I've always enjoyed Walker Burger but their service is slow. We eat there often after backpacking trips so we like to eat outside downwind from the other customers. Maybe we are just starving after a week in the backcountry? I much prefer it to to overpriced hipster hangout at 395 and 120. Their food is good but it cost me more to eat there than it does to fill up my gas tank. Are they still doiby apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Sonora Pass as of June 1st https://twitter.com/apeman45/status/1135773742380986368by apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I think by far Bryson's book was the funniest hiking story ever. I read it in 1996 while on a camping trip and laughed out loud the whole time. Who cares if he "hiked" the trail. It was a great story and funny as hell. He never claimed to be a purist or in shape and the only guy he could find to go with him was a drunk out of shape friend. I loved the part where the woman wouldn'tby apeman45 - General Discussion
I agree with Plawrence. I work with trees in the central valley as part of my job. Oaks are very good at adapting to drought. If you water them in the summer you can kill them. In the Arbor industry people joke that when an oak starts growing it starts decaying. It may take 100 years to die but it is always decaying. Most oak tree branch failures are in hot summer weather with no wind or weaby apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks for posting those beautiful pictures! I wish I was there now. I was there 3 weeks ago but this has me wanting to go back now. It's going to be nice this weekend. Anyone know how you are supposed to get wilderness permits during this government hostage crisis?by apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Anyone been to Zion? During peak times everyone takes a shuttle and the majority of services are outside the park. I love it. It works great and you don't have to deal with smog and traffic jams. You can't rent rafts or bikes or ice skate . You can hike and swim anywhere you want. Seems to still be a popular place. Could you imagine people demanding they build an ice rink there or openby apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Don't take Tom McClintock too seriously. His claim to fame is to say no to everything and he sees our government land and parks as something that needs to be exploited for profit. If it were up to him Disneyland would probably be the new concessionaire and you would be able to take a gondola ride to the top of half dome. He does not represent California's political views. He's a career politiby apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
California mosquitoes still hate it. I know it probably shortens my life span by several years but I won't be without it in June in the Sierra. I have seen no decrease in effectiveness. I use 100%.by apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I've done both and like them both. Onion Valley is a little harder and longer but much more scenic. Cottonwood is fun too. I would use new or old army pass if going out of cottonwood regardless if you are planning on doing Langley. IMHO cottonwood pass is easier but kind of boring, sandy and dry. Are you peak bagging or fishing on the way? What are your abilities and how far do you want toby apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
So they don't have to wait in line early Friday morning and can sleep in instead like normal people. REI is the only place I would line up early on black Friday. Now stores are open on Thanksgiving! I will not be there - unless REI is open.by apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I didn't sleep much. I got there at three and sat in a chair for 4 hours on the porch and tried to doze off as much as possible. No sleeping bags or pillows so I wouldn't really cal it sleeping. Kind of like waiting in a line for a crappy black Friday sale item. I wish REI did black Friday stuff. I never saw a sign either. Get a permit in advance if possible to avoid this discomfort.by apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Agree with Almost there. Group trips always have people flake. I have about half the people who say they will go bail at the last minute even after getting permits 6 months in advance. If you are 4 or less you should be able to get walkups the day before your hike but plan on getting to the permit office around 6am. A larger group will make permits harder to get in advance and as a walkup. Tby apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I feel much safer in the national parks and wilderness than I do in the city. I feel even safer in the backcountry because the gun nuts tend not to want to put out the effort and don't want to carry a heavy weapon. Hiking solo is the ultimate freedom for me. Probably the most dangerous place in Yosemite are the valley campgrounds after the booze starts flowing. Even then it is safer than theby apeman45 - General Discussion
These are cool gentle snakes. I'm pretty sure one of their defense mechanisms is their stink. Last time I picked one up it took several days to get the smell off my hands.by apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks! This warm weather should help too!by apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thinking about hiking up Dana in a week or so and was wondering if anyone had any reports on conditions up the standard trail route from the entry station. I know it's early in the season. One of my party has never hiked in snow but I do have ice axes and snowshoes but was hoping it was safely doable for a rookie. She hasn't hiked much and I want her to have a good time. I've been up Dana manby apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I used to camp there a lot 25 years ago. It was one of my favorite weekend getaways from the bay area. Great swimming holes in the creek, We used to pitch our tent 5 feet from the creek and have bonfires every night. After about 30 total nights of camping we were visited once by a ranger who simply asked to see our fire permit. Never saw many people other than the nudists who frequented theby apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
It's totally awesome but may I suggest a title change. The Sierra is the range of light and if you title it Yosemite then don't have scenes outside of Yosemite. I'm pretty sure there are no Joshua trees anywhere near Yosemite. The Mono Lake shot is amazing but again not in the park. Spectacular and I love it otherwise!by apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I'm still using my coleman white gas pump stove that I bought at a divorce garage sale in 1980 and it was at least 20 years old then. Works great so I still use it. My weber smokey joe usually comes along too. They keep working so I keep using them. .I'm older so maybe I just like old stuff. Those newfangled things are shiny but I don't need them....yet.by apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I grew up in the ghetto and my town once had the highest murder rate per capita in the US. Never needed a gun then and will never have one. It was pretty easy even in the bad part of town to use common sense to avoid being murdered. I didn't walk around at night alone, didn't associate with criminals or drug dealers and took simple steps at home like a deadbolt and a porchlight. I had a pretby apeman45 - General Discussion
I actually don't mind the poop that much. There are so many other things that I hate more about horses in the wilderness. In wet conditions the trail damage from horses is atrocious. There is a reason they invented a piece of construction equipment for compacting earth called the sheepsfoot. Horses are built for compacting soil and in the spring you can count on them turning everything to mucby apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
That was a cool video. Thanks for posting. Sky Pilot / polemonium are one of my favorite Sierra flowers. Dana is an easy hike 6 miles round trip with a use trail all the way to the top. The trail starts at the 120 east entrance station. Before you get to the plateau you will see an amazing wildflower display about a mile from the trailhead. The sky pilots usually appear around 10k plus butby apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
What Katy said! I miissed her post while I was writing mine. That's great advice from her. If you are really into geology then you will love the postpile. The Yarts shuttle option only makes the boring trudge 1 way so not so bad but I agree with Katy. I do not think it would be worthwhile to hike down and back up some rather dull and very dusty trail to see the postpile per you itinerary.by apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I agree with Basilbop. Shadow is nothing special at all and Rosalie and Gladys are not worth the climb from shadow. If I had to choose one it would be Rosalie as Gladys is a bug infested forested sight and the JMT to Devils postpile is a rather viewless trudge. You will have lots of company. Here's what I would do. This would keep doubling back on the same route to a minimum. Check out theby apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I last camped at Yosemite Creek about 4 years ago. The bridge over the creek wasn't repaired yet so that half of the campground was still closed. Pretty sure that is fixed now. The road in sucked with lots of potholes, practically dirt in places. I think it's about 5 miles in off 120. To me those are good things. Lots of good spots spread out from each other and quiet. Many spots right onby apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
You are going into areas with lots of fish that you don't have to carry. You will need a stove or if in legal fire areas you can cook them on the fire in foil. I can't survive without a snickers bar for breakfast and one for a nightcap everyday but they are heavy but whatever works for you. I avoid the snickers for lunch because they are usually gooey by then. Also remember you can carryby apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
The lower trail all the way up to the plateau is in great shape. I haven't seen any changes over the years from that point on. As qumquats mentions from there it's line of site and once you reach the rocks there are multiple use trails that all seem to end and begin again so simply choose the path of least resistance. I highly recommend veering all the way to the left (east) once the main traiby apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Remember this is the JMT which is kind of a freeway through some amazingly beautiful scenery. I saw these guys at Rae lakes at the end of July after 3 days of that monsoon that came through. We were tent bound way too much that day and finally put the waterproof gear on to enjoy an amazing sunset and a double rainbow omg! These guys rolled in carrying a ridiculous assortment of awkward photogrby apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Hello Ron I didn't have to tell Gene to smile. It was a great day and hard not to smile. Standard practice at a place like that is to take 2 pictures just in case. Moose Tracks wanted a picture of her and Gene to show her Dad. I got a picture of me and Moose Tracks too which is not something I usually do on summits. We all just had a great chat on a great day and we all had lots to smileby apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
A few years ago me and a friend did a 5 day through hike and camped next to a group of 4 the first night. Exchanged the usual evening pleasantries and slept in the next day and gave this group a good 2 hour head start since they had a similar itinerary and we craved a little solitude. Upon reaching the top of that days pass we came across this party and one was especially exhausted and obviouslby apeman45 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion