LOL! I did a double-take! captions: 1. Good Lord, there are TWO of them? 2. The eggs hatched! 3. Double trouble. 4. Two are better than one. 5. (if that's Nike clothing he's wearing) Just Duetby Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
If the FMT is open then, that route is definitely worth taking. Note that the shuttle doesn't go to the trailhead for FMT - best bet is to park near the trailhead, then take the shuttle from HI to yosemite lodge and cross back over the meadow to the trailhead. Or park in the day use lot (is that still open now) or at the HI parking lot and walk ~2 miles (flat) to the FMT trailhead. If FMT isby Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Quoteparklover Unfortunately, this winter's weather delayed everything so it is now scheduled for the fall. If you don't want to do the long hike to the Mariposa Grove then you could go to the Merced or Tuolumne Groves if you want to see redwoods. Hopefully by June they will have the section of the 120 between Foresta and Crane Flat opened by then. I think Parklover meant to write "if youby Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Still don't see it.by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
You'll need a wilderness permit if you want to stay in the backpackers' camp in YV. See https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wpres.htm. You can either reserve the permit in advance (check www.nps.gov/yose for availability) or get one on the spot (on the day you leave or from 11 AM the day before). Even if you reserve in advance, you'll need to pick up the permit in person. If don't reserveby Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Kind of sobering how many bears got hit by cars last year.by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
If you can get reservation at Sunrise Lakes HSC that's great, but I would think all reservations there are taken by now - the lottery is in November, IIRC. OTH, I a few years ago (when Aramark still had the concession) at some point they announced a "sale" on places at Merced Lake HSC - not enough takers until then, I guess, maybe because it's a long day for most people to get there frby Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Shortest: Four Mile Trail (if it's open, 4.5 miles each way)) Longer: Mist Trail/JMT - Panorama - Glacier (like 9 miles each way) Even Longer: Pohono Trail from Tunnel View Parking lot (about 13 miles each way, and good chance of snow along the way, especially if FMT hasn't opened yet)by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
If I learned how to use a DSLR, I'd take one.by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Photography advice, critiques and tutorials
LOL! Thanks for starting a new thread for people who use oil paints instead of watercolors.by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Thanks for the tip - I googled it, and and clicked on some of the links, and played in google earth with the gps coordinates that someone gave of the spot where the photo was taken, and saw the video you made...it's for real. Needs a clear day and a good zoom lens, but wow.by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
You can still leave from the TH, but you'll need to find somewhere else to stay the night before. Reservations open in a few hours at recreation.gov for the other campgrounds along Tioga Road, why not reserve site at one of them for the night before?by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Nice pics, thanks for sharing. Photos were taken from (or near) Panoramic Point (just within the park boundary), looking northeast toward Hume Lake (outside the park boundary) and beyond (back within the park).by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Rancheria Falls would be a good destination if the footbridge over Wapama falls was open, but according to the "Current Conditions" page it's still out of commission https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm.by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
That's like 8-9 miles each way, which is doable (if you're in shape) when the weather is good, but is going to be a challenge with the trail covered in snow. Hard to predict what will be in early May, depends alot on the weather between now and then. The Mist Trail itself should be clear, and the switchbacks on Illilouette Ridge in the burn-out area have good sun exposure, so the snow cover therby Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Agate Fossil Beds National Monument in NE. Not worth it as a destination in and of itself, but if it's on your way or near where you'll be going, it's worth a visit. Look (or hunt) but don't take, obviously.by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - General Discussion
Didn't see Rocky Mountain NP on your been-there list, but don't know what the snow situation is or will be like. Guadalupe Mountains NP in SW Texas might be an option, but I don't if it's got any water; it's close enough to Carlsbad Caverns NP that you could hit both. Consider Great Basin NP in Nevada (has a cave in addition to 10,000 foot Wheeler Peak), but again, don't know about the snow situby Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - General Discussion
Cool. As usual, I'm envious. (Is "erratics envy" a term Freud coined?) What's your guess on what conditions there will be like in late June? Will be in Yosemite for a few days with a 14-year-old daughter and was thinking of doing an overnight from BOFR to El Capitan and then down the Yosemite Falls trail, but it looks like this year, even in late June (a) parts of the north rim willby Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Wow. Couldn't go up that was last week b/c of rockfall between Crane Flat and Foresta. Thanks for the pics.by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
What eeek said, keeping in mind that the road can be open when you leave the bay area and closed by the time you to the park due to rockfall or debris washout on the road that occurred while you were in transit. Happened to us in reverse yesterday - left the park on 140 and two hours later they closed it because of flooding at the junction with 120.by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Cool vids and TR. Thanks for re-posting the link to these.by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
In Yosemite Valley right now, and wondering how we're getting back to the Bay area tomorrow. If you CAN make it up to Yosemite and don't mind getting wet, you'll have the place to yourself (relatively speaking) - we went up to the bridge below Vernal falls this afternoon and saw no one else until we got to the bridge itself.by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I can't answer your question, but the Ahwahnee Meadow webcam gives you an idea of snow coverage in the eastern part of the valley, in an area that gets some sun. Go here: https://www.nps.gov/yose/learn/photosmultimedia/webcams.htm and click on the one labeled "Half Dome".by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Correct. At the risk of stating the obvious, if you want to see Horsetail falls backlit by the sun, there needs to be a falls, i.e. water (which is why it's almost never observed in late October when the sun also sets in the right position, but only in late February), and there needs to be sunlight close to sunset time. So if the sunlight is blocked late in the day because of cloudiness - whichby Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks for the photos and TR, I love the b/w one. Going out there the first full week of February, Dewey is on the list of possible destinations.by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
They're reporting. https://www.nps.gov/yose/blogs/update-for-january-11-2017.htmby Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
In principle the Four Mile Trail like a nice idea (did it mid-week in late November after they'd closed GP Road, and there were maybe 40 people up there for lunch as opposed to the usual throngs, but not quite the solitude it sounds like you're looking for). But right now it's listed on the Yosemite site as closed https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm. Don't know if that's b/c ofby Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
That's my sentiment too. Do you know if in actuality people who are rescued are charged for the S&R services?by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks for the info! Does anyone have a current phone number for the Nordic center? I'm not finding one on the YOSE website.by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I was reading through Schaffer's description of the Happy Isles - Vernal Fall Bridge - Vernal Fall - Nevada Fall loop, and came across this gem: "Entering forest shade once more, you ascend a steep stretch of trail before making a quick drop to the Vernal Fall bridge...Just beyond the bridge are restrooms and an emergency telephone (for emergencies such as heart attacks or slips on dangerousby Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra