So, I checked on Sunrise when I arrived. It was full, but Cathedral had one spot open so I took it...otherwise same basic itinerary. Added about 4-5 miles to my first day but well worth it. Agree w/ the comment about doing north rim in early season. I had originally wanted to do that around Memorial Day but couldn't break free, so will save it for next year.by cjoz - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
QuoteCarlton Hi all, I want to embark on my first visit to yosemite, and do a multi-day backpacking trip. First of all sorry if these questions have already been asked, I don't have any national parks experience and it's all quite confusing. The trip I want to do is starting from Tenaya Lake to Sunrise lakes, cloud rest, to LYV and Happy Isles. Now, I have a few questions regarding permitby cjoz - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Have a permit that will take me in at Yosemite Creek and out at Porcupine Creek and would be visiting El Capitan/Eagle Peak and then over to North Dome/Indian Rock before heading out. Sort of a mini north rim tour. If they have a permit available, I've also considered going in at Sunrise, heading to Merced Lake, up over Vogelsang and then out at TM. In either case, would be 4 days on trail (by cjoz - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Looking at trying to do a semi-loop Mem. Day weekend w/ permit for Yosemite Creek Campground TH > Eagle Peak/El Cap > North Dome / Indian Rock > Porcupine Creek TH. 1) Looks like I can go in through a trail off of Tioga Road that is due east of Yosemite Creek Campground proper as opposed to the formal TH listed on the TH map (which is due north). The trail distance isn't much differeby cjoz - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Anyone been last week or so? Trying to figure out if it will be too sloppy still to take my 7 and 9 y.o. out there this w/e.by cjoz - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I may have missed it, but are the TM Grill/Store open yet?by cjoz - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks all! Route finding is not my forte.by cjoz - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
From the few PCT posts I've seen and also folks on the JMT Yahoo Groups page, there is some snow on north side of the higher passes but nothing to be terribly concerned about in terms of getting lost. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/johnmuirtrail/message/30793by cjoz - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Doing a Northern Yosemite loop that takes me north over Burro Pass. I'm interested in going up Matterhorn Peak as a side trip but the details are a little sketchy on the route to take. http://www.summitpost.org/southwest-slope-from-burro-pass/157502 says: From Burro Pass, head east around/over a small rock outcropping (shown on the USGS 7.5' topo) and ascend granite slabs towards the broadby cjoz - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Did the JMT last summer and hoping to explore Northern Yosemite this summer. This is almost the same itinerary I picked with the exception of looping around west through Bear Valley area/past Table Lake instead of your route heading south through Seavey Pass/Rodgers Lake area. From your photos, looks like your route may be better than what I had planned wondering if you (or anyone else) has anyby cjoz - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Been there, done that. 4 summers ago on a Tuolumne Meadows - Reds Meadow trip very first night on trail. Camped at footbridge below Donohue pass (like 9800 ft) and woke up w/ rattle in chest and coughing reddish gunk. It was still to dark to head down but did so at first light and hiked back to Tioga Road. X-rays a few days later confirmed HAPE. Very strange because I purposefully came tby cjoz - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Open to vehicles. Saw another poster elsewhere claiming they were told by NPS it would be opened on Friday June 17. Maybe to TM from the east but not all the way across. Seems like Olmstead Point is the big hazard at this point.by cjoz - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Someone in another forum heard from Sierra Shuttle in Bishop that Tioga Road will be opening Thursday, June 16. Can anyone confirm/deny? Obviously not an official source.by cjoz - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Any chance they'll start plowing soon?by cjoz - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I've always wondered about the "crossing the road" bit. The JMT crosses the road near TM and loops back and you don't need to get a second permit for TM if you leave from Happy Isles. Nor is a second permit required to do the HSC Loop. I called the permit office last year and asked about crossing the road and was told that if you're simply crossing the road to continue your trip,by cjoz - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
http://www.gorp.com/parks-guide/travel-ta-hiking-emigrant-wilderness-area-san-francisco-sidwcmdev_057929.html Has a good starting itinerary for basic loop. Can extend from here.by cjoz - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotebill-e-g cjoz, Please educate me a little bit on this... My understanding on this matter is that everyone's physiologically different and that altitude affects everyone a little differently. Some people just don't have the stuff physiologically to climb high peaks or even be at elevation at all. I personally go from nearly 0 to over 10K frequently within a few hours. I almostby cjoz - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Hiking alone is not good or bad but more dangerous. You can prepare to make it less dangerous. If i'm going solo in the backcountry, I've brought SPOT or sat phone. In less remote areas, at least a whistle around my neck. But if something happens and you can't use them (say you're unconscious), they won't much. Staying on trail is better than off-trail in terms of being found if something haby cjoz - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I like White Wolf in general and the restaurant is great. TM Lodge would be more convenient for TM hikes per se, but as long as you're not trying to go out there every day, White Wolf wouldn't be a bad option, especially if you leave early-ish when Tioga isn't so crowded. Plus, you're pretty close to other great trail options like North Dome.by cjoz - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Ordered a bunch of Packit Gourmet food for my trip last week. Ultimately didn't end up eating much of it (appetite always seems to get depressed when I backpack). I did eat the Zydeco Red Beans and Rice w/ the sausage, the Market Pasta Puttanesca and some Berry Berry Jump Start Fruit Smoothies. Zydeco - Pass. Too chalky and not enough flavor. The "Texas Sausage" was disappointingby cjoz - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quoteeeek QuotecjozThanks! Headed that way tomorrow w/ gps in hand and some shake and bake for chicken dinner. Please take a picture of the crossing if you can. I'd like to compare it to the one I took.by cjoz - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
NOT OPEN. Much to my chagrin. Won't be open until Wednesday.by cjoz - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Just about to hop on the trail and I'm glad I double checked. I had heard that the free shuttle that runs between trailheads on Tioga Road was running on weekends already. Not true. May not be until July. I'm setting up a car shuttle for my trip. The only thing running through here at this point is YARTS and you'd obviously have to time it just right to catch it since it only runs weekends aby cjoz - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I bought a Garmin Oregon 450. It's a mapping GPS. I also got the 24K topo for Western states. Looks very detailed includes tails. You just follow the trail on the unit. I'm trying it out today for my trip will let you know how it works.by cjoz - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks! Headed that way tomorrow w/ gps in hand and some shake and bake for chicken dinner.by cjoz - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Yes, good clarification. I was thinking of the trailhead lockers. Individual campgrnd lockers could be locked.by cjoz - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Park and Partner News The Tuolumne Meadows Store opens for the season on Friday, June 25, 2010 at 8:00 a.m. Daily operating hours are 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Effective Wednesday, June 30 the daily operating hours will change to 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. While traveling to Tuolumne Meadows, please obey all posted speed limits and be concious of bears and other wildlife crossing the highway. (Vby cjoz - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Can't padlock them from what I remember and if you did I think they'd cut them off. I personally haven't had a problem off Tioga Road trailheads. Curry Village, who knows.by cjoz - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I'm heading the other direction. Coming from direction of Sunrise along JMT and past Cathedral Lakes. Tentative plan has us hitting Cathedral Lakes on the 26th and exiting the part at the Cathedral Lakes TH on 6/27. I take it from above that we may need to nix that route?by cjoz - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Anyone besides me trying to check current conditions on Yosemite website and getting pages from April 2010? Hope this is a temporary thing.by cjoz - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion