Caltrans info for the past few years suggests that Sonora Pass generally opens a bit earlier than Tioga Pass. http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo/clsdlst.htm That may be b/c CalTrans is responsible for plowing the entire length of 108 whereas NPS is responsible for 120 within Yosemite. But as always with these things, at that time of year you can't really plan until shortly before you leavby Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Depends on what you mean by "best". Assuming Tioga Pass is still closed, the fastest route would be 140 to Merced (or 41 south to Fresno), 99 south to Bakersfield, and then east on 58/395/15 to Las Vegas. That's like 8-8.5 hours, but for much of the way it's not an interesting drive. That could be varied by detouring north through Death Valley, which will add maybe 2 hours more (if yby Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Sounds about right. Was there in late June and yes, there's still an obvious use trail through the bushes out to the point, where there were a few holes with metal in them from what presumably was a railing at one point in time. Which leads me to a question: much of the Panorama trail between the JMT and Panorama point, included part of what is now the use trail out to the point, had clearly bby Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Nice. Thanks for the TR.by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
From the footbridge below Vernal Fall, taken around 1 PM on February 7, 2017. It had been raining steadily for about 12 hours before this, even up at Badger. Same spot, about 5 PM, June 26, 2017. No rain, just snowmelt:by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Good question. Looking at the last issue of "Yosemite Today" (before it was renamed "Yosemite Guide" for May-June 2008, it lists the El Capitan Shuttle as stopping at the Visitors center, Camp 4, El Capitan picnic area, El Capitan Meadow, and the Four Mile trail trailhead. That seems to have remained the configuration until 2015, when the Yosemite Guide for June-July shows itby Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Quoteplawrence While maps are handy, they're basically worthless for those who don't know how to read a map which is becoming a rarer skill for those who have grown up with smart phones and GPSs. Many people have a hard time using compasses too. A good hiking GPS is probably easier for the youngest generation of people to understand and use than an old-fashioned topo map. And unlike a GPS, maby Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Wow. Where'd you hike in from?by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Chick-On, thanks for the detailed breakdown.by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Also keep in mind there are food storage boxes at the Sunrise Lakes trailhead, so you can stash food there, take 2 only days' worth of food at the beginning of the trip and pick up the rest as you pass by on the way to Sunrise.by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Don't know why the editor of that article put the word dangerous in quotes, as if it's not really dangerous. As the article itself notes, at certain times those falls can be fatal (which is why the NPS sometime declares the bridge closed). I'm with nwhkr - I'd prefer to walk and keep my footing than risk slipping while running.by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
"smoke from wildflowers" I imagine that smoking certain wildflowers would be more mind-blowing than the eclipse itself...by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - General Discussion
What's become of trailhead parking at Happy Isles?by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
"This spring there was a joint operation ... to disrupt the cultivation of marijuana ..." Pun intended? I doobelieve that the lawbreakers are now in a hemp of trouble. But I think weed best let them hash it out with their lawyers. The article didn't say if the cops had to shoot the growers in the grass, but if they did, I'd extend my hand and say, "Pot 'er there."by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
The two previous responses pretty much covered everything you need to know as a first-time visitor with a toddler. One clarification with regard to the Mist Trail: you don't have to go all the way up to enjoy it, and it might not even be advisable with a 3-year-old. The walk up to the first footbridge (below Vernal Falls) is paved, doable even for a small child, and provides some stunning views.by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
For road info outside of Yosemite, it's on CalTrans' site: http://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi. Just enter the route number. Sonora Pass is on highway 108.by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I dunno if Uber and Lyft are or aren't allowed to operate in Yosemite, but at the Everglades site for the Shark Valley Visitor Center (https://www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/svdirections.htm) there's this warning, which gave me a laugh: "NOTE: VISITORS ARRIVING BY UBER - Due to the remoteness of this area we are finding that visitors arriving by UBER transportation are unable to acquire aby Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
If you look around this forum, there was a report from about 2 weeks about going from yosemite valley to Glacier Point via the Panorama Trail. He reported it was wet but doable.by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
This can save someone the efforts of repeatedly clicking on recreation.gov, but it's not going to allow someone to hoard campsites for re-sale - the reservations are personal and non-transferable.by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I wouldn't try skating on it...by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
"Madhouse" is an exaggeration, since you'll be there mid-week before Memorial Day. You should be good to go, even if you only arrive in the valley at 11 AM. Do what Chick-On said: stop at GP on your way in, since you'll pass by the GP road on your way in from Wawona. If you're leaving out of Wawona in the evening, stop at GP again for before sunset. They're doing roadwork in the valby Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Caltrans is repairing the bridge over Don Pedro "lake", and there are nightly outages when you can't go on 120 to Yosemite, you've got to go around, and it's alternating one-way traffic at other times (like the bridge on 140). Look here: http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist9/road_con/Road_con.html "SR 120 IS CLOSED 4.2 MI WEST OF THE SOUTH JCT OF SR 49 /AT TUOLUMNE RIVER BRIDGE/ (TUOLUMNby Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks, Chick-On.by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
Notwithstanding Chick-On's reservations about hiking in the woods, I'm considering doing this same trip with a 14-year-old daughter in late June. I realize it's still a bit early to predict snow levels, but any guesses as to the difficulty of the water crossings between Murphy Creek and McGee Lake?by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Backpacking and Hiking Yosemite and the Sierra
I'm considering options for day hikes in late June; we'll have two cars available on one of the days so we can do a point-to-point hike that day. One possibility is taking the Murphy Creek trail to TM via Glen Aulin. Between the junction with the trail to May Lake and GA, there appear to be several stream crossings. Does anyone know what are these like in a "normal" year, and what weby Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I recall a few years ago I just paid for the one-week entry and they told me had I like 2 weeks to upgrade to the yearly parks pass. Don't know what the answer is for upgrading from a Yos only pass to the full one.by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Stunning photos. Can't do that with a point-and-shoot.by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Photography advice, critiques and tutorials
Was there a ticket with a fine attached to the note? Or was the note just to give the appearance of enforcing a closure?by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Did they have rangers policing every trail leading in from outside the park to make sure people didn't enter? I suppose that right now, with most of the roads still closed due to snow, preventing foot entry along trails would be easier to do, as the number of access points is rather limited. They certainly didn't and still don't have the manpower to police every mile of trail in the park to evicby Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Couldn't you hike into the western part of the park (where the snow has melted) from outside the park? When does the dam at Cherry Lake open?by Not quite The Geezer, but getting there - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion