Norcal Spotted and BS Thread

El Cid is OK for Mexican. And I agree about Tenaya Lodge. Southgate sounds promising.

 

No.

First is very tough perspective. Top of Cloud's Rest, looking southish-eastish. Peak in distance may be Forester? We were camping down below and hiked up with our stove and dinners to watch the alpenglow and the stars come out. Had the place all to ourselves.

Next two are Vogelsang Lake looking toward the pass, and the next shot is from the pass looking ESE toward the next basin and Gallison Lake. We did not want to leave that spot.

Thanks for the food and grocery tips. El Cid sounds fun. The other couple we are with does not drink, so not sure how interested they would be in Southgate (but we sure as hell would be). Good to know.

So...the wife was crestfallen about Mariposa Grove, and I've been googling a bit more. Sentinel Dome looks very doable. I think we may do the early run to Glacier Point, then hit Sentinel on the way out. By any measure, I am extremely reluctant to go down into The Valley of Zombies.

I'll look into all these a bit more:
http://www.yosemitehikes.com/glacier-point-road/glacier-point-road.htm

 

Clouds rest is amazing. That one is one hike I make annually!

Sentinel as a hike is doable. However... GP is a freakin zoo. And most go up Sentinel while they're out there...

Big Trees: there are two other groves, Merced and Tuolumne. Both are just off the Crane Flat/Big Oak Flat /Tioga Rd intersection.

Want views? Or just a hike, may not have a view?

 

august 26, 27, the santa cruz astronomy club will be at glacier point late at night, with our telescopes, showing the deep sky.

 

There is also Nelder grove. It's outside the park about 1/2 way between Oakhurst and Fish Camp.

http://www.yosemitehikes.com/not-yosemite/nelder-grove/nelder-grove.htm

 

Take your patience with you. Most park visitors from the south use 41. Once you're out of Oakhurst, the last 10 miles to Fish Camp, there is exactly ONE passing zone!

There are numerous turnouts you'll beg and plead slow drivers to use but they don't actually self-recognize that they are the slow one...

 

if you get stuck in that crap, just kick back and cruise... if the idiots in front of me are stopping and going, I'll try and drop far enough back I can just keep rolling evenly and smooth it out.

 

... sigh, its a lot LOT easier to drive that way in my benz than in my taco :-/

 

If you get a chance next winter go to Yosemite then. It's so much better in the winter especially after a snow storm

 

Sentinel, Taft Point, and a whole bunch of stuff off of Glacier Point Road are worth the effort. Wawona is one of the "under utilized" areas of the park and still worth visiting. If the wife wants to see Sequoias, try hitting Nelder Grove. Smaller and fewer people too (it's outside the park).

 

Tahnks for all the input, everyone. We've stayed once before at Fish Camp, but we were taking the inlaws on a whirlwind through the whole park, and they are not really hikers.

I gave my wife your advice, and she said "why even go."
So yes, some way to get an iconic view picture with Bennett in his first year is kind of a big deal, and I agree. My plan is to just tough it out on the Glacier Road for one day, make the most of that, and avoid the Valley altogether. Thanks for the tips on the other groves, perfect. I simply have not had time to do my usual research, and work has been a shitshow since...last summer.

This is obviously in no way a solitude trip, and I'll count on some bourbon on the deck in the pines at the rental for that each evening.

Sounds like 50 to Tahoe Southshore every weekend.

Yeah, that is my standard practice. But I remember heading down 41 into the Valley before and there has no hanging back. It was just stopped and packed liked sardines, barely inching most of the time. I'd rather stay home.

Very high on the list. We usually do a fall trip in the Eastern Sierras, and one year I'd like to include Yosemite in that loop.

Thanks for the encouragement. This is my focus now. Using this for now
http://www.yosemitehikes.com/glacier-point-road/glacier-point-road.htm

 

Looks like a marmot. I haven't seen one of those in years.

 

I can get you here without the hassle going in valley or GP. Just a short but uphill 1/2 mile walk.

 

Looks like the "Tunnel View" without the clusterfuck, amiright?
Sign me the fuck up, sister!

Wow do I say fuck too much or what. But it is meant with love, motherfuckers.

 

As a gal who say fuck far too much, I get it!

Yes, same view minus the tourons! Turtleback Dome.

Blue arrow is a large turnout with a rock retaining wall out the west end of TV. Good spot, usually packed.

Red arrow is what you're looking for. It's a small dirt road with a gate. There's room for 2-3 cars here without blocking gate. If you blink, you'll miss it. There was a ratty old short faded orange cone at the corner. Don't know if it's there still... Park there, walk up the partially asphalt road.

At the top, look left and you'll see a dirt path along side a very large boulder. Follow that trail. Leads to top of dome.



PS this is a weather station site, there's a building and equipment up there but no one resides up there.

 

Looking for something to do this weekend? Come check out the Oakland Greek Festival. Great food music and lots of beer!!!

 

We'd be all over this if we didn't have plans!

 

Here's my contribution to the Yosemite talk. This is a picture I snapped of my buddy after we hiked through one of the air vents near the "tunnel view"
Version 2 by Lucas Dodson, on Flickr

 

Hey, all you tent topper guys can see the legacy of your purchases.

 

I guess this would be the legacy of mine






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