He sits outside the RV to watch through the window.by itchbay - General Discussion
I love Hetch Hetchy. We visit nearly every time we're in Yosemite, even if it's just for a quick walk down to the dam.by itchbay - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I was staying up way past my bedtime last night, reading other hike descriptions in my favorite book (I do that from time to time) and came across a hike that goes from Big Oak Flat up to Cascade Bridge. It suggests that this is the time of year to do it since it won't be as hot as it would in later months. I imagine Cascade Creek is churning right now. But the bridge is safe, right?by itchbay - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
http://magblog.audubon.org/write-caption-photo-yellow-bellied-marmots "I don't think it tastes like chick-on."by itchbay - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
While still checking for campsites to open up in the valley, I'm becoming intrigued in finding trails around Hodgdon Meadows that we can explore. Is the Old Big Oak Flat Road trail a big mess not worth trying in May? I've perused a couple of the threads discussing it, and I'm not sure whether we'll attempt it or not. It does seem interesting, though.by itchbay - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
That tour guide should be pilloried. And although I question the intelligence of the rest of the people in the group, I remind myself that the average IQ of group members goes down exponentially, inversely to the size of the group. 30 is large enough where borderline people are already turning into marshmallows, and will follow anyone who acts like they are in charge, regardless of any signs indiby itchbay - General Discussion
We're probably going to be staying there next weekend ourselves. My favorite guide book only shows two hikes in that area: Merced Grove and Toulumne Grove. We hiked Merced Grove a couple of years ago in June, and it was lovely. Lots of butterflies and wildflowers. I imagine with the dogwood starting to bloom, it will be lovely this time too. It's a small hike, though. Nothing strenuous. We went oby itchbay - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I would imagine the hike to top of the Lower Yosemite Fall would be pretty nice too. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNSqF78cb8w&feature=relatedby itchbay - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
The Valley Loop would be lovely. You could probably get a fair ways up the Mist Trail. I'm only slightly jealous, since I have plans to go up NEXT weekend. Save some dogwood blooms for me, OK?by itchbay - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
The boy is currently tromping around the wilds of Santa Maria working on a project for the military base there. He called yesterday to saw that he came up on a rattler sunning itself. He had to make a couple of stomps to get its attention so it would slither off. Glad he saw it before he got too close and startled it. I told him to start banging two sticks together as he walked around, a la Thby itchbay - General Discussion
Tragic. I wonder if they have the same bear warnings that seem to be at all the other parks I've visited? Also, it makes me wonder if people have completely forgotten that wilderness is.. um... WILD. I used to say "it's not a real adventure if you can sue someone if you get hurt." I may have to revise that.by itchbay - General Discussion
Maybe he was really pissed.by itchbay - General Discussion
Why in the world would someone blow up a restroom?by itchbay - General Discussion
I never understand people who are in a hurry in Yosemite.by itchbay - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Ha! Sounds like Q&A at my house. Him: Can you tell me where the tape is? Me: Yes. Him: Will you tell me where the tape is? Me: Yes. Him: Where is the tape? Me: In the office.by itchbay - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Saw an opening at Hodgdon Meadows, so I took it. I know very little about it, except that it's off Big Oak Flat, north of Tioga. Sounds like Foresta area to me. My book of hikes has two hikes in that area, so that might be what we do. Unless, of course, you awesome people have better suggestions...by itchbay - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
There are coyotes in Marin county who pester cyclists for Clif Bars.by itchbay - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Amen. I'd hike with you anytime. I have a very dear friend who loves to go hiking, but I cannot stand hiking with him. He is a true destination hiker, and he bolts off toward the top, while I'm still taking in the sights. I imagine he would say he doesn't like hiking with me because I need to take a picture of every rock and flower. wherever, thanks for for the trail info for the valley.by itchbay - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
This reminds of my first trip to Yosemite in mid-May 2005. We spent nearly a week there and managed to see all the main falls, plus a lot of the high-water year falls. At the end of the trip we went to the gift shop, to get postcards for my family. I had to have the boy tell me which fall was which. I didn't recognize any of the postcard images because that's not what the falls looked like when Iby itchbay - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
That's heartbreaking! The same year our tent was killed we were at the unofficial Crane Flat bear viewing site, where there was a small group of us watching a bear and her cubs out in the meadow eating. We were all quietly enjoying this scene, when a family showed up with a little girl about 8 years old. She started yelling at the bear, and acting all fake tough. "I could take that bear.by itchbay - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks all. I'm just toying with the idea. I'm not going to let a chance to go camping pass me by, even if it means dragging my own water, and carrying a shovel to go to the bathroom. What are the downsides of dispersed camping? I've only ever camped in actual campgrounds, but the boy has done more of the find-a-flat-spot-and-set-up-the-tent kind of camping. Is it just that you have to be totby itchbay - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
No, thanks. I've swam in 55 degree water. With a wetsuit. It's no fun. My feet and fingers go tingly just thinking about it.by itchbay - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
We were hiking out at Wapama at HH last July, and trying to stay out of the spray, when a dad, his wife, and their 3 year old, climbed down off the bridge to get some photos down in the water. WTF? The only thing that stopped them from getting IN the water was the child screaming bloody murder.by itchbay - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I'm thinking of maybe making my sudden long weekend in Yosemite into a sudden long weekend in Sierra NF. I've never been, so I don't know the ins and outs. Looking at the website, it looks like if you can't get a campsite in one of the reserve-able campgrounds, you can just free-style it somewhere. Is that really the case?by itchbay - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
While checking the Sierra NF site, I saw this: http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/sierra/recreation/camping/index.shtml Specifically: Keeping a neat campsite, free of trash and discarding all food containers, will help protect Forest wildlife. Bears, raccoons, and other critters generally become a problem in campgrounds when visitors are careless with food storage. Store food items in the trunk or insidby itchbay - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
We got a site on July 1 that had some snow, but wasn't at all sloshy. Some of the spots next to the river were wet, but we were on the far side of the TM campground. More annoying for us was that the closer set of restrooms was closed, so we had to hike a ways to the next closest. Which doesn't sound too bad reading it here, but after a day of 12+ miles of hiking, it was a bit of a pain. Thereby itchbay - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
That makes sense. See, this is where if we were backpackers, we could just pick a trail, get a permit and do that. Not that I'm excited about camping in the valley over the weekend. I think I've mentioned before how much I really don't like the general public. Especially when there are lots of them around. Maybe I'll pick a smaller, lesser well-known campsite somewhere else to spend that wby itchbay - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I've gone through and flagged all the campsite and permit postings on CL. And I sent a message to the folks at recreation.gov. But I still wonder what happens to reservations that aren't claimed? Are those campsites left empty? Or, like hotel rooms, do you have to check in by a certain time or lose your space? Also, I'm re-thinking whether I want to be in the valley on a weekend in May aby itchbay - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Oh, I read that. I was being sarcastic, but forgot to use the sarcasm font. I'm just really peeved at the gall of the guy. I also read the bit at the bottom of the reservation page: **Resale or Auction of Advance Reservations is Prohibited. Advance reservations made through the national reservation service may not be advertised or otherwise offered for resale or auction.**by itchbay - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
A quick perusal of Craigslist show a number of campsite reservations for sale. Is that legal? And, more importantly, what happens to unclaimed reservations?by itchbay - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion