I've always found it odd and a bit of an oxymoron that on land that's designated as "wilderness" that the Forest Service allows cattle grazing. On the other hand, should these meadows have been considered true wilderness in the first place, since cattle grazing has been going on continuously since around the 1880's? The L.A. Times article didn't delve too deeply how the cattle graziby plawrence - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotetanngrisnir3 Quoteplawrence If you really care and are passionate about California's wildflowers, it would be extremely disheartening to witness hoards of people trampling over them. But if you think a California wildflower website is still a worthwhile endeavor, you're free to set one up. Don't know why Carol Leigh ought to be tasked with that job and responsibility. She did it as a seby plawrence - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotechick-on Also added Whitney ones. Pretty interesting that there is a "Division of Highways" one up there. How apropos... At one time, there was thought of building a road to the summit of Mt. Whitney, a là Pike's Peak. Fortunately, it didn't come to fruition.by plawrence - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
If you really care and are passionate about California's wildflowers, it would be extremely disheartening to witness hoards of people trampling over them. But if you think a California wildflower website is still a worthwhile endeavor, you're free to set one up. Don't know why Carol Leigh ought to be tasked with that job and responsibility. She did it as a service to fellow photographers. Sby plawrence - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thank goodness that there's cellular service up on the top of Half Dome. A life was probably saved because of it.by plawrence - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteAlmostThere Quoterroland QuoteAlmostThere Quoterroland Hey everyone...Do you think it's safer to go off trail with snow cover or not..the reason I ask is I took a Map/Compass class at REI and the instructor taught us an acronym 'S.C.O.P.E' Did they teach you how to use the clinometer on the compass? Might be safe, might be avalanche territory. you mean this? no just a silva compaby plawrence - General Discussion
Quotebalzaccom But where this really got our attention was when we started making dinner. Those dehydrated meals always require a certain amount of time to regain their form, substance, and texture....and without a watch, my poor wife felt clueless. If you open the pot to check on them, they quickly get cold. Luckily, I was there with my watch, and was able to tell her how long exactlyby plawrence - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotechick-on Probably should have just titled it "Kendrick Canyon Trip". But since the ranger giving us the permit strip searched us after I told her that her "allowed canister" sign was outdated and flat out wrong... and then thought we were going to spend night one in "Kerrick Canyon"... it prob. wouldn't matter. Even the Marmuts are quiet. What is goingby plawrence - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quoteeeek QuoteplawrenceThere is a lot gear out there today besides two-way radios that tend to make people over-confident, the worse probably being four-wheel-drive vehicles followed closely by GPS units. And that is relevant how? Just points of reference. There are other man-made devices that probably make people more overconfident in a wilderness setting compared to a two-way radio. Everby plawrence - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quoteeeek Quoteplawrence I think equipping everyone with a fully charged FRS/GMRS two-way radio (like this one: Motorola MH230R) is an excellent safety measure. Besides being a way to make people over-confident the noises those things put out don't make me very happy. There is a lot gear out there today besides two-way radios that tend to make people over-confident, the worse probably being fby plawrence - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotechick-on Radios. Dang. There is some use for them. But they drive me nuts mostly. I don't own a pair. They'd end up off a cliff after getting pissed at them. Understandable. Two-way radios aren't very practical on multi-day backpacking trips because there's no easy way to recharge them out in the field.by plawrence - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteAlmostThere Nice that you hike with people who can use technology! I do tend to hike with fellow techies... Most of my friends are very familiar and comfortable in using high-tech gadgets.by plawrence - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
And from the "Everything I needed to know I learned in kindergarten" department, one basic thing that's helpful in either day hikes or backpacking in large groups, is strict enforcement of the "Buddy System". Everyone on the hike or backpacking trip needs to pair up, and if there are an odd number of participants, then one group would be a threesome. If that church group thaby plawrence - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteAlmostThere I have a set of those. Unless you are in line of sight and within a mile of each other, it's not worth the effort. Not ideal for anyone who accidentally sets them to the wrong channel and can't figure out they've done it either. Yep, been there, done that... only worth it with a group of people who agrees to use them, knows how to use them, and all hike about the same pace, givby plawrence - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteDavidSenesac On another current thread, AlmostThere posted this nugget of wisdom that I thought could use some discussion on its own: "I wonder why I hear so often of people who are lost from groups, then. You get no security in groups unless there is a very clear understanding within the group - it does you no good if they all go marching off full speed and assume you are coming aloby plawrence - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quoteszalkowski Quoteplawrence Quoteszalkowski Quoteplawrence Quoteoakroscoe You paid for gas at Crane Flat? I'm willing to bite the bullet and pay the "screw you surcharge, you're in yosemite" price for a six pack there, but gas is a whole other story. I fill up coming into Groveland and that's good for the trip. The closer you get to the Park, the more expensive gas & booze gby plawrence - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotechick-on Had fun over the last weekend plus hiking with The Old Dude and boatin a few lakes and exploring Kendrick Canyon and visiting my favorite lake in the park. Lake in Kendrick Canyon: Looks like the Chick-on is suffering from a wee bit of seasickness in this video. I hope he didn't upchuck too much.by plawrence - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quoteszalkowski Quoteplawrence Quoteoakroscoe You paid for gas at Crane Flat? I'm willing to bite the bullet and pay the "screw you surcharge, you're in yosemite" price for a six pack there, but gas is a whole other story. I fill up coming into Groveland and that's good for the trip. The closer you get to the Park, the more expensive gas & booze gets. Gasoline in Groveland isby plawrence - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quoteoakroscoe You paid for gas at Crane Flat? I'm willing to bite the bullet and pay the "screw you surcharge, you're in yosemite" price for a six pack there, but gas is a whole other story. I fill up coming into Groveland and that's good for the trip. The closer you get to the Park, the more expensive gas & booze gets. Gasoline in Groveland is quite expensive too. If I'm gby plawrence - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotewherever Quotehotrod4x5 I am pretty sure that Curry Village is only open for overnight stays on weekends for much of the winter except around Christmas. That's odd. Is that new this season? It seems to be entirely closed for three weeks near the beginning of December, then open for two weeks and three weekends around Christmas, and finally open only on weekends after that. See http:/by plawrence - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotewherever Quoteyosemitenut Thanks so much for that long response. Do you have a favorite place to stay that time of year? I'm always with family, who insist on a place with solid walls, a heater, and a private bath. The most cost effective in the Valley would be one of the wooden cabins with bath at Curry Village. Next would be one of their motel-room-like places in the Stoneman building atby plawrence - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
From the San Francisco Chronicle: The days are numbered for the old tower and decorative arches at Calaveras Dam, which holds back the reservoir that is San Francisco's largest local source of drinking water. Workers for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission will begin shoveling dirt today as part of a $416 million project to replace the 210-foot-high earthen barrier that has collectby plawrence - General Discussion
QuoteDavidK42 I know what you mean about the Lower Yose overlook. On the older maps, though, it's clearly nowhere there. Here's the map I was carrying with me on last week's hike (from the Paden/Schlichtmann book). (If interested, there's a much larger copy of the picture here.) Just wondering, is that "LOWER TRAIL" from Crane Flat to Cascade Creek that's clearly shown on Pby plawrence - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotechick-on My point was that I would think Cold Canyon would be a candidate for this type of rerouting. As would be McGurk Meadow.by plawrence - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotechick-on Sorry Tom, they rerouted the trails by Lukens and Upper Cathedral for a couple of reasons... one of which is when a trail goes thru a meadow hikers tend to create multiple trails thru it in the early spring. Those trails were never paved. Another reason is the trail causes irregular runoff and upsets the normal balance of the meadow (something like that). I should just postby plawrence - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotehotrod4x5 I am sure he knows what he is doing, that is why I am curious how you go about inspecting a rope that is hanging way above you. If one can't visually inspect the rope from the base of the alcove, one could always climb up to it. It's anchored on a well established rock climbing route up the Pacific Ocean face of El Capitan.by plawrence - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I haven't seen a rattler in Yosemite (seen them elsewhere in California), but I have definitely heard them rattling while hiking about in Yosemite. But then again, when I hear them rattle, I don't search them out. I try to leave them alone. I'm not into harassing any form of wildlife. I try as best as possible not to disturb any of the wildlife I see (big or small) while hiking in the wildernby plawrence - General Discussion
Quotebalzaccom He did stop by to chat a bit, but my wife was trying to get out of camp for a stroll when he did that, and I was fishing...and distracted enough that the conversation didn't go swimmingly. We did learn that he had broken a tent pole....although that's not something we could really help with. Then again, the weather was lovely and he assured us his rainfly would do just fine.by plawrence - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotechicagocwright Quoteplawrence Quotehotrod4x5 You guys crack me up. When it was built, it was a high Sierra camp. At some point someone changed the name. Should we still call Cape Canaveral, Cape Kennedy? I find it fascinating how many people get attached to the orignal name of a place, and if the name of the place changes, they refuse to acknowledge the new name and continue to referby plawrence - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotehotrod4x5 You guys crack me up. When it was built, it was a high Sierra camp. At some point someone changed the name. Should we still call Cape Canaveral, Cape Kennedy? I find it fascinating how many people get attached to the orignal name of a place, and if the name of the place changes, they refuse to acknowledge the new name and continue to refer to the place by its old, outdated nby plawrence - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion