In the Tuolumne area, Mono Pass is nice too, especially if you keep going towards Sardine Lake. You get a great view of Mono lake and see some neat flowers and wild vegetation as well as cabins and mining remnants. I've done Vogelsang as a day hike and wouldn't really recommend it unless you are training or acclimating. Good hike, but scenery wise not thrilling. Always wanted to get to Waterwby robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
These sure keep popping up. Anyone know how many times a posting has to be marked "prohibited" to be taken down? Grouping them in threes really helps out, so thanks for that!by robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
So scalping and false advertising.. I wasn't sure how it worked. Thanks for clarifying!by robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Well, raise it if the system stays as is. I don't particularly like the current system, but procedures take time to change. Perhaps a temporary fix until a better solution is found, but the current system isn't working (except for people trying to make a profit that is....)by robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Why do they keep putting $1 on them? Do they honestly think people will get suckered into looking for $1, or is it a requirement of Craigslist to put a dollar amount?? Weird...by robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I agree about the fee. If someone grabs eight permits for instance, and only uses 4, they are only out $6 if they don't cancel. Scalpers wouldn't mind a loss like that because they made it up with other sales and people hoping for a trade aren't out a significant amount of money. People would be more likely to cancel what they don't need if it was $10 or $20 for each permit and the loss wasby robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I agree, but it isn't illegal...by robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I've seen this a lot. From what I can tell, people don't get their desired date, so they "grab" what permits they can and try to trade for what they want. There is a website dedicated to permit trading, and many of the requests list multiple permits for days they don't need (usually a weekday) in hopes of trading for ones they need (usually a weekend but not always). They usuallyby robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Yeah, I was helping out with a couple here and there and then saw the PM I received. The warning post a few days ago had me weary as well, but I have been making a point to check in more often and help flag more frequently now. Out of curiosity, I noticed some of the craigslist ads mention swaps for campsites and/or half dome permits and are not necessarily for sales. Some have been posted,by robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I like the how the article mentions that the CD is in sync with the speed limits... However, there will be a lot of pausing with road construction/slow RVs/animal sightings (squirrels/deer/bears). Reminds me of the CDs they offer for the Road to Hanna in Maui. At mile marker 3, drive for two minutes and see such and such waterfall. Turn after this mile marker to visit a quiet and secludedby robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I am NOT one of the persons mosquitoes don't bite. They love me, and not in a good way. I do usually wrap up pretty well and only seem to get bit on my exposed legs and arms. I remember getting munched on pretty bad last year (early July) with the 100% deet on at Sentinel Bridge/meadow area. Worth it I suppose because we were watching a bear pose for pictures... I do appreciate all the sby robinjayp - General Discussion
Thanks so much for the suggestions! You all have always been so helpful (and interesting and amusing). I will try the 3M Ultrathon out in my local hiking spots. Hopefully it works on people like me who have allergic reactions to bug bites (I feel any and all bites unlike most people)! The Repel works somewhat, but stinks and feels icky. I also hate the way it eats away the Ziploc baggy I keby robinjayp - General Discussion
They have done this with certain campsites like Hodgdon Meadows. The tent campers are all crammed in a small space and you hear everything (think of it in terms of one valley site with five sites on it = tent only site). Plus, you have to walk in to you campsite (park in a lot and walk your gear back). I don't mind the walking in part, but this involves walking right through other campsites.by robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Can't wait! I hope the smell isn't too bad. I have tried many different repellants, and I can't seem to get anything to work except the 100% deet (well, 98.1% or whatever, the brand is Repel). And I can't stand the way it smells or feels on my skin, but better than being a food source I suppose. Any other suggestions in the meantime? I read a few years ago about the lemon eucalyptus stuffby robinjayp - General Discussion
I like this idea as I am in the same boat as Itchbay. If we are lucky enough to get a site (or two) we share with family and friends. If we had to cancel (an emergency I would imagine), I would feel horrible if we ruined the vacation of those we invited. I like the alternate name suggestion because if we can't make it, there is an official record of another person on the actual reservation soby robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I agree with you about the camping experience changing. I am a tent camper these days, but when I was growing up my parents had motor homes and campers. We rarely, if ever, used the generator. We had to use the camp bathroom, cook over the fire or use a Coleman stove, "shower" with a washcloth, etc. It made for a great experience growing up and I cherish those memories! The most frby robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
You can change your reservation for a non-refundable fee of $10. Call the number on your reservation and they can split your days for you and give you a refund for days you are not using. I called because I have a week in Wawona and I might need to change it to only 4 nights or two at the beginning and two at the end (around our valley stay). They told me that they can adjust a campground reseby robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Yes, it probably should take 45 minutes but I always seem to end up behind the RVs going 10 - 15 miles less than the posted speed limit, making the drive longer. And of course I am lucky enough to end up behind the ones that don't use pull outs! And since I am not the aggressive driver who honks their horn and flashes their lights in order to get them to pull over, I breathe deep, enjoy the scenby robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
It's an all right campground. The tent sites are walk in, meaning you don't have an assigned parking space and you have to walk everything to your site (there is a row of parking sites available and you park as close as you can to your assigned site). When we were there last year, we had to walk our stuff through the middle of two other campsites to get to ours (which was towards the back). Itby robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Hi, I've booked and stayed in an accessible site before. According to the description of the accessible campsites on recreation.gov, "If no one in your party has needs for an accessible site, you may not reserve this site unless this is the only site available at the time of your request. Under this condition, If no one in your party has a disability, you may be asked after arrival to moveby robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I love the word shat! It is one of my favorites in scrabble! Always challenged, always wins Also makes for an interesting conversation! Seems like a neat book!by robinjayp - General Discussion
Hi all, While in college I learned about Ishi (the last wild Native American who was found in Oroville, in 1912). I vowed one day to read more about him and now seems about as good of a time as any. A search on Amazon brought up many different books on him and his experience. Anyone here ever read any of them and if so, which would you recommend? Was looking at Ishi in Two Worlds: A Biograby robinjayp - General Discussion
I saw this article in my local (but crappy) paper this morning and nearly spit out my tea! I was going to say I can't believe some people, but honestly, not much surprises me anymore! And a "tour guide" of all people! I am just glad the NPS is actually holding people accountable and fining them! If they hadn't been caught, but something happened to them, they would have sued for mby robinjayp - General Discussion
Seems like the three year old had more common sense than his/her parents!by robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
The rangers do check cars at night. One year I noticed someone looking in my car with a flashlight in the middle of the night. I called out from my tent and it was a ranger looking for storage violations in cars (they did this many times during our visit). The ranger then went to the next campsite, woke the people up, and told them to take their visible cooler out of their car and put it in thby robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
And every summer that I have hiked up past Vernal, with the exception of last year, there are people swimming in the Emerald Pool (way too cold and fast last year). Children and adults, just swimming and sliding like they are at a crowded community pool. They bring towels and coolers like it is a beach day. I've even seen people swimming right above Nevada too. I've also seen adults and childby robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
In July we have hiked up to Vogelsang and back (as a day hike) and hiked through snow patches. That year the high sierra camp there wasn't quite open yet. We also hiked to Mono Pass where we crossed many huge areas of snow in July (could have had a snowball fight here). If you stop by the visitors' center or see a ranger up in the higher elevations, you could always ask if there are any areasby robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
One year we camped In Bridalveil July 4th week while there were still patches of snow on the ground, but I don't think they open with conditions like that anymore. Last year the campground opened in mid-July I believe. Should be open for your August visit though!by robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I have seen the most concentration of this phenomenon right after the turn to/from Bridalveil when the valley opens up and meadows surround the area, but you might see it at tunnel view, along the valley floor or any viewing area. If you are lucky you might also see an abandoned car with doors open and no one inside blocking two lanes of traffic. You will usually find the missing occupants takiby robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
The drive from Bridalveil to the valley isn't too bad (45 minutes to an hour depending on time of day). We would leave our campsite by 7:00 in order to find decent parking. We would also bring our toiletries with us and hit the showers before heading back (no showers at Bridalveil or anywhere else other than the valley for campers). The nights are much cooler there than in the valley, but a niby robinjayp - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion