Yep. Landing in SJ, waiting for luggage (they take FOR EVER there), picking up a rental car, getting out of the bay area, is gonna take a while. I would say if everything went perfectly (flight on time, no traffic, etc) you'd still be really, really lucky to make it to BoF permit station by the 4pm close time (if that is still the close time this summer). However, Bay Area traffic, unforeseenby calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I voted for Sentinel Dome for the same reasons as Pothole. It was one of my first Yosemite hikes outside the Valley and we had the Dome to ourselves.by calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
For those coming from the east, there is the wonderfulness that is Whoa Nellie, but it is undergoing some changes.by calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Well, I already take Vitamin I for sore muscles/joints when I'm backpacking, and altitude has never really been an issue for me, so there you go.by calipidder - General Discussion
I once hiked up the Yosemite Falls trail behind a woman with a stupid bear bell on her pack. No matter how hard I tried to get away from her she'd take similar breaks or hike the same pace and I'd always hear that stupid bell. I wanted to rip it off her pack and chuck it over the falls.by calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Might not be such a bad idea. Drove through today and there were emergency vehicles by the lake. Someone had fallen and hit their head. Apparently the exact same situation happened on Saturday as well. The slant to the rumor that I heard was that they were closing since they don't have the budget/personnel to patrol that area this late into the season. If it's straining resources to take care ofby calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I was thinking about a Conness/Dana double this weekend but then a friend suggested going for a 14er. Therefore I will be heading out to White Mountain this weekend. If we're not gonna have snow, I'm going to take advantage of the dry conditions and bag a 14er in winter! ETA: A friend hiked the peak on Christmas and said the trail and road is mostly clear (4x4 recommended for the road but it'sby calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Especially on the JMT portion, watch out not just for ice under your feet but above you as well. I was on the trail one winter when there was a big chunk of ice that let loose from the granite wall far above us and landed not too far away. Scared the crap out of me and I spent the rest of the hike down jumping at every little sound.by calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Barely spent any time in Yosemite this summer - all my trips were elsewhere in the Sierra. I prefer Yose in the off-season. I like this one I took from Arrow Peak mostly because it shows the whole area we played in for a week. (Taboose/Bench/Cartridge/Upper Basin/Split Mtn) And then there is this one, a favorite simply because it's one of my best memories from this summer. On top of Spby calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I saw those skaters as well today. Wondered about the ice thickness. Saw a coyote pouncing and hunting in the snow in the Meadows. I love being up there in the off-season. Quiet and peaceful.by calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Huh. Maybe they should stick to the old school wooden posts.by calipidder - General Discussion
I'm surprised they reopened it with the forecast. We're driving out to northern Death Valley from San Jose starting Friday night and even with the pass potentially open I think we'll take the south route. Snow + 120 mph gusts do not translate into a fun ride.by calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I bought the generic battery equivalent for my Panasonic camera a t Frys for $20. Actually I bought a couple. Three batteries have gotten me through some pretty long trips without needing charging and I've not noticed a difference between the OEM and the generic batteries.by calipidder - General Discussion
Hm. Don't want to burst any bubbles but I know a heck of a lot of backpackers that got 'selected' (including myself), even those without blogs. I think it was an attempt to drive traffic to a commerce website.by calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Depends on the situation. It can vary based on who I am hiking with and their skills, along with what they know about me. But mostly, I (and the people I hike with) go with the following 'rules': 1. Everyone must be self-sufficient - the only gear we share is usually among couples (and even if my husband is along I make sure I still have the ability to be self-sufficient). Self-sufficiency incby calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
It depends on how long the colors hang on. We'll be spending the next three weekends on a roadtrip that will take us through the Rockies so I'm hoping to experience some nice fall color there (RMNP and Maroon Bells). If the colors are still hanging around the east side in mid-October and the weather behaves I hope we can squeeze in a trip up McGee Creek or somewhere similar.by calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks! And going back through my November valley photos reminds me that it's about time to plan a trip there this fall (I usually spend my birthday weekend (nov 7) in the valley)by calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
New year's day 2010: Snowcamped out by Dewey point. It had snowed all day and cleared just in time for a gorgeous sunset. But my favorite time to visit the valley is November, so I have lots of rain pictures from then. A gloomy November day in the valley, view from somewhere along the Yosemite Falls trail. The next morning...the steady overnight rain had made the fall colors comby calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
It's a great camera - the main reason I got it was the sensor quality (that thing has incredible dynamic range), having full manual controls, and the ability to get a wide-angle shot in a point and shoot. It's not as great as my big ol' dSLR but as a backpacking camera it's exactly what I need, especially in that big open Sierra terrain where the wide angle is really appreciated. It's got some gby calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks. I use a panasonic lumix lx3. It was around $500 when I got it but that was 2 years ago. It has to be cheaper now, but I'm sure the current equivalent is around the same price.by calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
(sorry might take a sec to load - embedded more pics than I thought I would and they're kinda big...) Spent the second week of August playing around over Taboose Pass. We didn't get started until later in the morning on the first day (had to pick up permits) and made it to the campsite at about 10,400ft (the last one I knew of before the pass). It was my first time up Taboose and lets just sayby calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I'm with the poultry. After spending that gnarly weekend in July in the mountains, and with this forecast being marginally worse, that means "stay home and watch football".by calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks for the trip report, I love that area! Lake 10005 remains one of my favorite campsites despite the mosquitoes. I last visited over July 4th weekend in 2007 (we did the high passes loop - a very dry year, there was no snow even on Red Peak Pass). It was a perfect swimming temperature even that early in the season.by calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Oooh nice nice. Was thinking of heading that way this weekend.by calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I have mixed feelings about them as well. I have two disabled people in my immediate family and it saddens me that they will never be able to experience the Sierra the way I love to - just setting one foot in front of another and heading off somewhere. I wish I could share 'my mountains' with them because I love them and pictures and words only can give them a small hint as to how important it reby calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I only go to the Valley in the winter and almost always camp at Upper Pines. Sometime's it's more slushy and icy than snowy. Sometimes it's difficult finding a non-slushy-puddle place to pitch a tent so I just sleep in my truck. It's cold. Bring a shovel (if there has been a lot of recent snow you may need to dig out parts of the site or firepit). There will be stomped down paths between theby calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I found Conness to be far easier than many peaks I've done under the "Class 2" designation (and I'm even sensitive to exposure). Just one example of how things are really relative to experience and skills. I did a guide (complete with GPS track) of hiking conness from the east side. The approach is different but the final stretch (the exposed part) is the same. Details here.by calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
My favorite "hey what is that" site (partially down right now but the faq shows what it can do): http://www.heywhatsthat.com/faq.htmlby calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I bought the rainbow as a solo tent shortly after they came out. I love it. It's the perfect summer Sierra shelter for me when I'm solo. Because I loved it so much I got the double for when my husband is with me. That didn't work out so well - too cramped to avoid condensation, etc. If you are solo I'd say go for it - tons of comfortable space and I have survived many a Sierra storm. But as is tby calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
The original/older tarptents (like the Virga, cloudburst) did not have a free standing alternative. I have a Rainbow (which does) but I often find it quicker and easier to use rocks.by calipidder - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion