Quotempuchtel Hi Bill-e-g, Do you have more photos of the snowpack from years past during April/May? I'm trying to make snowshoe decisions. Thanks! Well... if you would have asked last week I would have said "at this rate you might just have a dry trail at the beginning of May"... but... as we speak... we are getting dumped on big time... which will undoubtably put us back aheaby bill-e-g - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Go and then come back and post a picture! Or twelve. The one time many many moons ago that then future wifey and I camped at the Grand Canyon, which we went to to get away from Wisconsin during Spring Break... it snowed on us. And... the worst snow storm I ever drove thru was thru Arizona (different occasion). Prolly way too many people assume southwest = nice and warm and no snow..by bill-e-g - General Discussion
Quoteeeek QuotemrcondronThat's NOT Old Dude! Who is it? That's me silly. (simulating adding to the collection) Exhibit P of why I despise horses on hiking trails.by bill-e-g - General Discussion
If you haven't read this... maybe read this: http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,30944,30944#msg-30944 I've probably mentioned this 100 times. Typical - Memorial Day = Snow Level 7500 ft. And snow around Mem. Day is typically fabulous to walk on. Nice and consolidated... any sun caps haven't gotten too outta control (although you prolly won't see killer sun cups around Hetch) (I neby bill-e-g - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Was kinda expecting him to appear (a la KFC) on the little tyke play set...by bill-e-g - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Only Rattlesnake Creek I found was way down by Big Oak Flat (the town) running by Priest and into Priest Reservoir... Guess it will remain a mystery... no driving up there until Sat.by bill-e-g - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Ok... I guess we have to assume he doesn't know... My assumption is that it is the creek at about 6100 although as far as naming a creek I would think the one at 5700 would be more appropriate since there is often times a waterfall on that one by the road. 5700 doesn't make much sense though since most of the tree hazards would be north of that pt. Hardly anything south of there that is bby bill-e-g - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
We have actually seen someone using an old plastic milk carton as snowshoes. It looked very ingenious. (unlike the picture above) Kinda irritated didn't take a picture of it. They were at the top of Snow Creek switchbacks.by bill-e-g - General Discussion
Of course I'm not certain... but looking at the old topos and whatnot... it looks like the road used to go right thru where the Yosemite Institute is now. Mind you ... as you are driving along 120 eastward... there's just so many little bits and bobs of old road. Getting a headache looking at it. The old topos can be pretty hard to correlate to USGS map with much more detail. But I'm tby bill-e-g - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Been looking at: "Yosemite: the Park and its Resources Historic Resource Study (1987) by Linda W. Greene" and on pg. 667 it says: "32. Site: “Rainbow View” or “Oh My! Point”" That book is great for old trails too. It even shows some trails I've yet to see on some maps. You can get a copy here: http://www.yosemite.ca.us/library/yosemite_resources/by bill-e-g - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Dang... I just love these... So much I snaggled a bunch of them so far. http://picasaweb.google.com/yosemite.chick.on/Stereographs (click on slideshow and then hit F11 to see it big... ) Esp. like the Moran Pt. one (there used to be a trail out to it..) and the one up Indian Canyon looking at Pinnacle Rock which I'm pretty certain is Arrowhead Spire.by bill-e-g - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Wow! Thanks! Follow that link and search for Yosemite. Great great stuff. Check this one out: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/cph.3c36266/?co=stereo Right there... just below is the Nevada Falls Hotel.by bill-e-g - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quoteoakroscoe Hey bill-e, where was the snow level at when you went out to Vernon over Christmas? Before or after? On the way in... Snow at about 5700 ft. - got to be too much of a pain at 6K and put on snowshoes On the way out... it snowed and we didn't take shoes off last day until I think switchback #4... and the road was closed with a good amount of snow on it. In 2009, Mid-Aprilby bill-e-g - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteDavidK42 Quotempuchtel From the yosemite website it seems like the "Happy Isle up the Merced to Washburn" idea isn't accessible (due to the road closures to the trailhead) by early May. It's true that you can't park RIGHT at HI...the closest you can get is, I believe, the Curry parking lot (so far as I know, that's true year-round although I've only been to the Park once in the wby bill-e-g - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Happy Isles is open year round. The trip to Merced Lake and back can be done (more or less) year round. The spot near Bunnell Pt. can get real dicey though... so you need to be careful around there... can say more if you need... Prob. by early May not much issue though... Rule of thumb is def. expect snow around 7500 ft. at end of May. Last year it was more like 6500 to give an idea..by bill-e-g - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
The problem that I have always run into is that no matter how long the trip... I inevitably find it not long enough and would like to stay longer... even for trips longer than a week... So... I don't train anymore... I just go. Life is too short... and all the seasons have something different to offer.by bill-e-g - General Discussion
QuoteWickett I might be able to get some of the Hi rez ones that need to stay that way posted on my friends site and give you guys the link so we can distribute them. On one of my last trips I found myself with one of the old maps exploring the indian caves, locating the iron springs (which I had walked by plenty of times and never knew it), the spider caves, and some other tidbits. Speakingby bill-e-g - General Discussion
QuoteFrank Furter Quotebill-e-g Frank, so many people go down Tenaya now I guess they removed that disclaimer/warning off the map. There are warning signs on both ends of the creek though as you enter the canyon and/or leave the trail. It is still on the big park map available at: http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/maps.htm Besides being steep, narrow, with loose rock and smooth gby bill-e-g - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
wherever, Thanks. I was hoping that you would post. You never posted about Airplane but we "talked" about it a bit. Larry has been down there. Just for the record, I would wait until end of July before attempting... Wickett, help Burro Boy and I get up Starr King and I'll give Snake Dyke a go... (I'm total noob at climbing though) Frank, so many people go down Tenaya nowby bill-e-g - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Comparing his photo of Pywiack to mine I'd say that if those are the conditions you want then about mid-July last year would have been about the same... 2008 was a low snow year... Tioga opened on May 21. And conditions the first week of June were nice (i.e. not a huge melt). I highly doubt any/many would have attempted such a feat in 2006 or last year early June (Tioga wasn't even openby bill-e-g - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
So... you are the expert on the canyon... maybe you can extrapolate... I've only been down Airplane Gully to the engine. Even with Pywiack like above... there are other small tributaries that flow into the canyon lower down... (unfort. didn't blast thru shrub to get a pict. last year of the main one) Anyway, I'd really worry about the big squeeze area.. and worry about doing some of the rapby bill-e-g - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Here is what Pywiack looked like July 11, 2010: Zoom shot (one day prior):by bill-e-g - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Here's all I have: http://picasaweb.google.com/yosemite.chick.on/YoseMaps Turns out already had the one that you have on Picasa, David (and it's in the YoseMaps set). As far as I know all the maps in the set are Public Domain and/or have copyright on them and are ok to have as such. If there is any issue I will gladly delete any.. (I've yet to make a dime on any Yosemite Pictures orby bill-e-g - General Discussion
Haven't put much together yet w/r to picts. But here's the same photo above w/ the rock with the arrow on it circled. Mind you, this was Dec. of 08, so it IS possible it's not there anymore, but highly unlikely. The road W of the big switchback is IMO in v. good condition... here's what it looks like just before exiting the woods (going east) before the switchback: If it's notby bill-e-g - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteDavidK42 When you say I might get stymied at Middle Tuol bridge, do you mean stymied as far as how to get across or stymied as in losing the trail? Sytmied as far as getting across... you would really have to try hard to lose the trail... (it's a road... it's wide... and it's is not overgrown) (unlike the road from Yose Crk. cg to Porc. Pine Flat) If you go later in the year you shouldn'tby bill-e-g - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteAlmostThere Having just postholed in snowshoes in Mariposa Grove, scuba booties sound like an awesome idea to me.... Ooops... Sorry if I misead.. Maybe a misunderstanding... The Scuba Booties would be for wading butt cold (probably in the 30's or 40's) water like in the photos above... not for snow shoeing... My feet become excruciatingly painful when having to walk in such water (prob.by bill-e-g - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotebalzaccom But hey--we're ready for summer! Only 5 1/2 months to go...by bill-e-g - General Discussion
Quotempuchtel Bill-e, where exactly is the paradise valley you are describing? I don't see it on my NG map. I put a photo of it above. That big meadowy area... it's right in Jack Main (not on the way ) Just before the first trail jct. as you head up Canyon... or South of Mahan Lake (not Ardeth). There is a snow survey meter there... unfortunately it is not working... with it you'd really kby bill-e-g - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
That link didn't work for me. I'll throw up a huge number of maps next week if there is a desire for them. I have 1896, 1897, 1901, 1903, 1909, 1911, 1929, 1933 of various locales in the park. Also screen captured a bunch of the princeton ones. (The 1938 Yose Valley one I find exceptionally attractive)by bill-e-g - General Discussion
Old portions of Tioga Road you should probably add to your list: - Aspen Valley to White Wolf - Yose Crk Campground to Porcp. Flat - Snow Flat (May Lake) to Tenaya Lake Only issue spot (except deadfall) is Aspen to WW... Middle Tuol. bridge is long gone.. so depending when you hit it you may get stymied. Have funby bill-e-g - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion