Anyone know of a forum like this where obsessive experts on RMNP hang out? Heading out there soon and looking for some top-notch advicie.by oso101 - General Discussion
SFGate: Rare sighting of wolf adults, 5 pups in Northern California "The wolves — dubbed the Shasta Pack — were detected in southeastern Siskiyou County. The pups appeared to be just about 4 months old, officials of the state Department of Fish and Wildlife said." Pretty cool.by oso101 - General Discussion
Any recent reports on whether water is still flowing in: Echo Creek below Nelson Pass Unicorn Creek above Elizabeth Cathedral Fok above Echo Lake? Thanks!by oso101 - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Thanks everyone for the great advice. I've seen in some other threads that others have had trouble finding the right route up to the saddle heading from Nelson to Matthes, and sometimes having to descend or traverse to find a better route. Looking at this map, it looks like the least-steep route is to follow the gully w/ rocks and scattered trees, seen in the middle of this view. And then,by oso101 - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Thanks - really fantastic info, and we're getting pretty excited for this trip and already planning the next one, since it seems like there will be lots left to explore in this part of the park. A few questions: QuoteBearproof Looking at the topo map the wall that you have to climb over to get to Matthes is due east from the outlet of Nelson, about 1 mile. I assume you mean due west?by oso101 - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Wow, thanks for the great advice. Your suggested route sounds fantastic, and I'd definitely appreciate details on the xc routes between those points. Also, where would you suggest camping the 2nd night? Matthes looks amazing but it seems like it would be a pretty short day from Nelson. Maybe we could do a short day to Matthes, set up camp, and do some exploring of the area, then a long final dby oso101 - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Just got a permit for Nelson Lake in late August and thought I'd tap the wealth of knowledge on this site for some route advice. We're planning to camp at Nelson the first night, and are looking for recommendations for turning this into a great 3-day loop, since it seems like there are a number of options. A few criteria: -We're looking to cap each day's mileage at 8 (lower is fine, too),by oso101 - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Thanks, that's what I figured. Looking forward to exploring the area!by oso101 - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Heading up to the park in a few weeks and thinking about checking out the Gaylor Lakes/Great Sierra Mine/Granite Lakes ~6 mile loop. How challenging is the off-trail portion from the mine down to Granite Lakes and back up to Middle Gaylor? Is the terrain wide open & easy to pick out routes, or does it require some advance knowledge of landmarks, routes, etc? Especially thinking about the pby oso101 - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Thanks, that's really good to know. Doesn't matter for next weekend, though, because we just scored a last minute reservation at TM. We'll be putting a couple tents in an RV/non-electric site - not as quiet & scenic as Sawmill, but it's a campsite!by oso101 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks... yeah, that's kinda what I figured. Does Saddlebag Lake campground typically not fill up? Also wondering if as a last resort we could pull off the road to Saddlebag Lake and pitch a couple tents in the woods. It's National Forest land, right?by oso101 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Anyone know what time this campground tends to fill up on Fridays? Thanks!by oso101 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Yup, the road to May Lake trailhead was open when we were there last weekend.by oso101 - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Sunday 5/31 was a perfect day to hike Mt. Hoffman - one of the most spectacular, bang-for-the-buck dayhikes I've done anywhere, ever. Here's a tease, with more to come:by oso101 - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Well that's some good news - that is, good for our hiking plans, if not the Sierra snowpack and the long-term viability of human inhabitation of California... Thanks for the intel!by oso101 - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
I'll be near the park for an event this Saturday night and am looking for a great dayhike (up to 6 miles is my current max as I recover from ankle surgery) to do Sunday before driving back to the Bay Area. I'd love to head up Tioga Road and see the high country while it's still all nice and snow-dappled, but I'm wondering if anyone can chime in on current trail conditions given the wet patternby oso101 - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Looks like we just got a little late-season bonus, though: Quote@NWS Hanford: Storm spotter just reported 20" of snow in the past 30 hrs at Tuolumne Meadows in @YosemiteNPS #CAWxby oso101 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I saw what looked like the top of pyrocumulus clouds while crossing the Dumbarton Bridge today, just visible above a low point in the hills to the east. Is this plausible? Can't think of what else it could have been, and it seems like it was in the right direction (a good bit to the right of dead ahead while crossing the span).by oso101 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
If you can make it up to Mt. Rainier NP (southern-ish Washington) and have good weather, a long day hike up the mountain to Camp Muir is a great adventure: on trail up to a snowfield, then up the (well-tracked, heavily trod) snowfield on a ridge between two glaciers to the climbers' basecamp at 10,000'. Bring rainpants or garbage bags for optional glissading on the way down. http://www.visitraby oso101 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
From http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-19326042 Lightning strike survivor: 'We thought we were on fire' US backpacker Joshua White, 36, his brother Colton, 23, and friend Ian Richmond, 26, are recovering after they were all struck by lighting while sharing a tent near Mount Whitney in California. Their lucky escape comes shortly after US weather body, the National Oceanic and Atmosby oso101 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Camped at Evelyn Lake above Vogelsang on Wednesdsay night (August 8) and awoke the next morning to a very light scattering of ash on everything, I assume from the Cascade Fire.by oso101 - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion