The Moon is Waxing Gibbous (86% of Full)
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With the snow levels so far the lowest in years, there may not be much waterfall action this summer. So it may be just as well not to plan another night at GA. Anyone know the extended forecast for snow this winter in Yosemite?
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Mom
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Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion I was just notified that I won the High Sierra Camp lottery for Glen Aulin. I was hoping to get two nights there but they gave me only one. I had planned on hiking to
Glen Aulin, spending the night and doing Waterwheel Falls the next day and then having another night at Glen Aulin.
How far below the Glen Aulin HSC is Waterwheel Falls? How steep is the trail? After that I'm on to May Lak
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Mom
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Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion The 'trail' from the bridge at the bottom of Vernal Falls to Happy Isles has been paved in the last few years. I suppose it makes it easier to push strollers up there but ??
There are still remnants of an old asphalt road in Little Yosemite. I was surprised to see it there. When was there a road up there and where did it go?
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Mom
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Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion What if the Americans along the trail considered foreign visitors like that Australian as an 'infestation'? The gall. She is welcome to get on Qantas and go home anytime. I've never experienced any attitudes like that of the previous poster or the Australian 'guest' on the trail. Most people are in such a good mood from being in such a beautiful place that attitudes like that are fortunately
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Mom
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Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion Well said, Paris.
I love the family style dining and the socializing with fellow hikers after a day on the trail also. And yes, the National Parks need to serve all sorts of people. Without the High Sierra Camps, the backcountry would be primarily for people in their 20s or early 30s. The High Sierra Camps crowd were older people who still enjoyed the outdoors but didn't want to be burdened
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Mom
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Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion No, I would not want to take a pack trip. One of the pleasures of hiking to the HSCamps is the peace and tranquilty of the hike either alone or in small groups. Stopping where and when you want and not having everything so predetermined. I loved my HSC trip and I plan to do a similar trip next year.
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Mom
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Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion While I staying at the High Sierra Camps two weeks ago, I heard some rumors that the future of the High Sierra Camps may be in jeopardy. The various statements I heard from other hikers were:
1. The NPS thinks that the mule trains necessary to supply them tear up the trails too much.
2. Environmental groups don't like them because they impact the wilderness environment and are used pr
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Mom
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Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion True. I got to the Valley around 6pm. Friday. I did not see any traffic jams. By the time we got to dinner at the Curry buffet, it was not crowded. But Curry Village before that time seemed like an ant hill. People milling everywhere, lots of kids on bicycles. And my definition of 'crowded' may be less lenient than yours, especially after having blissful days of seeing very few people on th
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Mom
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Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion I was there on Friday. It looked crowded to me. Swarms of bicyclers and kids. The shuttle from Happy Isles was standing room only. But the Tioga Road parking spaces were all full also. All the trailheads had cars parked in the lots and on the roads. On Tuesday, in order to get a spot in the JMT trailhead parking lot, I was there at 6am and got the last space.
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Mom
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Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion Last week, I did the one way trip from Tuolumne Meadows to Happy Isles. First I headed to Vogelsang via Rafferty Creek. The trail in this section was great. The meadow near the Tuolumne Pass was covered in wildflowers and still green. The mosquitos started getting pesky near Tuolumne Pass and continued being a nuisance at Vogelsang. Bring a head net.
I'd like to thank highsierra1, the
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Mom
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Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion We start the trail on Wednesday. Any last minute suggestions?
Comments regarding going to Vogelsang via Rafferty Creek or the longer way? Going to Merced Lake via Fletcher or the alternate (is it Lyell)? Sorry, the map is already packed.
The only part that worries me a bit is the 14 mile trip from Merced Lake to Happy Isles. I think I'll take the JMT down instead of the Mist Trail. I
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Mom
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Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion Thanks for the trail update. We did not win the lottery but got spots for our group of 7 in the second round when they call lottery losers with leftover dates. I do not know if we"ll do it again. It is too difficult to arrange. even now I do not know if we have a bed in Vogelsang and we are due to leave next week. with all the reports of Mosquitos, I had better get some Deet.
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Mom
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Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion The news article says there have been 14 deaths so far this year in Yosemite. This Half Dome death and the three over Vernal Falls make four.
What were the other ten? Seems like a much higher count than most years.
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Mom
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Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion There's a very effective warning sign near the door to the Visitor's Center at the Grand Canyon North Rim.
It says "Can you run the Boston Marathon?' The poster then tells the story of a 24 year old marathon runner who took the North Kaibab Trail into the canyon, a 23 mile round trip with only 1 liter of water, an apple and an energy bar.
She died.
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Mom
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Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion After a couple of weeks of waiting I finally got a call from the High Sierra Camps.
Merced Lake did open today. But Vogelsang may not be open until August 13. The high water table means the septic system isn't working. Tuolumne Meadows phone line is still out, so it's cash only there, no credit cards.
Trail conditions are still 'marshy' according to the HSC representative.
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Mom
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Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion With these new figures, this is hardly something to brag about.
5.8 million minus the $700,000 they'll receive from PG & E = 5.1 million.
5.1 million minus the $50,000 per year in savings = over 100 years before the initial cost is paid for.
The average solar panel is expected to last for 25 years.
Another candidate for a Fleecing of America award.
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Mom
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Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion If I recall correctly from reading various books about the National Parks, I don't think anyone has been successful in bringing a lawsuit of this type against the National Park Service.
If such a lawsuit was successful, railings would have to be put up along the rim of the length of the Grand Canyon. It's ridiculous and I think any jury of people with any common sense (if the case even got
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Mom
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Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion These families didn't hire this 'consultant' because they are worried for other hikers' safety at the falls. They are likely assessing the possibility of a lawsuit.
If they were concerned about safety they wouldn't be pushing and pushing the NPS to send in teams to recover the bodies. No one should ever put his/her life at risk to recover a dead body and it is really amazing to me that the
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Mom
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Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion I was referring to the Tuolumne Hikers Bus which leaves the valley at 8:20am. I will need to go up to Tuolumne to pick up my car. I'm doing a one-way hike from Tuolumne Meadows to Happy Isles.
Do I need to reserve a seat on that bus? Is there a charge? Is it often crowded?
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Mom
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Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion