With all the snow this summer, we’ve had to re-think most of our plans, just like everyone else. And so for 4th of July weekend, we looked around for a destination that would work. The snow level in the southern Sierra is higher, around 8500 feet, (although the peaks are higher, too!) so we focused on that part of the range. Both Florence Lake and Lake Edison offer access to the Sierra atby balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Yosemite in general is not noted for great fishing....but there are some lake in the Hetch-Hetchy area that have fish. Check out Eleanor--you can drive there now, and Cherry Lake as well. If you want to backpack to a lake, your best overnight destination might be Lake Eleanor to Laurel Lake... But if you are planning on camping at Rancheria Falls, then Rancheria Creek is by far your best betby balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
All of the above is correct...and you should certainly consider day-hiking NOrth Dome from Porcupine Flat...a great hike. But even better is Cloud's Rest from Tenaya Lake....by balzaccom - General Discussion
We were committed to getting up into the mountains this weekend, and so we did. But we were car camping, not backpacking, at Union Valley Reservoir, along Ice House Road off Highway 50. (Of course Tom Stienstra in the SF Chronicle singled this lake out the very day we arrived...so expect that it will get a lot more traffic now. Sigh.) The large, spacious campsites at Wench Creek made us fby balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Check out this website from volunteers from Desolation Wilderness... http://desowv.org/trail-conditions good info.by balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Bear in mind that some of the campgrounds don't have piped water. Porcupine flat, for examply, has a small creek but no piped water. Use a filter or tablets before you drink... But since many people don't want that hassle, that campground fills up later...by balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
By now the the snow is pretty crusty everywhere. You'd walk faster without snowshoes than with them...by balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Yep--you are right. Frog Creek (Frog Creak? :^)) drains Laurel Lake into Lake Eleanor... And by the Beehive, amid the snowbanks, we heard lovesick frogs creaking all day!by balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
My understanding is that Chick-on has spent so much time in the back country that the NPS considers him a native species.by balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
We're just back from a memorable trip over Memorial Day weekend, from Lake Eleanor into the northwest corner of Yosemite. The trip was a real multi-purpose adventure. It was a kind of shake down cruise for a good friend who is planning on a big adventure on the Pacific Crest Trail this summer--and wanted to see what worked for us, and how his new stuff worked for him. It was also an attempt tby balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Me too. But it is slower.by balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
A follow up note. Got a call back from someone in the Wilderness Office. No dogs are allowed on trails in YNP. And they were very appreciative of my information. They were going to send a ranger out looking for this guy and hoped to catch him and fine him.by balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Good idea, Bill. That hadn't occured to me! And yeah--given the conditions, even with plenty of time, these guys were never going get out of the park on their trip!by balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Memorial Day weekend we were up in Yosemite, exploring the area between Lake Eleanor, Hetch-hetchy, Laurel Lake, etc. (more on that in a separate post...but yeah---lots of snow, lots of water, and lots of weather. We had a lovely time!) But on Saturday, as we were hiking down from the Beehive towards Hetch-hetchy, we ran into a hiker and his son and their two dogs---all going on a backpackiby balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Unless something has changed this year, you don't need a permit to fish in the Park...you just need a valid CA fishing license.by balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Glad you like it! And the best part is that we just keep finding new places to hike...and write up on the site !by balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Best fishing in Yosemite is in the backcountry---and you don't have to hike very far to get to it. Illilouette creek is loaded with rainbows to about 10 inches, for example. But you won't find fishing in Yosemite to be much like RMNP. There are a lot more people in Yosemite, and the fish are warier. Get away from the people and you'll have a much better time.by balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
A note about the Gaylor Lakes trail...it's only about 2 miles to the first lake, which is Middle Gaylor. Don't stop there. You can also hike up the dreek to Upper Gaylor...and also do a lovely cross country walk over to Granite Lakes as well. You could easily spend a day wandering around in this area! And the trail to Elizabeth Lake is also very nice--particularly if you follow it up pastby balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
If you are interested in quantity over quality... And if you like that one, there are a few more on Picasa...by balzaccom - General Discussion
It's always hard to pick the perfect destination for a spring hike---especially considering the weather we've been having over the past couple of months. So when we got a free day or two, we headed up to Sonora to visit an old friend...and take a look at a couple of hikes we've always wanted to take. Saturday we started at Cherry Lake Dam and hiked over to Lake Eleanor. During the summer, thiby balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Sactown This guy also sent me personal information about you in a PM. If I can help in any way, drop me a note!by balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Hi David Ask and you shall receive! Here are the links to the two Picasa photo buckets. The first is of Machu Picchu, the second of the rest of our visit to Cusco and the Sacred Valley https://picasaweb.google.com/balzaccom/MachuPicchu# https://picasaweb.google.com/balzaccom/Peru2011# And these two links are to our new webpages. The first is with additional details of our hikeby balzaccom - General Discussion
Thanks Bill---that is high praise! I am glad you enjoyed the report. I tried to write it from the perspective of giving enough information so that people who are considering the trip would feel a little more informed at the end of it all. I will post more background info on our website as I get time....by balzaccom - General Discussion
OK--We are just back from an amazing trip. Here's the first report, on our website. But there will be more to come as we include daytrips around Cusco, and also some notes on some of the logistics and isues we faced on the trail. if you haven't done this trip, I'd strong suggest that you add it to your wish list! https://sites.google.com/site/backpackthesierra/home/machu-picchuby balzaccom - General Discussion
Great photos...but I have a question: Was there really a plane that crashed with dope in the High country...or is that something from Nevada Barr;s novel?by balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
This is the North Rim Trail. You can access North Dome from that side, or by climbing up Snow Creek Falls from the other side. That's steep climb, but so is Yosemite Falls Trail. The North Rim Trail is around 7,000 feet elevation, so you can estimate snow levels from that. Right now it would be under lots of snow. It is a clearly marked trail---but that's assuming the snow on the groundby balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
My god--that's was a rescue! Amazing story. Thanks for posting it. It just goes to show that the most heroic battles are often done to assist someone else!by balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
We were at lower elevations...it wasn't cold. And diaper changes aren't any different in a tent than they are in a station wagon...or an airport!by balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
It all depends on the baby. We took our daughter camping when she was four months old. She loved the camping, and everything worked great until the drive home. Then she refused to sit in her car seat. We drove the last two hours with the windows down, the radio up load, and the kid screaming in the car seat! Just plan your trip around what your baby likes to do. Hardest is when they areby balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
There are quite a few great hikes out of the valley---I would spend my time there. You can do the Valley loop--but first take the shuttle around the Valley. Hike out of Happy Isles towards Vernal and Nevada Falls. Hike to Mirror Lake and up Snow Creek Falls (very steep). Hike up Yosemite Falls as far as you can... And yes, you will need a shuttle to get to Wawona/Maripoas Grove...but I amby balzaccom - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion