Atomic, you made my day. What gorgeous photos. Thank you so much for sharing. The black and white pics are amazing!by Ulysses61 - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
I hiked Clouds Rest on Tuesday. Tons of mosquitoes but no snow at all. There were a few patches of snow easy to post hole through.by Ulysses61 - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Basil-- thanks for the fabulous photos! I did Ten Lakes today to the meadow, then slogged on for about 10 minutes and turned around because of the snow. Temps were in the low 70's so I expect the trail to be traversable within ten days or so. And.... no mosquitoes! (YET).by Ulysses61 - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Just a heads up-- any Curry Village cabin with bath is next to impossible to reserve. The best way that I have found is to sit on the reservations site and constantly try for one. Sometimes it takes days. There usually are cancellations as the date draws near to the reservation day(s). But you have to be quick on the draw. They are very difficult to get these days. Good luck.by Ulysses61 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
They are not 30% snow covered on the trail. I hiked to Sunrise via Cathedral on June 1 and there were 4 snow sections, which were easily traversable. I didn't even have to use my micro spikes. No snow at all after you get to the long meadow above upper Cathedral Lakes.by Ulysses61 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Was there Th. No mosquitoes at Cathedral Lakes, though a few at 6:00 am at the trailhead. Most of the snow gone, but I had to put on the microspikes in two brief areas. It's too early for mosquitoes in the high country. They're at their apex late June-mid July.by Ulysses61 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Hotrod, I'll be in the High Country on Friday and will scope out Cathedral Lakes for you. I hiked it last May 25, a similar low snow year and was able to day hike to Sunrise HSC and back, though I had to use micro spikes in 6-7 spots before the lakes. Nothing major but I know the trail very well from hiking it countless times. It would tough if you don't know the trail. There will definitely be sby Ulysses61 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
What a heartbreaking story. May Ken rest in peace. It always brings tears to my eyes when a hiker dies while hiking. I don't believe for a moment this was suicide, he left his hiking itinerary every day at the Ahwahnee. I'm "only" in my 40's, but am a little surprised at the references to this poor man's old age (73). My mother was a hospice nurse for many years and as she said tby Ulysses61 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Hotrod, I agree with you wholeheartedly .I find all hunting despicable and those who engage in this activity to be deplorable. Someone could literally hand me a million dollars in cash and I could not take a rifle, aim it at a peaceful bear in the wild and murder it. The very thought of it makes me almost physically ill. And to anyone who hangs around national park boundaries to murder a buffalo,by Ulysses61 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Great question! I'm renting a condo in Mammoth for all of June and July. I'm gambling that Tioga will be open, the snowpack will remain low and hiking will be possible from June onwards. Last year I was able to hike from Cathedral Lakes to Sunrise Camp on May 27 with almost no snow! So oodles and oodles of Yosemite hiking for me this summer. Counting down the days.by Ulysses61 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
This is slightly off-topic, but because June Lake's downhill skiing was closed this season, they opened up the June Lake loop for cross country skiing. It was awesome! A far better and less crowded alternative to the standard cross country ski course long established in the Lakes Basin in Mammoth. For all of you out-of-state people coming this summer to hike in Yosemite, please check out June Lakby Ulysses61 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteMy favorite secret spot is the Pizza Deck at Curry. Go there. Yeah. But don't tell anybody. LOL!!! Good one! There are a number of people on this Forum who love this pizza. To me, it's tastes like cardboard but I eat it anyway. The cafeteria at Curry's Village serves the worst food I think I have EVER tasted. Literally!by Ulysses61 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
As others have said, you should not stay in Mariposa if you're going to be hiking in the High Country. Stay on the 395 side, but NOT in Lee Vining, where the cheapest accomodations are $100+ a night in the summer. Stay in June Lake for $70 a night and you're a lot closer to Touloumne Meadows. The Motel 6 in Mammoth is $65 a night. You can be at the trailhead for Cathedral, Sunrise or Youngs Lakeby Ulysses61 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Mosquitos are ALWAYS a plague in Yosemite in July, even in the driest years. Last year I was able to do Cathedral Lakes in May because it was an incredibly low snowfall year. Other years it hasn't been passable until early July. This year it's been equally as dry, but it's far too early to tell what July conditions will be like in the High Country or in the Sierras. All it takes is one significanby Ulysses61 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Clouds Rest is a very moderate day hike. My Garmin watch always lists it as 12.7 miles from Sunrise trailhead. The elevation gain is only 2200 feet. I usually hike Clouds Rest 12 or more times every year and September is always do-able. In fact, September and October are the best months to do it because you avoid the crowds.by Ulysses61 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteI would go to Clouds Rest 100 times before going to Half Dome. I agree! Half Dome is crowded, the cables are a pain and the entire trail is populated with 90% non-hikers. Clouds Rest offers the far more spectacular view and most of the people doing it are actually hikers, not tourists who talk loudly, walk two abreast and who litter.by Ulysses61 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Mammoth and especially June Lake do not have the mosquito issues that the high country in Yosemite has. The notable exception is any hike in Reds or Agnew Meadows!!! The hiking in Mammoth and June Lake also compares favorably to Yosemite, IMO. Great hikes would be: 1. Purple Lake in Mammoth 2. Rush Creek in June Lae 3. Fern and Yost Lakes in June Lake The mosquitos can be tough at theby Ulysses61 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Clouds rest from Sunrise RT is 12.1 miles according tomy Garmin. For some reason, many hiking books claim it's 14 miles, which it definitely is not. I've hiked it 50 times and measured it with my Garmin at least 10 times and it always comes out just about 12 miles. It's only 2100 elevation gain, so it's a very moderate hike. As others have said, the HSC often do not open until July. 2012 wasby Ulysses61 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
You have photos of "massive snow falls" in the Valley during the winter of 2011-12? Your definition of "massive" might be quite different than mine. Having grown up in Mammoth, my definition of a masive snowfall is 6-10 feet in 24 hours. The Valley floor got very, very little snow this past winter.by Ulysses61 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Whoa Nellie reviews: I actually rely on Yelp reviews on hotels and places to eat. It was solely because of people raving about the Schatt's turkey sandwiches in Bishop and Mammoth (yes, they are definitely still open) that I went to both places. A mistake. The food at Whoa Nellie's was marginally better when Matt Toomey still ran the place and cooked the food himself. Now he has his own plaby Ulysses61 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
In no particular order, my Hall of Shame from Yosemite and 395: Schatt's bakery in Mammoth has the rudest and most inattentive helpers I've ever seen in the rear portion of the place. "Yelp" reviewers raved about their turkey sandwiches, but they were awful. And I waited 25 minutes for one when there was no one else in the place. Dry, miserable, over-hyped. The Schatts turkey sandby Ulysses61 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thank God she was found OK and thank heavens no foul play was involved.by Ulysses61 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteOn a backpack in the Grand Canyon, while going down the South Kaibab trail, I gave directions to two people who were day hiking to the bottom and back, These people must have been totally clueless. The only trail that intersects the South Kaibab is the Tonto trail and that is clearly marked. It is impossible to get lost on the S. Kaibab trail, it goes down to the black bridge and the COby Ulysses61 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Wow, I have to respectfully disagree. I think TM campground is one of the worse ones I've ever seen in the Yosemite area (Curry Village is ever worse). Check out Coldwater campground in Mammoth (or any of the campgrounds in the Lakes Basin). Those are the gold standard of any campsites anywhere near Yosemite. I do think the restrooms at TM campground are nice. Just my .05 cents.by Ulysses61 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Cantwait, I just wanted to make sure you want to do Clouds Rest as an overnighter? Because as someone else said, it's very easy as a day hike. There's only 2,000 elevation gain. The vast majority of people do this out of Sunrise, this would be a 13 mile hike. It's far longer and much more elevation gain if you do it out of Happy Isles. Great views from th top, however. IMO, the best view of tby Ulysses61 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Just to follow up, if you choose the route described above, you can easily get on the Yosemite shuttle and they'll take you back to Tenaya trailhead in a matter of minutes.by Ulysses61 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
There is almost no water at the Tenaya crossing, I just did Clouds Rest on Wednesday. You can just walk over rocks and not even get your feet wet. I personally think you should go up the Tenaya route way and after your stay is completed, return the Cathedral Lakes way. This way you get to experience both routes. I would NOT descend the Tenaya way, that's hell because it's rocky and steep terrby Ulysses61 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
It depends upon the length of the hike and the elevation gain. Last week I hiked: 1. Coldwater campground to Purple Lake (Mammoth Lakes). 16 miles, elevation gain of 3,000 2. Seven Lakes Basin loop (Big Pine): 15.9 miles, elevation gain of 3800 3. Rush Creek to Alger Lakes (June Lake) 20.9 miles, elevation gain of 4100 Water is most important to me, or Cytomax. I drink 33 ounces every 90by Ulysses61 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
There is no snow impeding any day hike in Yosemite. I've done 21 hikes in the high country since late May and the only problem were downed trees-- most of which have been removed by chainsaws and mules.by Ulysses61 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I spend about three months a year in June Lake and never knew they had a bark beetle problem. This is potentially horrific. In southern California, both Idyllwild and Lake Arrowhead were ravaged by the bark beetle in the late 90's up until 2003.by Ulysses61 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion