What are "nano-spikes"? I've never used a traction device other than my snowshoes, and I'm a little confused by the choices.by iivvgg - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Any updates, folks? I'll be up there next weekend.by iivvgg - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
So sad. I decided a few years ago that I had no interest in the JMT and would rather section-hike the SHR. (Again, not that I've started, but that's another story.) I guess if you really love off-trail hiking, you have to find your own doggone route.by iivvgg - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
It's generally a less-impacted trailhead. It's really remarkable how some trailheads fill up much sooner than others. Since the Ten Lakes trailhead really only goes to Ten Lakes, there aren't as many takers.by iivvgg - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Roughly speaking, expect that all unmapped water sources will be dry, as well as the smaller mapped creeks. But it's hard to tell now, with so much of the snow season still ahead. Spring temperatures will also have a big effect -- an early melt means the groundwater runs out sooner. Check back in July or August.by iivvgg - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
????by iivvgg - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Any updates, folks?by iivvgg - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Has anyone snowshoed to Bumpass Hell? It's a long walk right now, but shouldn't be too hard to reach during the spring road plowing. I imagine it would be safe to walk on any surface covered in snow, unlike the strict safety and conservation rules that apply in the summer.by iivvgg - General Discussion
One more question. What constitutes a "bear incident"? I'm not sure how to square these numbers: "2018 Total Bear Incidents: 20" "Over Veterans Day weekend, bears obtained food garbage on three separate occasions from campsites." Does that mean that 3 of 20 "incidents" occurred in that one (off-season) weekend?by iivvgg - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Nice! I've heard of the Sierra High Route. Are there others?by iivvgg - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Thanks... I still don't get the logic, though. Do they put that sign up where a bear is actually hit by a car?by iivvgg - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
"Red Bear, Dead Bear" What the heck is a red bear? (Other than an out-of-date political symbol.)by iivvgg - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Keeping the gates open with no staff present would be an invitation to mischief.by iivvgg - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
"The problem arose as the buses had no way to take credit cards" What decade are we in?by iivvgg - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Sierra Hiker site is downby iivvgg - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Thanks for the tips! Our Lost Coast trip this year was 4 nights x 2 people = 1 bear can. We're efficient packers, as long as we size our portions correctly. I hadn't seen the map you showed. I did find the "Wilderness Trip Planner". I've actually never planned a backpacking trip in SEKI before, so not sure about the differences in rules from Yosemite. And I haven't even looked atby iivvgg - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
I took a pass on the Sierra this year, but I'm already contemplating next summer's trip. One option is Mt. Whitney via Cottonwood (map), as an out-and-back or semi-loop, avoiding Whitney Portal. My thinking is to take 2 or 3 days to get to the Crabtree Meadow area, dayhike the summit, and take 2 more days to return, for a total of 4 or 5 nights. Questions: If we take 5 nights, food storage bby iivvgg - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
I hiked the Lost Coast Trail in July. It's an interesting and unusual hike that I think will be of interest to many forum readers. While planning it, I found plenty of information online, but good information was hard to come by. The goal of this report is to be maximally useful for first-time LCT hikers. What is the Lost Coast? The Lost Coast is so named because it has no highways. Highway 1by iivvgg - General Discussion
@ScottY: I'm glad you found this helpful! A 2-night loop would be a fine itinerary. 1) I think the flats at the west end of Reymann are fine for camping in good weather. I blew past them with hardly a second thought and headed for the steep north-northeast shore, out of fear that they would be a wind tunnel and a lightning magnet. But I was tired and rushed, and we later found that gooby iivvgg - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Happy New Year! My first recommendation will be to watch the weather forecast. The Sierra will look very different next weekend than it does this weekend.by iivvgg - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Since this forum seems to be going into hibernation, I thought I'd tease y'all with some pictures from my trip to Sequoia in mid-March this year. (I can't seem to get the pictures on Dropbox to show up inline.)by iivvgg - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Yes, clearly a snake skin. I would guess it's a rattlesnake, judging from the width. But I would not at all expect to find rattlers at that elevation.by iivvgg - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
'Mono' appears to be a corruption of a native word. But it's also Spanish for 'monkey'.by iivvgg - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
You can always call the ranger station and ask them about current conditions.by iivvgg - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Good point, @jeffrey. Another snowcamping trick: use two pads.by iivvgg - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Have you hiked and camped in snow before? We can give advice. Also, how much snow is up there?by iivvgg - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
For my last trip, I picked up a bottle of Hammer Endurolytes. They're nearly flavorless, sugar-free capsules. But they got buried in the bear can after the first day, so I can't attest to their efficacy.by iivvgg - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
In my snowcamping training, I learned to put hot water bottles in my sleeping bag when going to bed. I don't really recommend this method. The bottles are very cozy at first, but they can discourage you from layering up properly, and get cold by early morning when you need them most. You also have to be very careful when filling them to not scald yourself and to seal them tightly. And don't use sby iivvgg - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
I consider any above-freezing temperature to be normal in the High Sierra. Getting out of that tent in the morning can be bracing, but you warm up eventually. A lot depends on how you dress. Socks, sweater(s) tucked into pants, scarf, hat, gloves. A lot also depends on what you do. Sitting around a fire doing nothing is a good way to drop your metabolic rate. Granted, there's a lot of nighttime iby iivvgg - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra