Quoteplawrence Quoteeeek QuoteplawrenceThank you for all the sage information you have contributed to this forum over the many years. Sage is fine. But what about manzanita? In regards to manzanita, the Chick-on is clearly the go-to person. Truth!by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Happy Birthday to you!!! I am so very glad we have been able to share so many trips and memories together already! You have brought much joy and laughter to my life and I thank you for all that and your warm hospitality on our home-ward bound journeys -- your mochas are fabulous!!! I am looking very much forward to more adventures with you! Love, JKWby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Loved these! Thanks and definitely 1080p looked great! Got a little motion sick, actually!by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Oh, it's gonna take a LONG time to finish!!! Logistics tricky. And we still have other things we want to do in Yosemite.. and if we decide to do Boat Quest in SEKI... more time.. and .. TQX in both parks will take a long time too! Hope is... never-ending quests and exploration in our beloved chunk of Sierra. Have always said Yosemite to Sequoia is my favorite play zone!by JustKeepWalking - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Yay! Thanks for more reminders of how lovely the mountains are!! Love the perspectives from the falls, above, below..by JustKeepWalking - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Chick-on made a great call here first of our little group. He, his wife, mrcondron and now Basilbop and I all have and use the FF booties. I actually haven't used the outers yet! I take the booties off for bathroom breaks and stuff my feet into my boots. The downies go back on when I get back. Basilbop and I had down booties from REI with integrated foam insoles. Didn't like sleeping withby JustKeepWalking - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Oh, we definitely use the bacon grease we can.. but the precooked stuff doesn't give up much.. sigh. But the butter makes up for it! Sigh... cheese and beans!! Yummm!!! But I'm not sure we want to spend hat much time on it. In fact, instead of burritos, we've moved to a combo of MH Biscuits and Gravy and Breakfast Skillet. Faster and easier to clean. Slow breakfast mornings seem to be bacby JustKeepWalking - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Our recipe is pretty simple: Mountain House Breakfast Skillet (freeze dried pouch) Ketchup or picante sauce Bacon slice (we use no-refrigeration-needed-before-opening pre-cooked hormel bacon) (heated in skillet) All wrapped up in hot toasted-in-butter on an actual skillet tortilla. Trick is which tortilla, which sauce. We seem to prefer: Heinz ketchup (for the ketchup folks) Raleby JustKeepWalking - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Oh. oh. oh. so much to say... but I don't have time right now... but I'll be be fleshing out (read:correcting) some of the comments...adding a bit of explanation to others... was a GREAT trip!by JustKeepWalking - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Last I saw that view without snow... I thought "40% dead?".. dunno what the real number is, but it looked bad.. and worse in other views as u drive from valley to Wawona.by JustKeepWalking - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
I personally do not think the via Ferrata setup is appropriate for use on the cables, especially when others are using the cables. If you slip and fall, you have the biners on the cable, so sure you won't fall off the mountain, but you will slide down. And think of all the hands and people you could take out until you hit a stanchion! (Assumes people between stanchions, which is what I experienceby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Yes, Lake Kaweah. This past weekend was first backpack there this year. We spent earlier trips this fall/winter doing recon and day hikes. Four days, 3 nights this trip! Details in our trip report, which will be soon, I hope!by JustKeepWalking - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
I LOVE these before/after pictures! I knew it was higher, seemed a LOT higher, but the picture drives it home. I need references and my poor little brain doesn't recall those kinds of details that accurately! Thanks oodles for sharing your time and energy on the trip! It was a BLAST!by JustKeepWalking - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Wonderful to see the fresh snow! So glad you met KevinD! And yah... Been there done that with making real igloos and quintzchees .. And though quiet and warm.. A nice tent for me now! Hehehe... That last pic of bathroom at summit meadow... Years ago, it seemed more the usual that we had to climb down from the road level that was at or higher than the roof!! Had so many good snow yearsby JustKeepWalking - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
I'd say go out via new/GP road. Get your baseline of effort on the way there. There will be a sign for the trail to Dewey. First sign, ridge route. If there are ski tracks, please walk outside of them, if at all possible. We used to XC ski, so I am sensitive to this. Play and explore on way back based on how you feel..that's how I would do it...by JustKeepWalking - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
KevinD is right... keep 'em warm... Forgot to mention, those handwarner thingies can help! Just remember wet and cold is not acceptable. Pipe up before there is a problem. Especially with extremities. I know how cold I can get before I have to get serious about warming back up.. but I've practiced in icy rivers with hot air and all kinds of resources near me to warm back up. So.. I can aby JustKeepWalking - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Um, Basilbop and I almost broke a couple who was relatively young and fit on a snowshoe dayhike to Dewey and back. (Out the ridge route, back along meadow) - and that was from/to the BP parking lot. (Snow conditions will make the effort needed vary considerably!) If this is your first time snowshoeing - and it sounds like, at minimum, it'll be your first time snowshoeing on new-to-you shoes...by JustKeepWalking - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
If they are worse than the ones going to Vernon or... worst I've seen... Jack Main Canyon.. some of those were almost completely enveloped by the bark! ... wow... we were making a game out of it this summer... spotting the winter markers.. Also, seems that in SEKI, many of the Giant Forest markers are *very* new and shiny. Seems much easier to figure out where you need to aim on the other sidby JustKeepWalking - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
My first attempt today at retelling our first meeting (which I may have already posted somewhere in this site) was quite long. I'll post a shorter version. If you want more details, I can try to edit and clean it up... First weekend Tioga Road was open (some years ago).. Basilbop and I went to do Waterwheel Falls as a day hike. (which we enjoyed doing past years when the road opened). We exby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Happy Birthday, Bearproof!! You always add joy to our trips, put a smile on my face whenever I think of you... ...and you keep me laughing all the time!!! Thank you, thank you, and I hope you have a most lovely birthday month!!!by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Omg! That's amazing!! Looks quite big? More, please!by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Happy Holidays to you all!!! Can't wait to get back to the mountains next weekend! I hope everyone enjoys at least a little happy time up there soon. Be well!by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteKevinD So many trails but no eye candy? Would definitely recommend Muir grove the next time you're out there! Nice secluded non-developed hike. That and potentially a backpacking trip along the HST (spring), Lakes trail and Redwood Canyon! I'll be back in SEKi every other weekend and will probably do a few winter trips. Haven't been to Muir Grove yet!! The HST was Basilbop's aby JustKeepWalking - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
it all depends on the snow pack and the snow melt. This past year, when I saw the unnamed creek Chick-on mentions flowing into Yosemite creek... I almost couldn't cross. Chick-on took my pack across I balked. and balked some more. and finally managed to make it across the log. The water was too swift and that area a bit too uncertain and deep for what I considered a safe ford. (fording is my pby JustKeepWalking - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Formal announcement on website: Roads leading to Yosemite Valley to close this afternoon at 5:00 p.m. (Thursday, Dec. 15)by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Formal announcement on website: Roads leading to Yosemite Valley to close this afternoon at 5:00 p.m.by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
they had a lime green, but not in the model I wanted! And a yellow, again, not in the model I wanted. Look, as much as color sways me.. and weight sways me.. function FIRST! The traction of the shoe is key. The comfort and security of the bindings *for the intended use cases* is key. The ascender is key *for me* because you and Basilbop keep leading me up steep stuff! So, I am supremelyby JustKeepWalking - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
I was looking at the binding systems. If you aren't too aggressive with the XC and all, the Trail series should be fine. I have always preferred the full strapping of the Ascent series.. Also... and I generally use the French technique of putting my heel flat against the ground on uphills.. if it's really steep, the ascenders on the "Ascent" series have been really handy *for me* -esby JustKeepWalking - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Oh boy... I've been looking at pictures trying to find ONE, but keep finding SO MANY.. and I'm more about words, anyway.. But, dang it all, I'm getting tongue-tied again. So much to say.. You have inspired me, encouraged me, supported me, and shared your life and love with me.. and have kept me laughing to boot! And if I haven't made it clear, I truly admire your knowledge - your ability toby JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
We are planning on hitting Wawona Saturday for our final miles on our Wawona Meadow Loop of Death... hoping there will be A way there! Will be keeping an eye on conditions! It's not just Yosemite getting slammed by this system, so for all those affected by this system, here is wishing you good luck!by JustKeepWalking - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion