About 80% of the Yosemite's larger critters are nocturnal...probably not going to see them much unless lucky and /or quiet. Bears do abound but mostly seen nowadays in Valley campgrounds foraging for a convenient meal - seldom (rare) in the backcountry due to strict regs about carrying bear cans today. Squirrels, marmots, and mule deer are common...maybe the illusive pika up high, but heard mby markskor - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Using the YARTS, as stated above... Mammoth start at Agnew Meadows - Over Donahue Pass - Tuolumne - burgers/ beer and stay Tuolumne BP camp. Rafferty Creek - Merced Lake - (Washburn?) - LYV - Half Dome and down to Happy Isles. Overnight Valley BP camp and bus back to Mammoth... A great 10 day adventureby markskor - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Having spent most of my last summers out backpacking - somewhere between Mammoth and Yosemite Valley, I am thankful to many who have made my summers amazing. Specifically to mention a few individuals that stand out... My Nice list - Aline, who runs the Yosemite Art Center in the Valley. She lets me store my watercolors there all summer long, May to October...(hard to backpack with an easel anby markskor - General Discussion
Quoteparklover I just didn't want to... try to remove the graffiti and cause more damage. . Interesting...more than a few years ago, some bassholes decided to spraypaint "Nudes Only" on the route up to the Tubs above the Ahwahnee. Not knowing any better, we borrowed a wire brush (friends in Housekeeping) and spent a few hours dry-scouring the granite...took off about half/ still faintby markskor - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotetroutwild Here ya go... “On the evening of the 4th, confronted with a crowd of several hundred young people that would not disperse, the Park Service sent in men on horseback armed with mace and ropes. The crowd threw rocks and bottles, and the scene degenerated into a melee. . Thanks! It was afternoon, not evening...also should have added (mace? ropes?) their swinging of batons heby markskor - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Browsing the ebook blurb provided above, but not having the ability or savvy to buy/download/read same - (alas, computerly challanged and having no eBook), I noticed one section titled "Hippies and the true story of the 1973 riot in Stoneman Meadow." Having been in Yosemite, in the meadow, at this fiasco (which BTW took place in 1970, not 1973), I am intrigued on this author's "by markskor - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
"I know that I want to do more outdoors stuff. I plan to 3-season backpack in the Sierra..." The thing is, good backpacking equipment can get expensive, but lasts...Cheap stuff works too, for a while... but doesn't last. Great gear (read light, well-made, works well) and you are confident - styling!... Cheap gear...well, not so much. If long term use anticipated - always buy tby markskor - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Lots of venues, sales, end-of-the-year, on-line places to buy gear...lots of options/ lots of opinions - If you can honestly say you are in this for the long term, not just a passing fancy...(You're sure?)* After you have searched, done your due-diligence homework... (workmanship - size - weight - fit - cost - reviews)...narrowed things down to but a few "wise" choices, Alwaby markskor - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Quotebuster Listing them on the National Register of Historic Places will make that harder to...(remove). While some may find the HSC's offensive, I for one laud this decision...specifically concerning Merced HSC. Talk recently (Merced and Tuolumne River plans) had reductions slated in the number of tent cabins allowed at Merced and Glen Aulin... to be reduced but (According to a few Ranger fby markskor - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quoteyosemitedawn None of us want to see it but ...may well continue since the concessionaire continues to rent rafts. With all due respect I disagree. Public opinion also disagrees - an uproar raged when the Merced River plan/ YNP/ Delaware North tried to stop the renting of rafts and bicycles at Curry Village last year. Curry halts its raft rentals when the river gets too low but even then,by markskor - General Discussion
Quoteags (Maybe they think I'm a wise-guy?) ... Anyway, in the course of the "do you have an approved bear canister? which one? how do you use it?" discussion, we heard the following. I'm only parroting (chickening?) what I heard: "On the rim above Tenaya Canyon, there have been consistent reports of bear activity. Apparently a bear has learned that if a canister is found, andby markskor - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Park and Ride Mammoth Just a warning to all, Put my car in Park and Ride parking lot in Mammoth Lakes (Tavern and Old Mammoth) early last week, intending to take the 6:00 AM YARTS to Tuolumne and walk back/return over Donahue Pass. Upon returning to Mammoth, only to find 2 parking tickets (@$45 each) for parking in the Mammoth P&R lot. (BTW, it should have been 3...whatever.) Just a waby markskor - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Spending the night backpacker camp, there was a continuous chorus of yells coming from the car camp sections - "Alvin"...(or maybe "Albert".) Not the first timeI have heard this name being called, seemingly out for no good reason. What's the story?by markskor - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
There is a BP section (with bear boxes) about 200 yards north ( just off trail) of the HSC - near the solar outhouse (sadly which was boarded up last season.) Better are up in the trees about 200 feet just north of the middle of Fletcher - up on the little rise....(restrictions apply lakeside) My favorite though is at the far east end of Fletcher - two nice, shaded, secluded spots, up in the tby markskor - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Permits? 60% of all Yosemite permits are designated reservable...alas long gone 6 months ago for Cathedral Lakes. However, that leaves 40% as "next day". You get in line in Tuolumne Wilderness or any Yosemite Wilderness office but Tuolumne takes care of their line first (Rangers ask those in line in Tuolumne at 10:30 if anyone is going Cathedral before releasing any remaining slotsby markskor - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
"...in the Sierras my entire life... ...the sierra nevadas to be my backyard..." FYI, Sierra Nevada translates to Snowy Mountains - already a plural. In California there are no Sierras, just the Sierra. Also there is no sierra nevadas - just Sierra Nevada. Sorry, (a pet peeve) but for someone who has been living in the Sierra their entire life...(sigh!). BTW,You say you can stby markskor - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Dropped my ex-ranger, regular hiking buddy off yesterday (Friday) at Agnew Meadows TH - road opened 2:43 PM - lots of cars lined up waiting. Signage says Reds Meadow only camp ground open down there till June 13. Devils PP sign says closed too...roads are clear - still 95% snow at the very top - no snow bottom, and mosquitos heavy in marshy areas below. I was supposed to join him - 10 days out tby markskor - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotemrcondron ... if an area has a bear locker there should be a set of official fire rings. Everywhere else if you have a fire then rehab the area before you leave. 99.999% of the back country is not pristine due to so many fire rings. Sometimes you think you're off trail and in a prestine spot then oops, a fire ring. Maybe I hike in a different Yosemite but WHAT? Let's take an example -by markskor - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteRoyalist The regulations are very clear about elevation limits, proximity to water and trails, etc. So there are plenty of fire rings that are clearly and unambiguously illegal and should be destroyed. Agreed, there are plenty of sites with multiple rings that should be destroyed...however, there are plenty of sites with one ring - better off left alone.by markskor - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotemrcondron ... it's important to rehab the area and insure the burnt rocks are hidden in brush and that the ashes are removed to brush also. It doesn't take a degree in forestry to figure out that a fire ring needs rehab. Most rings I've encountered in the back country have been unused for years and are easy to rehab. It's amazing that virtually every flat spot in the backcountry suitabby markskor - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotetomdisco Quotemarkskor ...better to leave some rings alone? Better to have one ring than the scars of twenty others dismantled. I'm not quite sure it's legal to recreate fire rings just because the originals might have been legal. The permits say, "Construction of new fire rings is not permitted". I realize I'm creating a Catch-22 situation but give us a little credit for knowby markskor - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotetomdisco Add to naughty: All those folks who create illegal fire rings in the wilderness. It's unbelievable how many can be found, especially off-trail. Add to nice: All those folks who dismantle illegal fire rings in the wilderness. Conflicted here...both naughty and nice "folk". Too many over-zealous folk seem to think all "legal" wilderness fire rings should beby markskor - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Hate going up Snow Creek trail? Me too. Use the bus! Suggest taking the 8:30 AM Valley Curry Bus to Porcupine Flat and walking down via Snow Creek...nice one-day hike. Same bus but start Yosemite Creek off 120 and down the big falls trail. Up the Yosemite Falls trail, cross the north rim, and down Snow Creek.by markskor - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Not to cause any consternattion but wasn't Lyell glacier recently demoted to that of an ice field now as it isn't moving anymore?by markskor - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Agreed, nice trip photos...sweet route. Did the same a few summers back; added a few days though as fishing was our driving force... (Fished every damn lake along the way). The second time through, we substituted Miter Basin/ Crabtree Pass as a subtle variation...rumor has it that Sky Blue and both Crabtrees can hold big Goldens...(Finicky creatures them Goldens!) Your photos indeed brought baby markskor - General Discussion
The "Mine in the Sky"...(Great book about that old, Pine Creek Tungsten mine...alas out of print now), dominates the lower canyon. Even though now closed, the mine buildings still have live-in caretakers and as such, not open to visitors. We tried.by markskor - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotemtn man Is that a Golden or a Cutthroat trout? Everything on the Royce side/ above French Canyon is Golden. Few months ago also visited this area for the first time...fishing was fricking magic. We did 15 days, (13 off trail) in search of these Goldens. Route included Pine Creek Pass, the Royces, Big Moccasin, Spearpoint, Turret, Three Island, 7 Gables Lakes, Vee, and a few of the miscby markskor - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Wiggy? Two comments: Not a down bag...(as in Washing Down Sleeping bags?) Too heavy for backpacking. ...smacks of troll droppings.by markskor - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Last summer was visiting ~Givens Lake area and discovered a rusted 50-cal just laying there, wrenched from something...total wreckage found close-by, over the next rise. Eerie. Later, when I inquired about it in the Valley history offices (above/behind visitors center), the librarian pulled out a large TOPO with the marked locations of 30+ wrecks that are in the park. So far have seen 3.by markskor - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Never dry clean a down bag. However, after asking at your best local gear store where they take their "loaner" bags to be washed...go there. Coincidentally, In Mammoth Lakes, I figured my WM Badger needed its 5-year cleaning, just last week. Asked at Mammoth Mountaineering where they send their sleeping bags... $25 quoted...Also asked about soap -They said they do this lots and provby markskor - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion