As everyone else has said, its all dependent upon the weather between here and now. Hope for warm weather and maybe a warm snow with rain between then and now to get everything opened up early.by oakroscoe - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Awesome news! Thanks for the info!by oakroscoe - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotechick-on As for the chainsaws.. I think they are ignoring the "rules". Seen them many times along with things such as wheel-barrels at trail crew camps. I recall seeing some video of trail work in Kings Canyon of a crew cutting with an two man saw. Wonder how much of that is done nowadays... and/or/if they just use chainsaws there too. I'm not sure what the rules are forby oakroscoe - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
That chick-on goes everywhere!by oakroscoe - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotecamper68 Yeah, next time you are in the valley, I suggest walking around and keeping note of which campsites that have long driveways that may work for you. I have a friend who actually has his own list. Let me see if he can lend it to me and I'll post it on here. This is one of the reasons I love this site. People are always willing to help out, and the amount of knowledge is exceptionby oakroscoe - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
But I want it open now!!!by oakroscoe - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I was just in the park 2 days ago. The winter is the only time I ever go into the valley, and the last few days there was the least amount of people I have ever seen there. It was great, we did a little snowshoeing out towards Merced Grove. Also, we drove down to Cherry Lake and did a little snowshoeing there. I couldn't believe how much snow was on the ground there, it was at least 3 feet,by oakroscoe - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotechick-on Quoteoakroscoe Chick-on, those are some awesome pics!!! As always thank you for sharing them with us. What kind of camera do you use? U R Welcome Clicky on one of the faux-toes. Info about pix is on the right. which includes date and camera type and whatnut. The short answer is : Camera: Panasonic Model: DMC-ZS7 Thanks! I was looking at the pics on my iPhone, I forgot yby oakroscoe - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Chick-on, those are some awesome pics!!! As always thank you for sharing them with us. What kind of camera do you use?by oakroscoe - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Bill-e, thanks for all the hard work & help that you provide on this board and the other! You've always helped answer all my questions and it is greatly appreciated. A map with water sources? That is awesome! Thank you for all the work you do on the boards! Rossby oakroscoe - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
There's always craiglist and ebay. Also, I wait until REI is having one of their 20% off sales if I am going to do a large purchase. If you're going to be needing the snowshoes in May, I'm pretty sure you can get some good sales come March or April at the end of the winter season.by oakroscoe - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
As always, chick-on, thanks for sharing your pictures. It is greatly appreciated. What is the deal with the 3rd bullet?by oakroscoe - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I'd just like to point out that if you want to watch meteors, I haven't been to a better place than the ridge above Ten Lakes to watch them. The trail is basically a highway to get there, you can't lose it. You'll have the ridge to yourself, well you and any rangers who camp up there to see where people are camped in the Ten Lakes basin and then go contact them. The view is spectacular from thby oakroscoe - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Congrats on the win. One of the guys on my crew at work is a packers fan and he is quite exuberant. I would be too, if the niners ever got rid of the York ownership and won it all. Savor it. Also, I'm glad that Pittsburg didn't get #7....by oakroscoe - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I guess I'm in the minority here, but one thing I love about the backcountry is that my iphone doesn't get reception, there's no wifi and I don't have to deal with emails. Its such a nice break from things...by oakroscoe - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotechick-on On a related note... Jta29 is probably thinking "Oh, My! These Guys Are Nuts" Haha, I know right? Amazing how we can go on and on about the "right way" to pack a bear canister. Obviously its just to smash everything in so it all fits! What you want will always be on the bottom anyways. On a sidenote, generally after a long day, the 1 serving freeze-drieby oakroscoe - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Hey bill-e, where was the snow level at when you went out to Vernon over Christmas?by oakroscoe - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotemrcondron A good exercise for checking equipment preparedness is to work up a plan where each person is self-contained and no-one's pack weighs more than 35lbs. And have your packs trail ready before you drive to the trailhead parking lot. That is stellar advice right there! You really want to avoid the clusterF at the trailhead of packing up and trying to get everything to fit. My attby oakroscoe - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I had to chime in on this thread, I haven't had any of the issues that people here spoke of in national forests. I've had nothing but positive conversations with hunters I've run into in the backcountry and have no problems with them at all. As for enforcement, I agree with y_p_w_ in that most of their efforts are spent on eradicating pot farms. I could be wrong (and it wouldn't be a first tby oakroscoe - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Yeah, Stanislaus Forest is pretty easy on the dispersed camping. Check with each district of the Forest Service though, as each can have different rules. I found that out the hard way in the Los Angeles District.by oakroscoe - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotehotrod4x5 I've paid less for full hookup sites traveling throughout the southwest. Anyone else disgusted by this? That was the southwest, not yosemite. Honestly, I guess I fall into the "I don't care because I don't use it category". Until they start charging for permits, I don't care and even that would be fair.by oakroscoe - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I just want to thank everyone for posting pics, stories and trails. This site is an invaluable resource for info and history. Thanks out to everyone.by oakroscoe - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I can't speak for the concrete, but that is definitely a valve wheel/handle and a stem sticking up out of it. I believe qumqats is right and the pipe was removed, but the concrete, stem and handle/wheel were left behind. It's tough to judge the size from the picture, but I'm pretty sure that it would have been at least a 12" pipe, if not closer to 20" (I'm guessing that the rungs for tby oakroscoe - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Ten Lakes is definitely gorgeous. I still remember the first time I crested over the trail and saw the view into the basin. Its absolutely spectacular. That trail is like a highway, there's no way you'll lose it. There always is a lot of people there, that is a downside. However, as the previous poster said, if you're willing to go further up to the lakes that you don't hit immediately, youby oakroscoe - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotechick-on There are other snow survey cabins around... afaik those cabins are locked year round and you need a key to get in. Since the Snow Creek one was refurb in 2006 I probably wouldn't have an issue staying in that one... the others.. I dunno. The ones I can think of are at: Upper Kibbie Ridge (Sachse Cabin), Between Tioga and May Lake Lake Vernon EF Cherry Creek (near Huckby oakroscoe - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
For me, a quilt wouldn't work. I like the zipped up feeling, even though sometimes it gets a bit claustrophobic. Also, I toss and turn like crazy in my sleep and I would most likely toss the quilt off me. However, my main backpacking buddy has as quilt and loves it. Although, he did have to have his wife modify it slightly since it wasn't really designed for someone over 6'. Winter trips Iby oakroscoe - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Bill-e, great pics of Branigan looking back from Ardeth. I've always kicked myself that I didn't go up and check out Branigan the last time I was at Vernon. That and going into Jack Main Canyon are on my list for this season. As for the fishing, by no means am I a fisherman, however a few of my buddies are, and I can vouch that Vernon is good fishing. I don't know about Laurel, but having bby oakroscoe - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks for the referral over here Bill-e. There's definitely some good info here. Thanks again for the Cherry Creek pics, I enjoyed those. I also grabbed a pic of Mercur Peak and use that as a background pic on the computer at work.by oakroscoe - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I'm not as high tech to have it on the internet, but I do have a map of the park on my wall with every lake i've been to crossed out...I guess we're on the same page...by oakroscoe - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I'd say Reno is too far. However, I definitely agree about Oakland's airport. I lived in detroit for 18 months, and Oakland was my airport of choice to fly into and out of. I would only fly into SFO under protest. Sacramento wasn't too bad either.by oakroscoe - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion