I believe the road has a locked gate so you will need to haul all your stuff from the parking lot. The site nearest to the parking might be only 100 yards away, most of the 35 sites are much farther. Stayed a number of times in the winter, sometimes it is almost deserted, more often it is crowded enough that the sites have to be shared among friends and strangers. These are six person shared siby KatyAnderson - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
The park service conditions page has weather info: http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm Looking at the webcams gives you an idea of snow coverage. http://www.nps.gov/yose/photosmultimedia/webcams.htmby KatyAnderson - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
You have a backpack out of Hetch-Hetchy planned for July. I'd move that up to spring-time. The month of May is lovely with waterfalls at their peak and wild flowers in bloom. The backpack over Red Peak Pass deserves more than 3-4 nights. Lots to explore between Lower Ottoway and Washburn lakes. August is the perfect time for that trip.by KatyAnderson - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
From the parks FB page: "Join us today, January 24th, at 1 pm PST at yose.webex.com for a brief presentation on the Preferred Alternative of the Tuolumne River Draft Comprehensive Management Plan." Note this is the Tuolomne river plan, not the Merced river plan, interesting nonetheless.by KatyAnderson - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Here is my best guess: Hetch Hetchy: 4,000 ft, no snow, dry trails, flowers, beautiful water falls Grand Canyon of the Tuolomne heading towards Glen Aulin: 6,000 ft, no snow, flooded and muddy trails, amazing water falls, dangerous creek crossings. Tuolomne Meadows: 8,600 ft, patchy snow, muddy trails, plowing is just about done, no services open. Cathedral Pass: 10,000 ft, snow covered trailby KatyAnderson - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
It is an off trail permit, so stay off trail until the next day. Eg Budd Creek use trail towards Budd Lake, off trail over the crest, continue off trail down to Echo Lake and camp there overnight. Next day follow the Cathedral fork and you'll hit the trail in a mile or so. From there continue your itinerary towards Sunrise and Clouds Rest. Using it just to cut over to a trail in order to circumvby KatyAnderson - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
The permit controls where you enter and to some extent where you spend your first night. After that you can go where-ever your feet will carry you. Budd Lake is an "off-trail trail-head". There is an unmarked but pretty sturdy use trail to Budd Lake, no camping at Budd Lake, instead you continue off trail over the crest and down to Echo Lake. Easier than it sounds, but you should beby KatyAnderson - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
7/19 AMTRAK / YARTS is great. The bus can drop you off right at the Visitors Center, the wilderness center and post office is right there as well. 1:30 pm arrival time gives you time to relax and see the sights. Maybe walk over to Lower Yosemite Falls and take a look as you won't have a good vantage point from the Upper Yosemite Falls trail. I like the Ahwahnee hotel bar for an evening beverage,by KatyAnderson - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotechatka I was wondering how to put trailhead together to make sure I will get Half Dome .We have 12 people entry trailhead Raferty creek -Vogelsgang(spending 1.st night at High Sierra Camp Vogelsgang and exit trailhead HAppy Isles-Little Yosemite Valley. Is that good trail that we have high chances obtaining wilderness permit for all of us plus Half Dome? and the Wilderness Center saysby KatyAnderson - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Don't know. All I can say is "Wow - that looks nice!"by KatyAnderson - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
First TM winter conditions update of the season. Edit: Bearproof beat me to it.by KatyAnderson - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Many of you are saying that the original poster is being overly optimistic by scheduling a High Sierra Camp trip in late June. I beg to differ. From the Yosemite High Sierra Camps website: "High Sierra Camps are typically open mid-June through mid-September, weather permitting." As the OP has a confirmed reservation for late June and Vogelsang doesn't open until June 28th, I thinby KatyAnderson - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
http://www.whitneyzone.com/wz/ubbthreads.php/topics/28690by KatyAnderson - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Indeed, doesn't matter if you just came up the Snowcreek trail switchbacks or are about to head down them, allow yourself a nice break at this spot.by KatyAnderson - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
This would be a good route for the month of April or May when the road Tioga road is still closed for winter. In July you have the vast high country available and a million possible routes. To limit yourself to a trip that focuses on Yosemite Valley seems like an opportunity lost. Ask here instead what people recommend for ten days of July Yosemite backpacking, I'll bet you'll get some fantasticby KatyAnderson - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Nice shots! That last one is such a recognizable view of the Valley. Taken just at the right moment. Bravo!by KatyAnderson - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Sounds like between yesterday and today they went from a "rolling closure for deep cleaning" to a "closure for extensive renovation" of the Signature Tent Cabins. This according to a comment on the parks FB page "Yosemite National Park Carola Sprink, the Signature cabins are different from the traditional tent cabins. The Signature cabins featured additional insulatby KatyAnderson - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Another article, this one with photos of the Signature tent cabins and stories from people who stayed in them in the last few days.by KatyAnderson - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
More here on rolling closures / cleaning of cabins.by KatyAnderson - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Sorry, I don't know. When I went from Garnet to Nydiver I didn't know about White Bark Pass. Instead I just made it up as I went along, going farther to the east and then back, making it a longer but less steep route.by KatyAnderson - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Cross-country Garnet to Nydiver is a little tricky. However the trail to Ediza and then cross country to Nydiver is quite straight forward. From Ediza there is a pretty well worn path up along the creek, I think climbers take this route on their way to summit Ritter or Banner, anyway follow it up to a little tarn. From the tarn it's an easy half mile walk to the closest Nydiver. I don't thinkby KatyAnderson - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Here are my thoughts: Both Thousand Island and Garnet are large lakes with many options for camp spots, yet most people will set up very close to the JMT. Hike along the north shore a ways to find a spot with more privacy. There is a fairly easy cross country route from TI to Garnet at the south-west end of TI. Ediza lake is gorgeous, but smaller and can get crowded. Consider camping at oneby KatyAnderson - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Lovely shots, thank you so much for posting.by KatyAnderson - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/fod/3059018854.html http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/for/3058987780.html These are still live at 7:49 pm. Flag 'em!by KatyAnderson - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/for/3057648523.htmlby KatyAnderson - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Yup, same place. In the past there was only one YARTS bus in each direction per day. The bus to Mammoth arrived the Mammoth Mountain Inn around 9 pm in the evening. The bus to Yosemite left the Mammoth Mountain Inn at 8 am in the morning. Looks like the same this year, but the bus has added a couple of runs where the principle remains the same, arrives Mammoth in the evening, leaves Mammothby KatyAnderson - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Between the YARTS bus and the Reds Meadow shuttle there is public transportation trailhead (Tuolomne Meadows) to trailhead (Agnew Meadows.)by KatyAnderson - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
The park's FB page reports that Tioga Road has now reopened: "The Tioga Road has re-opened! Road conditions remain wet and it may be lightly snowing in some areas throughout the afternoon, so please use extreme caution while driving. Call 209/372-0200 for updated road conditions."by KatyAnderson - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
The park's FB page reports that Glacier Point Road reopened today late morning: "While the Glacier Point Road is now open, you can see visibility remains limited due to low storm clouds."by KatyAnderson - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Love it, you captured at the perfect moment. Myself, hung out with my son and some friends. Had a filter so we could view it safely. It looked like a crescent moon, but upside down. Not terribly exciting, but at least we had seen it. Got bored and gave up just before it reached this stage. Ah well, next time ... which I believe is in approximately 70 years.by KatyAnderson - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion