QuoteDave For those that want more information, SCIENTIFIC information, about climate change go to the Howard Hughes Medical Insitute, a credible scientific organization, and watch, or get the FREE DVD. You won't even have to pay postage. Here's the link. They have dozens of other free DVDs on many topics. I could supply links to non-alarmist sites but people can do their own research. I'm notby Calaveras - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Climate is always changing. It's natural. The idea that a small increase in a trace gas in the atmosphere is causing some climate catastrophe is ludicrous. CO2 has never and cannot drive climate. This whole idea is coming from climate models that incorrectly assume a large positive feedback from water vapor. The feedback has been shown to be mildly negative, not positive. The most that the increaby Calaveras - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Yeah, it sure would be nice if climate alarmists would learn the difference between weather and climate.by Calaveras - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
The smoke from the fire has finally subsided enough to be able to see the burned area on a satellite image. http://activefiremaps.fs.fed.us/data/imagery/2013261/ca-south-000/crefl2_A2013261210702-2013261211632_250m_ca-south-000_143.jpg It is the large brown area west of Mono Lake with a little bit of smoke still visible.by Calaveras - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Here's a animated GIF I made from the KML files linked on Inciweb using Google Earth. The dates run from August 19 - September 8. Edit: Image updated through September 8.by Calaveras - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Yes, brush will grow back in a few years and it'll look green again. But any part that had trees will look like Foresta from Big Oak Flat Road or that section of from Tioga Road covered with burnt sticks.by Calaveras - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Since there was no lightning around when it started it must be human caused.by Calaveras - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Don't give me that. I pay regular taxes too. This is not an issue of taxpayers rebuilding homes in questionable areas. I don't agree with that either. This is an issue of adopting policies to reduce these losses. When was the last time anyone had a serious discussion on that? I pay higher homeowners insurance for living in a fire prone area. Maybe no one should live in an earthquake zone? Let's cby Calaveras - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I saw an interesting video about terrorists waging economic warfare through fire and accusing the forest service of fighting these fires "on the cheap." Seems there's some truth to that. They need more resources. More resources would be available if they got on these fires right away and didn't let them become ranging monsters. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFHM0rd9cX8 I'm also tby Calaveras - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I'm completely dismayed at the lack of early response there was to this fire. Where were the DC-10s on the first day? There was hardly any personnel assigned to this fire the first couple of days. Even now the response is underwhelming. There sure seems to be a policy to just let these fires burn. Some agency needs to be held responsible for this. Heads need to roll. New policies need to be put iby Calaveras - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
My friend noticed in our photos of Half Dome taken from Mt. Watkins and North Dome that there looks like a stepped trail that descends the north side of the sub dome that you climb before Half Dome. There's an overview picture with the "trail" marked and a close-up from North Dome. From Mt. Watkins it appears to intersect the trail to Half Dome. Is this a real trail or are we being fakeby Calaveras - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
It really wasn't a dry year as rainfall years go (July-June). The problem was that most of it fell in the early part of the wet season in November and December. With minimal precipitation after that, the snowpack melted throughout the winter and wasn't replenished. The result was that most it was melted by mid spring. At my location in central Calaveras County I had 85% of average rainfall, thby Calaveras - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Anyone have a smoke report from Tuolumne Meadows, Tioga Entrance station, or Saddlebag Lake areas? We'd like to make a trip up there on Monday but if it's smokey like Yosemite Valley then it's probably not worth it.by Calaveras - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
This looks like something we'd like to try. Is it an easy hike up from the lakes? What route around the lakes did you take? I located this spot using ground view in Google Earth and the view is even more impressive than your photo would indicate.by Calaveras - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks for the map and photo. Looks like you were a bit farther south than we were trying. Maybe another time when the mosquitos are gone.by Calaveras - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I reviewed the area in Google Earth and I see the brush that stopped us. It's not obvious to me how staying high along the rock avoids the brush or how even to get there. There's a large area of what looks like solid brush. It looks very steep where it finally gives way to rock. I looked at going low but that appeared very steep also. Could be this just isn't for us but I'll keep it in mind in caby Calaveras - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I stumbled upon a benchmark on our way back from our failed Basket Dome attempt. It's located on a rock where the four trails intersect; to Tioga Rd, to North Dome, to Snow Creek, to Yosemite Falls. I should have taken a picture but I was too tired to think about by that time. The maker is so corroded and pitted that it is mostly unreadable. I think the date was 1905 but I'm not 100% sure. Anyoneby Calaveras - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
We tried to go to Basket dome last Thursday. It didn't work out. We got to the saddle on the north end of North Dome and headed out into the forest towards Basket Dome. We were immediately swarmed by a million mosquitos and they were biting. We had encountered few mosquitos on the way out there. I don't know what was so special about this area but they were horrible and we weren't prepared for thby Calaveras - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Looks like it'll all be gone in a few weeks. Just right for us. BTW, just looked at the Yosemite Falls cam and was shocked to see how it has dwindled in just the last week! Dry by mid July?by Calaveras - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Please report back after your trip. I hope to get up to Conness Lakes in July. I'm betting within a month there will be little if any snow left. The Saddlebag Lake Resort opened a week earlier than they announced.by Calaveras - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
We went to Mt. Watkins last Friday and took some panoramic images. http://panoramas.aa6g.org/MtWatkins/mtwatkins.html Be sure to scroll down on Half Dome to see hikers on the cables and down on Pywiak Cascade for higher res images. Our inspiration to try this hike was this post by wherever: http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,57351 I wanted to add a couple of things. We parkeby Calaveras - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Yes, especially foreboding with its two dark eyes.by Calaveras - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Essentially no snow at all. Zero impact on hiking. There was a little off of Tioga Road past the 8000' sign and two tiny patches along the trail... probably melted already. From my vantage point it looked like you had to go to 10,000' to find much snow.by Calaveras - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
We hiked to Mt. Watkins on Friday (more on that in another post when I get the pans assembled) and I took these two anaglyphs. Clouds Rest http://panoramas.aa6g.org/Anaglyphs/CloudsRest.html Pywiak Cascade http://panoramas.aa6g.org/Anaglyphs/PywiakCascade.html I couldn't get any farther apart for the two Pywiak Cascade images and I think the Clouds Rest images may be too far apaby Calaveras - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
So that's what that construction work was all about a week ago that I saw on the Lee Vining cam. One truck had a large spool of cable.by Calaveras - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
We did the Vernal/Nevada Falls hike on Wednesday. The gate to the portion of the JMT with the ice cut section was open. There was a very small amount of snow that you could walk around. We did get a shower walking under the overhanging cliff. Here's the link to all my anaglyphs of Yosemite: http://panoramas.aa6g.org/Anaglyphs/ Here are links to the new anaglyphs: Glacier Point Wideby Calaveras - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks for the link to his comments. After reading his comments I don't see how you conclude he has come out completely against the entire DEIS. What I see is him addressing a few specific points. Again, I interpret his concerns as reasonable when you realize that his point of view is always to protect individual right and freedoms. Closing of a number of facilities in the park is an example of cby Calaveras - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
How about if we dispense with the ad hominem attacks? McClintok is my representative and I've heard him talk over some years. By and large I don't find him to be unreasonable if you listen to what he says and not dismiss him out of hand because you don't like his political affiliations. Quoting from one of the articles: "In crafting the plan, the park staff decided the ice-skating rinkby Calaveras - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I've been watching the web cams and what little snow fell a few days ago looks to be melted. We're not going until the middle of next week and the forecast for that elevation is sunny and highs in 60's everyday for the next week. I'm not so worried about snow. I assume it's not that hard to get past the gate if it's still closed.by Calaveras - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I'll see what I can do about the 3D. I'd like to get the falls in 3D if I can find the proper separation to do it.by Calaveras - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion