The Curry Village Pizza is not bad in the winter when options are limited. In the summer however, it is worth the extra distance (foot, bike, bus) to go to Degnan's Loft in Yosemite Village. I've seen it packed in the summer where you have to wait 30 minutes just to order and find a table. Last year during July 4th weekend it was very empty which was odd. I guess everyone else was waiting inby robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Very large group with too many cars. They asked to park one in our area since it was just the two of us. We played nice and were well rewarded with bbq, firewood and booze. They were respectful and quiet, so we had no problems with them. Rangers did not seem to care either. For once playing nice paid off!by robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
The people who had the site before us were in a motorhome (we arrived at noon when they were just getting ready to leave), so they were not using the rest of the site (no tarps, tents). It's a large site with great views so I can see the desire to set up where they did, but it isn't right. It is hard to see where one site starts and another ends with some of the sites (no boundaries, markers)by robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Hope not. I have reservations for the 18th. I think it might be wet, mosquitoey, and slushy though. I'll have to wait and see if they send out an email warning about the campground conditions like they did with my reservations last July.by robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
You mean my $25 dollars will be put to good use? And I thought I would just be content with the coupons they sent me!by robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
But for all of the "unaware of campground etiquette" people out there, there are so many nice people too! We've had people give us leftover firewood, full bags of marshmallows, and even alcohol. We've met wonderful people who share their favorite places, ideal places to see wildlife, share stories, etc. I think it is true that when we reserve a "space" we feel a littleby robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Hmmmm, I could always go for the "sorry, didn't see you in MY site" in response to getting super soaked! Awesome suggestion!by robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
In North Pines, we have our "regular" site which is located right by a trail (the site is one of the largest I've seen). We get people not only walking right through our site, but riding bikes between our tents!! And the trail is not paved, so they are riding on dirt. I am a very friendly and social person, but this type of behavior is just rude! I usually say something like "pby robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Oh, forgot to mention that the only time I've seen pika in the park (or ever really) was along this trail! There was a huge rock pile on the right side (maybe 3/4 of the way on the trail) and that is where we saw them. Not ready with the camera though, so no pictures.by robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I really liked the Mono Pass Trail. It's about 8 miles with 1,000 foot elevation gain. Great views, old mine, old cabins, and very isolated. If you continue to Sardine Lake, you get a great view of Mono Lake. I grew up camping along the 395 so I might be a bit biased with this hikeby robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
FYI - The reservation window for the Tuolumne Meadows Campground started with reservations beginning July 15th. If the campground opens before then, even by a few days, the campground (or as much of it that is opened) will be 100% first come first served. If I was trying for a site there, I would watch for the opening day. I always try to arrive on a Sunday for first come first served as well.by robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I saw your videos and that looks similar to last year (a little more this year though). We were getting hit with water from all directions. I agree about the safety issue. I've seen people hurrying down the trail and even running down with the steps wet and slippery and appreciated coming down the very dry and dusty (not to mention poopy) Muir trail instead. Thanks for the hike details. Alby robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks for the reply. I have reservations near the creek next month and was curious. We camped by the creek last year around this time, so was curious about the impact on the area. We tried to get the same week this year, but the site was blocked along with many others (for a good reason it seems). I hope some of the "monsoon" areas that we experienced last year calm down by nextby robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I read that many sites in North Pines and Lower Pines, as well as Housekeeping, were flooded, but no additional details were provided. Since you were camping nearby in Upper Pines, do you have any additional details? Also, did you notice any flooding on Tenaya Creek, especially along North Pines and the Backpackers camp? Thanks in advance!!!by robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
The bears we have seen in the campgrounds during daylight hours are usually the smaller bears and cubs (the size in your picture and smaller). We have seen them snooping around on the edges of the campground by a water source (where we try to find a little privacy with our choice of campground). We have only seen the big guys during the middle of the night, and the ones we have seen have been hby robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Hard to look at the key in the last photo. My attention is directed elsewhere.... Did you take that picture or find it somewhere? I've camped a lot in Yosemite and never actually seen a bear be successful like that! Just strolling and looking, but never taking! Was there a fine involved? I have pinched myself too on the older bear boxes, and yes I have had bled under the skin (kind of creby robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Hope you have a site with the larger locker! I invited family to stay in our site last year in North Pines and the biggest complaint (well, only complaint) was the impracticality of the design of the bear box. We debated it over quite a few beers.... A top lifting unit, wider, deeper, etc. Good times! Oh, and the cooler damage was user error (not mine) and not in Yosemite.by robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Curious to know the answer to this as well. Do they send you an email and say "sorry" or do they find an alternative place for you to stay? Last year recreation.gov sent an email stating that the ground was wet and muddy in Tuolomne, but I imagine at check in tent campers would get the drier sites while campers and RVs would get the other. But with the site specific reservations, itby robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
There are two different bear boxes in Upper Pines, depending on the site. The updated bear boxes are SO MUCH BETTER and user friendly!! We were able to keep our cooler in the bear box and lift the lid up to secure drinks, food, etc. With the standard bear boxes, we had to drag the coolers out every time and nothing fit on top. Since I've had the fortune of having a newer bear box, I wish allby robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I happen to catch that on in April. What a great documentary (Vertical Frontier). You could tell by the way the general crowd was dressed during the speaking engagements that it was not a stuffy uppity affair (shorts, tanks, boots, flops). I'm not a climber and I was thoroughly engrossed.by robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
The system is already set up so you can only have one week in a specific campground (and I believe the valley). If you reserve one week and try to add another, the current system will not allow you to add another reservation. While trying to plan my visit this summer, I reserved what I could and when additional dates became available I added them. You would have to cancel existing reservationsby robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
You used to be able to change the reservation details, which included a different name. You could chose your name or "other". If you chose other, you could put a different name down, contact info, and an email address for updates to the reservation (in case of fires, advisories, closures, etc.). For example, in an existing reservation under "Change Reservation", my reseby robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
And it is 10:00 pm PST and the recreation.gov website is now down...... Our Apologies... This Website will be Back Soon This website is currently unavailable while we make upgrades to improve our service to you. That was fast! I guess they are busy making changesby robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks for posting! I love clips like this and will use it when teaching my students about California (short and sweet). Awesome!by robinjayp - General Discussion
That is exatly what I expereienced there last year in June. You forget sometimes to put it on because they are not around in the campground or where you are staying, and then take a walk through a meadow and are eaten alive. Even when taking the shuttle to get a bite to eat, always take some spray just in case you see a bear in a meadow or something on your way back!by robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Yes, very entertaining story. I would find humor in a situation like that as well, but I sure wouldn't with a large group gathering as described on their website. I have camped enough to know that although well-intentioned, people don't realize that they are not following common courtesy in campgrounds. The amount of cutting through campsites, using loud voices (singing and preaching) and encrby robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Good point about the Pika. I didn't know about them or their existence in the park until I went on a ranger-led hike to the Mono Pass area (great hike and we were the only non-rangers on the hike!). We were fortunate to see pika, but now that they have shifted to living in the higher, less frequented areas of the park, I am sure this was a rarity and a real treat for us!by robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
This really annoys me. I can't believe that such a large group would be allowed to assemble in Yosemite. I get the whole boy scouts and small group gatherings argument, but the amount of people this group is getting together in one campsite is out of control. I was worried about the impact that my group of 12 will have on the two campsites we have reserved in July (noise-wise and bothering othby robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Not guessing, just sharing information. Last year, we had reservations in Tuolumne from July 4-9 and we received the following email from recreation.gov a few days before our stay: "This notice is to inform campers with reservations for the Yosemite Tuolumne Meadows Campground to expect early spring-time conditions for the first few weeks of July. Due to late season storms and cool temperaby robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Looked to see current conditions at Yosemite, and five of the six web cams are up (finally)! Only Tioga Pass is still down. Great views!! Just wanted to share! http://www.nps.gov/yose/photosmultimedia/webcams.htmby robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion