country travel and to warm him up, apparently, for his and QITNL's frisbee golf game on Whitney. I can't say how many domes and other granitic high points we got to along the way...but it was more than a few; we had a blast cruising from one dome and ridge to another...Tuolumne to Falls Ridge then south past Polly Domeby Bearproof - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I have seen 3 rattlesnakes in Yosemite...in 40 years. I saw 3 this May in my backyard! So yes, they are there..I wouldn't worry too much about them, though. Generally they will give you a warning when you get too close for their comfort and you can avoid them. There are also Pacific Gopher snakes in Yosemite...they kinda look like rattlers...like this guy, seen in the rocky shelf above May Lakeby Bearproof - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Its actually stroke and distance...so he had to retrieve the frisbee, go back to the top and do it all over again. Those OB's really hurt!by Bearproof - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quoteedg Quoteapeman45 Thanks! This warm weather should help too! Please post an update after your trip. I want to climb Gibbs or Conness in the next few weeks and would love some updated info on conditions. Thanks! Here's the Conness Area as seen from Johnson Peak last Wednesday....not much snow to be seen, and today's snow will be gone by Thursday.by Bearproof - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I didn't get any reception (AT&T) last Wednesday at Tuolumne, but did see a couple of AT&T trucks on the Tioga Road, so hopefully they are working on it.by Bearproof - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Here's a different angle...from a flightseeing trip I took a number of years ago...by Bearproof - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotettilley QuoteBearproof I am guessing that the skeeters will be mostly dried up, like the flowers, by late July..but maybe that's optomistic thinking since I have a permit for a July 26 start at Tuolumne. We'll see, but your 'late' qualifier seems key to me. I'm not ready to suggest, for example, that someone who requires a largely mosquito-free trip consider the July 4 holiday weekend inby Bearproof - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Didn't get on that particular trail (went south from Tuolumne the last few days) but I can't imagine that there is any snow down to Glen Aulin...perhaps an isolated patch in a shady spot under a tree somewhere.by Bearproof - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Just back from Tuolumne Meadows...here is the skeeter report.. Sunday - Snow on the ground - zero skeeters Monday - at Polly Dome Lakes at noon saw 2 skeeters Tuesday we were up high - saw one skeeter all day Back at the car at Cathedral Lake TH at 11 this morning - and in the 5 minutes from packs off until we got in the car there were somewhere between a thousand and a gazillion skeeters, hby Bearproof - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
If I went back to edit all of the mistakes that I have made I wouldn't have time to make new ones!by Bearproof - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Have a great time...you are smart to have three nights there! Enjoy!by Bearproof - General Discussion
Hmmm.... what grove? I spent a day driving around and checking out trees that were not far from the road so that I could be "not camping" near the car, so that particular tree was not in one of the formal groves...just a random tree by the roadside. Just checked google earth and if I recall correctly that tree is at about 37 26' 20.4" N 118 11' 39.3"W The shot was taken aby Bearproof - General Discussion
I have been there a couple of times recently, most recently last summer for the exact reason that you are going. Since you are going to shoot the Milky Way I assume that you are there at or near the new moon, as I was, and the astronomers tend to go there at that time as well and a lot of the campsites were occupied with those folks, but I was able to get a spot. And if the campground proper doesby Bearproof - General Discussion
My spelling bad! I know about Hoffmann...butt juz lernt sumpin gnu bout Matthes...by Bearproof - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteSpeedyE Bearproof: the Echo Lake/Mathes Lake idea sounds fun, but it looks like we'd have to backtrack quite a bit if we hiked there after Clouds Rest. Maybe I'll save those for another trip that could include Budd Lake, Echo Peaks, etc... I agree...but I was thinking Cathedral, then Mathes, then Sunrise, then Clouds Restby Bearproof - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Don't worry about snakes...but you might need a mosquito bite kit. I doubt that you will have to deal with snow,. but I haven't been up in the past month..plenty of others can chime in on that one. Mt Hoffman and Clouds Rest have the two best central park views...you can't go wrong with Hoffman, but you might consider your extra night at Mathes Lake...from Cathedral Pass follow the creek downby Bearproof - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
My 22 year old son and I followed bill-e-g's excellent description referenced above, doing it last year. As we worked over from the Lost Lake area we did not go as high on the base of Half Dome as bill-e-g, preferring the tree and brush covered slope/slight ravine due south of the Diving Board. It's a serious hump getting up that 800 feet or so before the slope gets less severe, in many places haby Bearproof - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotechick-on How did you know I was thinking of going that route? (although I'd park on the south side) I'm of the opinion that you are constantly thinking of going every route everywhere in the park. And the amazing thing is that, unlike most people, you seem to be able to actually make it happen!by Bearproof - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Did it last year on April 27th when there was a bit more snow...and we only got snow on the JMT up near the top of Nevada Falls (that shady overhang spot) and some patches of old snow in the forest in the Lost Lake area. You should have no problems this year.by Bearproof - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
My stoves will be one of the following, depending on the nature of the campsite (eg. full service with tables and BBQ's vs BLM camping out in the middle of nowhere): -old school coleman as shown above -new school campchef mountain series stove (mine has the two burners with a grill in between...you can only grill one burger at a time...it has held up well but in general I would say that its notby Bearproof - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotechick-on You have to go down Basket Gully now... At least now I know to bring my son's soccer shin guards for protection!by Bearproof - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Interesting how the shape of the cut open ravioli kinda replicates the shape of Half Dome in the background...I find your photo to be an existential comparison of modern food culture and nature... or maybe just a poke at me...by Bearproof - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Just couldn't tear yourself away from the Village Store now that it has been re-done? Get any interior shot as well? I hear that they have a special corner dedicated to twinkies!by Bearproof - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I agree with Chick-on, should be no problem for your group...and I always have a rope with a group when going cross country or even class 3 climbs...but thats just me.by Bearproof - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
We (family decision) voted for Rainbow View, but with a caveat, as the real vote was the Old Wagon Road, potentially getting all the way to Rainbow View but likely not. The road itself is not very steep, there is pretty much nobody there. There are so many places to stop along the way in case the hiking becomes less than fun...stop anywhere where the road is wide, you have a great view of Bridalvby Bearproof - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
ahh I forgot to ask about that....glad you found it!by Bearproof - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion