I’ve been out of touch for a while… sorry. Still actively doing a lot, tho this winter, we did more in the home area because of closures and crazy conditions.. hope all well with you, Parklover, and others! Wasn’t the contract with Aramark for 15 years, and started in 2016. That means a number more years of their nonsense. We haven’t really had great or even good experiences with themby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I only had one trip with him, Chick-On and Basilbop, but it was a great one. I’ll always remember it and him. He truly loved Yosemite.by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I miss you guys, and, as I mentioned to ParkLover the other day, I really enjoyed many on this forum. But the unknown masses who might read, take what info they want and then just ruin the land with fire rings, trash, rock piles, etc. drove me off. We have revisited so many places that were damaged. Breaks my heart every time.by JustKeepWalking - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Hi!! Good to hear from you!!! Unless they changed the rules, you tell the kiosk ranger you want to day hike Elizabeth lake and they give you a special parking pass for the lot at the trailhead. And a map. If the campground is closed due to COVID or whatnot, you will have to park at the nearest area open to public parking and hike in. The campground map is online, so u can navigate from wheby JustKeepWalking - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
I empathize with your hamstring injury, good luck on recovery! Be well!by JustKeepWalking - General Discussion
Oh, goodness, sorry to hear about your husband! Be well! Hugs!by JustKeepWalking - General Discussion
Kings finally closed today too.. Both took longer than I’d expected... We got an email message from Yos Conservancy for our backpacking trip starting today... if we’d actually gone, we would have already been hiking by the time it arrived. We carry InReach minis tho, so pretty sure one of our friends would have said something!!! At least, I’d hope they would! Breaking my heart, alby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Codes are good for trips starting within 2 weeks. We just finished today’s 4 pm session for upcoming trips. He was specific in the call about this. Past sessions have also mentioned this two week window. They update current conditions, so best to attend one. Today’s 4 PM session made clear that they just closed Yosemite Creek trail from Tioga road to Eagle Peak junction and theby JustKeepWalking - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Neat! Good to know! On our last trip... one afternoon before dinner, a 4-5’ long rattler calmly went through our camp. He* was super relaxed and moving slow checking things out, until we got within a certain distance. Then he started to coil his neck and look back and rattle. We back off, he straightens out and continues checking around for prey or whatever it was he was searching for. Eventby JustKeepWalking - General Discussion
Copy that! We had a spot with no one around us, and I never saw another soul use the women’s bathroom while we were there. When we left, it was obvious it was getting busy (Big groups!!!!) , and two friends stayed there only a couple nights later and reported it was already “busy” and their experience did not match ours, sadly. I will not stay at any of them for now. We r just driving in aby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Location, Location, Location...by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
It is very clearly stated in the Yosemite Wilderness Use education session pdf they have linked on their website: Yosemite Wilderness Use PDF If in the area of a High Sierra Camp you must in the Backpacker’s Camp or more than a mile away. It’s stated in other places I’ve seen as well. Other good info in there as well. Have fun, but please set a good example for all the new backpacby JustKeepWalking - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Thank you!!! And same to you and others here!! Basilbop and I are now enjoying our return trip to California. Just had the most awesome day in Arches! Snowed all day and *we* had a blast! The snow was wreaking havoc here, but it was nothing if u r used to Sierra snow! Seemed like maybe 3” of wet-for-here snow. Didn’t cause us any issues. But peeps off side of roads, stuck ON roads, slippinby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I apologize for the lateness of my post, but I’ve been running from one thing to the next these past few days! What can I say that I haven’t said before...? I cannot express my gratitude and love enough to you, Basilbop, for all the years of support, love and adventure we have shared! I’ve been through a lot and you have been there for me through it all! For that alone, I am foreverby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thank you for the TR! I love that area! Glad u had a good time! You chose a great day hike!by JustKeepWalking - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Two weekends ago they were still not running. And it’s been stupid busy as far as I could tell over the three weekends we were there. Shuttles would have been useful!!! I don’t get it at all. You would think the NPS would be all over Aramark. But what do I know?by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thank you so much for the kind words! I’ll say more soon... but gotta get up early to head out!!!by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thank you so very much, Chick-on, for all your support, patience and compassion as I’ve been going through this process. I’m truly glad to have a friend who understands how much the mountains mean to me and is helping me get to them as often as I can. And thank you so much for all the fun, laughter and camaraderie over the years! And now with our newly rekindled passion for board games, beby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotenwhkr Happy B'Day JKW!! Hope you are enjoying the b'day month and summer as well as healing well. Wishing you a speedy recovery! You are a trooper!! Thank you so much!! It’s going better than I’d expected, and I’m frankly trying not to overdo it!! Gotta get my foot strengthened back up and used to its new “shape”. Quotenwhkr Quotechick-on I'd still be eating ice cream in beby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I hope I don’t sound crabby, as I’m still under Tylenol from surgery on foot, but I wish they would just outlaw campfires completely. Not holding breath. But dang. So much damage from illegal fire rings... and one group builds and a following group thinks it’s ok or something. Grrr. And the potential for bad fires.. sigh. Snow nice, covers a lot of the crap.by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Yah, we talked amongst ourselves a while back about how this would probably be a year when the camps would not open. Not at all a surprise!!! Kinda not surprised to hear your Aramark story either! Hope all well with you, Parklover!by JustKeepWalking - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Love love love!!! All great trips and so nice to see snow like that again! Thank you thank you to you and Basilbop for taking me along!by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thank u thank u! Gives me a little fix!!! Can’t wait to get back there again!!!by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
We use a full size thick 10”? inflating air bed. Takes out all the lumps and bumps and is stupid comfy. The only problem with this trick is figuring out where to put all the gear because the mattress fills practically the entirety of the car! But very comfy! (Edited dimensions of air bed.)by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Chickon left Saturday evening. Basilbop and I stayed through Sunday, and it was much warmer. The snow and ice was cracking and falling off the walls everywhere. We had lunch at Mirror Lake probably when the incident occurred. As we were walking the road loop past Happy Isles, we had to move to the side and let a speeding ranger with sirens blasting head to Happy Isles past Upper Pines. We wondereby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Weekend feb 9-10 had lots of snow. Bad idea not to have at minimum nano-spikes. Used those around village on paved paths, which had icy bits. Microspikes overkill for those areas that weekend. Microspikes for a lot of other areas, including getting up and down stairs at lodge. We were in Sequoia this past weekend and got a lot of snow and down to a low elevation! Going again to Yosemite tby JustKeepWalking - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
I deliberately didn’t specify all the bits of garbage, such as tp, tampons, foil, cans, plastics, and .... ugh... grrr...by JustKeepWalking - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
And please LEAVE NO TRACE. When we first did sections of Roper’s SH Route, many years ago, there were no trails, ducks, markers or such. We went back years later to re-do a section and saw trail. Frankly, I don’t like posting or saying anything anymore to “strangers” because I don’t know how they will treat the wilderness. It’s NOT your personal land to mark up and defile aby JustKeepWalking - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Plawrence: I agree with you on all counts.. I don’t have a problem with the intersections or curves, but the deer, especially this time of year when we are heading home. This past Monday, there were two *groups* of deer licking the road in east bound direction before Buck Meadows. I’ve had them jump out in front of me, all kinds of stuff. I know the road and can deal with conditions, buby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Yes, please and thank you!!!!by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion