Base pack weight about 18 lbs (sil-nylon tarp, bug net, ground cloth, sleeping bag, shell, fleece, underwear, socks, cook kit, pump water filter, bear canister, 10 essentials). Most of my trips are with a partner and I usually end up the food sherpa so a 3 night trip for me actually means carrying 6 days of food. That pushes my pack weight up to about 10-12 lbs plus water. I start a typby twarfield - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteKatyAnderson I like Hetch-Hetchy for a spring trip and have been wondering if it would be possible to park at the Hetch-Hetchy entrance gate and walk in? Two issues come to mind though: Are there good parking spots so you are not blocking the roadway? Would the entrance gate still be staffed so they could issue you a permit? I was planning a visit to Hetch-Hetchy this Spring as well anby twarfield - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quote2LegalAliens I booked the 1st night at Upper Pines, so I know for sure we have a place to stay when we arrive late. Book your site for the remaining nights as well or you may find yourself with no where to camp. Campgrounds tend to fill up and you'll be asked to vacate the site if someone else has booked it or even gets to the ranger station before you the following morning. Your sby twarfield - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
My wife and I were at the base of El Cap Saturday night. The light was amazing but the water was negligible (at least from our angle). I suggested a couple of times that we move to a more obtuse angle but she was happy (and that's more important than taking a picture).Horsetail Falls (without the water)by twarfield - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Do you expect the road to be open for bicycle traffic by May?by twarfield - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Drinking the water (high country from a spring is best but even out of the tap)by twarfield - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I'd like to think I'm pretty good a reading between the lines but I know what you mean. I look for places with overall good ratings then I actually read the bad reviews. For both of these places, they were driven by either a negative experience regarding service or more of a "not as good as I expected based on the ratings". A few "too expensive" comments for Savoury but it'by twarfield - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I'm a big yelp.com fan for scoping out places to eat. From what I read, The Sugar Pine Cafe in Mariposa seems to be a great place for homemade baked goods and solid American (pork chops, burgers, pancakes, milkshakes) food at reasonable prices. Savoury's seems to be the preferred sit down dining experience but is a bit more high end/pricey.by twarfield - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I get what you're saying. Guess I see this as more of a "letter of the law" vs "spirit of the law" thing especially with the 4 trail mile limit in TM which technically (according my my map) means there's no camping at either of the Cathedral Lakes except you can camp there. @JR If you decide to follow my itinerary, I guess apply for the 2nd permit or start up toward Catheby twarfield - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
That's a great little trail. I'll definitely be hiking it at some time this summer.by twarfield - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotechick-onThe best trail is actually "The fisherman's" trail to Lower Cathedral.I've seen a sign for the fisherman's trail in TM north of Tioga but I had no idea it might lead to a treasure like a back route to Lower Cathedral. I've no great love for that section of the JMT. Where would I find the trailhead for this alternate route to Lower Catherdral?by twarfield - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuotetomdiscoI'm pretty sure this plan would require 2 extra permits (for each time you cross Tioga Road). These constitute new trailhead entries.I've never heard of this rule. Does this mean if I looped from Yosemite Creek through Ten Lakes and May Lake I'd need 3 WPs?by twarfield - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks for the advice. I am planning to day hike Hetch Hetchy in May when I camp at Hodgdon. I'm a teacher so a weekend is all I can do in May. Backpacking Hetch Hetchy in July right now is more of a maybe. A long-time friend and I meet up for a 3 night backpack (his summer vacation time is limited) in Yosemite every year. We've done pretty much everything from White Wolf to Tuolumne Meadoby twarfield - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Just found your thread. I applaud your ambition but think you may be overestimating the effects of altitude and underestimating what 8 straight days of backpacking (especially those 4000' elevation changes between the valley and the high country) will do to your legs. Here's what I'd recommend (both to adjust to altitude and some minor adjustments to your itinerary to save your legs) for aby twarfield - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Any guestimates on what conditions will be like around mid-Feb? My wife and I are planning a weekend trip. Really want to do some cross-country skiing. Also, does the Wawona campground tend to fill up on weekends in the winter?by twarfield - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Good to hear about the WP/BPCG nights. One of my frustrations is the number of folks who essentially treat the BPCG as extended stay campgrounds, especially on the valley floor. I'll spend the night, go for a 3-4 night backpacking trip, come back and the same tent will be pitched in the same location. I'm a bit OCD. so bending, much less breaking rules is pretty hard for me. If the WP/BPCG niby twarfield - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks! Based on what you posted I think our biking styles are much the same. Not looking for a place to go single-track downhill bombing. I go to the mountains to slow down and reconnect with the simple things in life. I try to do no/minimal driving once I'm in the park but, like you, the idea of sharing the main roads with the SUVs & RVs feels more like a death wish than a relaxing recrby twarfield - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Sounds like the bike idea isn't going to be in play except in the valley. Didn't really expect one to be that useful but never hurts to ask. Thanks for the reminder about the camping days limits. Do wilderness permit/backpacker campground days count towards the 14 day limit? If so, I've broken that rule a few times and I'll have to rethink my plan. My (revised) plan (May 1 - Sept 15):by twarfield - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks for the suggestion. I've actually hiked all four (Mist Trail, Yosemite Falls, Snow Creek & 4 Mile) of the valley to high country connectors. My order of preference: Snow Creek 4 Mile Mist Trail Yosemite Falls (I think my preference is inversely proportional to the number of tourons on the trails) Camp 4 has been kind of the western boundary of my valley wandering.by twarfield - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
After 20 years of minivans, my family has moved to the next stage of life and I can start driving a pickup again. Got a small pickup that I'm putting a shell on and setting up for camping. We've family camped Yosemite for years during the summer months, mostly in the valley, one year up in Tuolumne. I've backpacked the high country (both solo and with a partner) for years but, again, exclusiby twarfield - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion