That's very cool (tree blaze/markings). What is the meaning of "witness" to the marker? What's the function or purpose of these? I'm not familiar with surveying methods and procedure. Also, any idea what B.P. and B.T. designate? And the number? I'd guess if these "witness marks" were common, then for the Yosemite boundary survey there are at least 73 other (and probablyby ags - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Lots of good, different experiences and opinions here. At this point I'm leaning towards not using a poncho. Main reasons are that while a great weight saver if it can be a pack cover AND rain jacket AND tent rain fly that's a lot of function from a lightweight item. However, it's not likely that I'll convince my backpacking partner of using a poncho (or cape) as a rain fly. Also, I prefer crossby ags - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
OK then. Was there another very-deeply-hidden message somewhere... ? :-)by ags - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Here's an example: https://mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=38.025076,-119.421796&z=15&t=t4&markers=||38.018311,-119.419928^^<span%20style='font-weight:bold;font-size:1.2em;'>38.018311,-119.419928</span> At first I thought it was some sort of benchmark - but seeing where they are located (apparently at random in the physical world) it appears that they may be some typeby ags - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I do have some firsthand knowledge of fire investigations (but not this one). Insurance and/or fire officials will generally conduct an investigation to understand the cause of the fire. If an electrical fire, it is often possible to determine through forensic evidence, typically through discovery of melted wire/conductors (a fire doesn't typically burn the conductor, just insulation; a short cirby ags - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quoteplawrence<snip> I wonder if there are going to be major restrictions imposed on stock use in the Yosemite wilderness areas, hence they're scheduling three of the workshops in Yosemite gateway communities to ensure that packers and others that might be economically impacted by the proposed changes can easily provide feedback back to the National Park Service. Two years ago I stayed aby ags - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
That's a fair question, and I don't have a firm answer. All I can say is the prices never struck me as rapacious before. I may just have not noticed these items (though I have purchased gas at CF before), or my perspective may have changed over time.by ags - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Good point. I realized breathability was a concession with a poncho, but durability as well. I prefer xc over trails, and (as my SO will attest) I seem to have an affinity for the "if we just bushwhack through that small patch we'll save a lot of time/elevation/distance" routes. Which she calls the "I won't be able to wear a dress for weeks because of the marks" route. An aby ags - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
This seems so obvious I can't believe that I haven't thought of it before. Does anyone carry a large poncho for use in rain to keep both human and pack dry? This is a tradeoff/compromise, but I'm thinking it may be reasonable. My experience is that one can encounter any type of weather in the Sierra high country any time of year. Hail in August, etc. I carry gear for most reasonable possibilitby ags - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
I returned from a short weekend (1 night visit, sleeping on a bed!) in YOSE a couple weeks ago and composed a long diatribe about the prices, Aramark, etc. I read it, decided it wasn't helpful and was not terribly interesting or appropriate for this site so deleted it before posting. Just read a few posts with references/comments about prices this year, so I'll just post a couple of observatioby ags - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Yes, there are many old roads and they are very interesting. I've enjoyed the old road to Aspen Valley, and even Rockslides down into the valley. I was able to see what I believe is a "pristine" remnant of the OTR at the Tioga Mine (adit at Bennettville). Two wagon wheel tracks that are still clearly visible. Seeing it in that condition seemed even more noteworthy and remarkable than aby ags - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
QuoteJustKeepWalking <snip> Why didn't the ranger just go with: The campground rules state the quiet hours. You are violating the rules. Stop or I will have you ejected from your site. <snip> That's exactly what I would have expected. I suppose there are different types of rangers; hiking, interpretive - and the ones that carry guns. They are all agents of the federal government tby ags - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Thanks for those videos. That "other' Mono Pass is now on our list. Along with HST, and more. Is there some generally-recognized way of referring to these two Mono Passes in a clear, concise and unambiguous way?by ags - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Thanks for the info and pictures. Looks like it will be fun. Topo maps show a feature that may make the route from Great Sierra Mine directly down to Tioga Mine possible. We'll see when we get there. I'd like to walk the entire length (in segments) of the original Old Tioga Road. Maybe we'll do the section from Tenaya to May Lake while we're there. But we want to get to Mono Pass also. And Hofby ags - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Yup, I did a bunch of research and decided that we'd do the Gaylor/Granite hike and visit the mines there. Is it reasonable to hike down from the mine/cabins area directly down to the Bennettville ruins and adit? Otherwise it's back to Tioga Rd and then along the lower trail further east off Tioga. We also will take a hike on the other side to the Golden Crown mine. Really it's an excuse (nonby ags - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
I guess that's what I've inferred from what I've read, but it wasn't explicit. I guess I thought that a place called "Dana Village/City" would be on Mt. Dana... though it is "just across the street" :-)by ags - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Old thread - new (day) hike. I'll be heading out to see the area around the Great Sierra Mine. I didn't realize that Bennettville is on the other (east) side of that ridge, downslope quite a bit; I thought it was just above/near Gaylor. Maps show several other prospects up there besides GS Mine. Where is Dana Village? I can't find any maps indicating its location. From it's name I'd guess thatby ags - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I've been posting over the past several weeks asking for input on backpacking gear. I've returned from a 6-day/5-night cross-country in Emigrant and thought I'd report back the results in hope it will help others. Background: I've been honing my gear list for years, and will probably never stop looking for ways to improve. Gear is used mostly in the Sierra during summer with occasional shouldeby ags - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotepines WOW. and I thought it was just me who loves smokeless peace and quiet. I have witnessed examples of 'improper' behaviour: two in the valley and one most recently at crane flat. the most thoughtless one being when a 'gentleman' was playing LOUD music from his big car after hours. when a ranger got from his car and suggested the man 'think of his neighbours' the camper remarked " Iby ags - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
I'm thinking of finally hiking the Chilnualna Falls trail outside of Wawona. Will there be enough water this year to make it worthwhile in two weeks? I will look at the Yosemite Falls webcam, but am not sure how/if that will be an accurate indicator of the water flow of these falls, being on the opposite side of the valley and at a lower elevation. I've seen many videos of the hike on YouTube, anby ags - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Sure does look like a mine location. I even found the metal boiler/tank, on Google maps here: https://www.google.com/maps/place/38%C2%B008'45.6%22N+119%C2%B040'29.0%22W/@38.1459901,-119.6752615,179m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d38.145989!4d-119.674713 Glad I didn't look for the mine. I thought it was uphill of the tank (on the north side of the creek).by ags - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
As you (JKW, balzaccom, chick-on) have said, I think it must be "the thumb". It's so prominent that I figured it had to have a name - but you have to be at the right angle to see it (it stands out in contrast to the blue sky). It's not at the summit of Hoffmann (thanks for the spelling lesson c-o) but on the ridge of Hoffmann sounds about right. From this photos, it looks like "Hofby ags - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I don't see it in the first photo (the strange shape) and it's not the peak in the second (is that Unicorn from up close and about same elevation?). I should have taken a picture, darn it. It's very prominent from certain angles. It looks perfectly rectangular (long side vertical) from the angle/distance I see it when traveling east on Tioga Road.by ags - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I've noticed this thing for years and saw it again this past week. While I'm thinking about it I figure I'll ask here as someone surely knows the answer: On a peak nearby Mt. Hoffman in Yosemite (but not on Hoffman) there is an odd, protruding rectangular block that is very prominent, more so from the east than west but clearly visible from both directions. Does this thing have a name?by ags - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Yup, the road is to a claim for a Tungsten mine (tank part of the mining machinery). We were in Emigrant last week as well (TR to follow) and met a BLM (NFS?) employee at the Leighton/Yellowhammer camp. We chatted a while and he said it is still privately held property, though I can't attest to the veracity of that. He also said that (to my surprise) the mine is not gated as is normal based on myby ags - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
I presume the "monument" (it's far too big to be called a duck/cairn IMO) at the top of El Cap is still there. Wonder if that was first created by the Camp 4 crowd, or spectators, or tourists. It's among the biggest I've seen (I did see another even bigger one on the Esplanade of Grand Canyon in the vicinity of the Bill Hall trail...)by ags - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Quotechick-on <snip> And ... really... literally ducks/cairns EVERYWHERE on way to Polly Dome. Can no one follow an OUTLET of a LAKE to the LAKE? Sigh <snip> Be safe. Have fun. And please... LNT I was in the Carson Pass area a few weeks ago, in the Stanislaus/Eldorado Nat'l Forest. Decided to take a xc hike up towards a high ridge over Silver Lake. I realize that peopleby ags - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
That's a great idea. I should have thought about that - use the scientific method. Boil 16 oz of water (typical for rehydration) and seal in an (empty) MH pouch and the same amount in a covered Ti cook pot. Wait 10 minutes (typical rehydration time) and measure the temperature and compare. What amazes me is that I would never have considered that the very thin MH pouch walls could be better inby ags - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quotebalzaccom We used a towel for a cozy for years..but then made one out of blue foam. And it makes a difference. Doesn't weigh much, and fits into the pack with the cookset Yup, I saw that on your site when I first read it many years ago. Very clever. I already have the Reflectix to use if I decide to fashion a cozy. On the one hand I could make it, try it, and not use it again if I don'tby ags - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks for the replies. All good points. I've been using MH in the Sierra for years, and have that pretty well figured out. Always end up with a hot, well-reconstituted meal. As noted, biggest issues are expanding menu beyond MH food and packing into a canister. The MH pouches (pleated bottom mostly, I suppose) don't pack that well. Mainly I'm wondering if a Ti pot is really much different (inby ags - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion