Pouring rain and foaming boots. Day Six on the Camino: http://wix.to/Lg0pPyd?ref=2_cl If you have trouble with the link, just go here and follow the blog: https://www.backpackthesierra.com/by balzaccom - General Discussion
Latest update is day four...still trying to get our hydration right...but we're making progress: https://www.backpackthesierra.com/post/day-four.by balzaccom - General Discussion
Coolburn, I have to correct you here. There is not disagreement between Yosemite and all the other National Parks. Zion, Capitol Reef, SEKI, US Virgin Islands, and many others also prohibit the placement of cairns, and encourage hikers to remove artificially "balanced rocks" when they find them I do volunteer work for 3 national forests ( Eldorado, Sierra, and Stanislaus) and haveby balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
It also says to not add to existing cairns. If you see a cairn with more than 3 or 4 rocks, it ain't regulation. Most official cairns are one to two rocks to show the trail, three (one to the side) to indicate a turn in the trail. What people are doing in Yosemite and other parks is simply another form of graffiti. Thank God it's easier to remove than graffiti.by balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I leave tomorrow morning for Spain, to hike a version of this with my daughter who currently lives in Switzerland. If you are interested in following our progress, I'll going to try to post it all on our website blog. Here's the first entry: https://www.backpackthesierra.com/post/camino-de-santiago I should be back just in time to teach my first class in the middle of August...if all goes acby balzaccom - General Discussion
Sorry for the late reply...I missed this, somehow. I am a wine speaker on the ships for themby balzaccom - General Discussion
And just in case you were thinking about putting up a cairn in the back country... https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=841925900982269by balzaccom - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Just did another four days in the mountains as a wilderness volunteer--this time in Desolation Wilderness. What fun! Met lots of good people, answered a few questions, did a little hiking, and got to know the hikers and neighbors in a really lovely part of the Sierra. The full blog post about it, with a few photos, is here: https://www.backpackthesierra.com/post/meet-and-greet-at-the-trailhby balzaccom - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
I'm just back from a week working on a volunteer trail crew in the Mokelumne Wilderness. The trip into Moraine Lake was organized by the American Hiking Society, and led by staff from the US Forest Service. And it was full of fun, adventure, and damn hard work. We had a mighty hailstorm (and a corresponding tent failure) health issues, lost hikers, buck saws, axes, Pulaskis and McLeods. We diby balzaccom - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Yep--I am retired. And I do a bunch of work for Expedia, so these trips don't cost me anything but time...by balzaccom - General Discussion
Nice job! Kudos to you for showing young people the way---and the way to make decisions in the back country.by balzaccom - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
It out! High Sierra Quarry, the latest in my series of mysteries set in the High Sierra, is now out! You can find it at the usual places, including bookstores and Amazon, and even in the ranger stations in the Stanislaus National Forest. "When a young woman hiker is reported missing, the Forest Service takes part in the search. But the more Ranger Dan Courtwright learns about the case, tby balzaccom - General Discussion
Just an update about these books. The fifth in the series, "High Sierra Quarry," should be out by the endof the month. And I am delighted to be able to announce that the USFS has decided to sell these books at some of the ranger stations in the Sierra--including the Summit Ranger Station near Pinecrest on 108--which, coincidentally, is exactly where the fictional hero of the books worby balzaccom - General Discussion
California may try to help...Check this out: ktla.com/news/california/california-campsite-reservation-bill-passes-state-assembly/ Credit if you cancel before seven days. And if you don't show on the first night, the whole reservation is cancelled and the site opened up. Maybe the NPS should consider something similar...by balzaccom - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
I spend a fair amount of time as a volunteer in the National Forests. Last year, it was about 250 hours. We count those hours because the USFS encourages its staff to develop a volunteer program and use it to increate the amount of work that can get done in the National Forests. The good news is that with the infrastructure bill, the USFS does have more money this year, and we've noticed aby balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotecalberry Just curious, what was constructed to make sure something like '97 doesn't happen again? I'm not sure anything was constructed--but certainly things were removed so that there wouldn't be as much damage the next time. Yosemite isn't really about constructing things to control Mother Nature--it's more about adapting to what Mother Nature delivers, and still allowing people to expeby balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
There are no great restaurants in Sonora, but here are a couple that are decent: The Armory is nice, particularly if you can sit out on the terraces in good weather. Diamondback has a good hamburger. Independent Wine Shop is quite good, but not open many days. I like the drive down from Big Oak Flat into the Valley. I prefer it over the route in from Mariposa. Don't forget to stop at Garciby balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Hiking cross-Country is perfectly fine in Yosemite. Note that this refers to hiking to a destination without using an existing trail. It does NOT refer to cutting switchbacks on an existing trail. Illilouette Canyon has quite a few campsites below Ottoway Lakes, although Lower Ottoway Lake is one of my favorite spotsi n the Sierra--you may want to spend a few hours just enjoying that. Evelyby balzaccom - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Glacier Point Road is closed for the season. That leaves out Badger Pass, parking area or not, as an option. https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htmby balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I completely agree with the Geezer. You don't mention dates, but with the snowpack this year, Red Peak Pass will have plenty snow into August. Not sure why you are going to Tenaya Lake. And those last couple of days are long...albeit downhill with an empty pack.by balzaccom - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
I am just home from being the wine host on a cruise around South America–a month-long trip that included some hiking, a lot of wine, amazing culture, fantastic food, and more sea days than we ever expected. That’s what happens when you sail around the bottom of South America–one of the wildest sections of ocean sailing in the world. We saw winds well above fifty knots, fifteen-foot seasby balzaccom - General Discussion
Of course some of this will depend on the weather between now and your trip, but we are expected another big storm this week, and there is already a mountain of snow up there. I would not expect Tioga Pass or Tuolumne Meadows to open much before the end of June, and maybe much later than that. You will have snow. Look at the North Rim of Yosemite Valley for your best hiking options--that gby balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
We had fun that night...and tasted some delicious wines!by balzaccom - General Discussion
I agree with court.by balzaccom - General Discussion
If nothing else, this menu points to the massive change in food culture in America in the intervening years!by balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
How should they address the damage by the Castle fire? Public comment period ends in March: https://www.nps.gov/seki/learn/news/national-park-service-requests-public-input-on-project-to-plant-giant-sequoia-seedlings-in-area-burned-at-high-severity-in-the-2020-castle-fire-within-sequoia-national-park.htmby balzaccom - General Discussion
Was able to spot it again last night, despite the full moon. (i went out early, before the moon got too high in the sky.) It seemed brighter and easier to see--although that may simplyi have had to do with the sky being a little darker last night. Still worth an effort with binoculars!by balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Yeah, well, it wasn't any too green in my binoculars--more like a faint puffball of cotton against the black sky. But as i noted, I live downtown, with a ton of light pollution.by balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Has anyone else seen the “Green Comet? https://www.space.com/comet-c2022-e3-ztf-closest-approach-feb-1 Returns every 50,000 years, so if you miss it this time, you’re SOL. I’ve managed to spot it with binoculars from my house in downtown Napa, but it was quiet dim. Unimpressive, if it weren’t for the idea of the thing. If I had access to darker skies I’m sure it would be better, bby balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Check out this story from the Guardian about how government agencies in the US are using social media to really communicate with their audience. And laughed out loud at some of the postings! https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/jan/09/wildlife-department-twitter-oklahoma-washington We need of this kind of thing--including government employees sharing their sense of humor.by balzaccom - General Discussion