Thanks for the info. My map indicates a four wheel drive road, and I have a four wheel drive truck, but I'm just not that experienced at driving really rough roads. Love the video!by lschaaf - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
I am thinking about doing a loop backpacking trip from Walker Lake, over Mono Pass- Algier Lakes-Gem Lake, back over Donohue Pass. I would come out at Toulumne Meadow, spend a night at the backpackers camp,pick up a few supplies, then go back in at Mono /Parker Pass trailhead and spend a couple days hiking back over Mono Pass to get back to the car at Walker Lake. This would be mid-July. I have aby lschaaf - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
You might consider not making a fire in that fire ring considering likely dry conditions. I look at fire rings as a reminder that the site might be a comfortable site, and has been used before. This is a campsite on Illilouette Creek, although probably further up and not in the direction you want to go.by lschaaf - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
The forest will come back better and more diverse if we don't mess with it. There is a great diversity of seeds ready to sprout in these new open areas. 50 years from now this area will look better, be a better habitat for wildlife and more fire resistant IF WE DON"T MESS WITH IT. Tree harvesting involves bulldozers and compacting of soils. Tree replanting involves one or two species of trby lschaaf - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Here north of San Francisco, we are at 20% of normal rainfall for this point of the season. I suspect it's going to be a dry year.by lschaaf - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I think its completely doable. As far as transportation back to Tuolumne Meadow, I have used East Side shuttle for shorter trips. It's a little pricey, but Paul is very dependable, and a pleasant guy. http://eastsidesierrashuttle.com/ As far as Happy Isle to Tuolumne Meadows in a day, you might be able to do it, but you would be really tired the next day. You could do it downhill over 2 dby lschaaf - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Is this one better................... That would be me at Mather Pass last year on a loop out of Cedar Grove, King Canyon N.P. It was a long trip up Paradise Valley, then over Pinchot Pass Down to Bench Lake Over Mather Pass to the Palisade Lakes- Continued down to the Middle Fork of the Kings River , where I left the PCT. Followed the Middle Fork of the King down to Simpsonby lschaaf - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
I think it's just the wrong time of year for backpacking & hiking trip reports,etc. Many of use are too wimpy to deal with the cold this time of year. I like the idea of having a forum just for backpacking and hiking, and like including the whole Sierra. Here are a few photos for my backpacking trip to Mt Whitney via the Cottonwood Lakes in September. This forum didn't exist in September,by lschaaf - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Every year I cycle the "Sierra Scenic Byway" past Mile High Vista during the "Grizzly Century", and wonder if I should come back and backpack down to the Middle Fork. Having read Jeffrey Olsen's account, I am convinced to GO SOMEWHERE ELSE!. Thanks for a good story.by lschaaf - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I was up on the "Sierra Scenic Byway" i.e. Beasore Rd, Minarets Rd. this weekend. All the campgrounds were open and people were camping. Down at Bass Lake everything was locked up. Meanwhile I had camping reservations in Yosemite Valley last night and tonight. I took the closure as a sign that it's time to get some things done at home. The PCT north of I 80 doesn't require a permiby lschaaf - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Sorry, had I known you wanted a photo, I would have taken one in the snow. I guess you'll just have to go back and get one yourself. Thanks for looking at my photos.by lschaaf - General Discussion
I love the area above Lake Edison. The road over Kaiser Pass is scary, but once I get there ,it's wonderful. I agree it's a great place to take the boys ,maybe establish a base camp a few miles above the Lake at the PCT junction. There's lots of room there and a sizable creek. The boys could do day hikes up to Mott's Lake, the Recesses. What kid wouldn't like a hike to a place called the "Dby lschaaf - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
So I guess my campground reservations for next Sunday are worthless..................by lschaaf - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Since this is the Yosemite Forum, I will just post the link to the pictures. Seven days, six nights. Started at the Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead, went over Army Pass, and came at Mt. Whitney from the south via Crabtree Meadows and Guitar Lake. Came out at Whitney Portal after a trip to the top of Whitney. Experienced that first snowfall of the season, but fortunately we were at the low point of tby lschaaf - General Discussion
Yes, Mountain loin attacks are scary stuff, but think of the odds. Lighting is more of a hazard. That attack was in 2004, nine years ago. How many people have hiked and biked since then with no problems?by lschaaf - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
The marmot has been done, I suggest you go with the squirrel.by lschaaf - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Beautiful pictures, inspiring trip report. Would this be the "Chick-on Mobile" mentioned at the start of the report?by lschaaf - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I was chatting with the bear enforcement officer up at LYV, telling him about the time that canister was attacked by a bear at Kearsarge Lakes, and showing him the scratches, claw and bite marks. He was so impressed he took my picture with my canister and "sent it in". The next night a different ranger came by and told me take whoever it was sent to said it was not an approved cannisterby lschaaf - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
At one time Yosemite rented the expedition (like mine),and the smaller size Garcias too. If they rented them out, they must have been approved.by lschaaf - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I ordered a bearicade almost a month ago and it still hasn't arrived. Some sort of production problem, shortage of the hardware that closes the device. Seems my twenty year old double sized Garcia (seen in this photo) is no longer legal in Yosemite. Makes no sense to me, the old one is super durable. Makes you wonder who makes these rules. I guess I'm being forced to carry a lighter canby lschaaf - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
The best defense in the wilderness is not doing stupid things like taking shortcuts just because you are tired. I am a middle aged woman who normally hikes solo- no companions= less whining. When I was younger I worried, but than I realized I am safer on the trail than on the freeway. By the time you are five miles down the trail most of the dangerous people are gone. As for animals- the laby lschaaf - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Interesting to see the area in the spring. Thanks for looking at my pictures.by lschaaf - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Continuing my trip report at day 5, I continued down the quiet, empty of people, Merced River Canyon. Stopping at various beaches and swimming holes. Eventually I found myself at Washburn Lake and then passing the ranger station, near which I had a pleasant chat with the backcountry ranger, the first person I had spoken since the other side of RP Pass. Night five was spent at the bacby lschaaf - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I crossed using the bridge, there was no closed sign on the other side, the side I was coming from. Seemed fine, no movement. The river was low enough that I probably could have waded.by lschaaf - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Mid July I did a loop over Red Peak Pass from Glacier Point. I had received encouragement from this forum that in a light snow year mid-July was not to early to go over the Pass. I started out headed up Illilouette Creek . The first day is always hard for me, so I found a nice campsite about seven miles in and called it a day. The next day I headed to Lower Ottoway Lake. The day clouded uby lschaaf - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Might take a little practice, but here's Red Devil Lake. Many thanks for your patience.by lschaaf - Photography advice, critiques and tutorials
Or I get thisby lschaaf - Photography advice, critiques and tutorials
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lschaaf55/9345275211/in/set-72157634758821082 I can never get the picture ,just the address. I have some good pictures from the Red Peak Pass loop in July, just can't seem to post them.by lschaaf - Photography advice, critiques and tutorials
Thank you to all for the info. I'm going. I'll be doing a loop from Glacier Point , over Red Peak Pass , down the Merced River and back to Glacier Point. Eight days, have my permit reservation already.by lschaaf - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
The easy way would be Happy Isles to Little Yosemite Valley, use Little Yosemite Valley as a base camp, and hike Clouds Rest and Half Dome as day hikes. I would spend a full day on each so I could take a lot of pictures. I did this a few years ago and had a wonderful time. Expect company. Frequently permits are available as a walk up instead of reservation if you show up the afternoon before yourby lschaaf - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion