Camping and Backpacking GEAR thread

If you need a bail out, always contact me! or if it works out and you have to skip a part, I can run shuttle. I don't do it commercially, but if I had a hybrid, I could make a small fortune doing it!

2's for permits is easier to get than 3+. I too plan on staying over in LYV for doing the short haul rather than an all day event before sun up...

When you get up here, holler!

 

I appreciate that. PM me your contact info and I'll keep it in my phone just in case. When my permit is in hand, I'll let you know my itinerary. I think right now, if we get permits to start on Aug 8, we will be doing Half Dome (permits allowing) on Aug 23 or so. Just to give you a reference for our timing. Staying in Mammoth for 2 nights after finishing the trail though.

From OV, we are resupplying at MTR, then again at Red's, and yet again at Tuolumne to keep food weight really down low at the last 3rd of the trip. I don't mind still having a void in my bear canister, as I can put other small things in it. As long as we aren't injured, we will keep plugging along. Might take a zero day at Red's (was going to zero at MTR but that changed). I figure if I made it this year from Vidette Meadow for 5 days all the way up and over Whitney on a severely sprained LCL, I can deal with more pain than I realized.

 

True. Saw so many brown spots in Yosemite this year compared to when I've gone before. Pretty sad site .

 

Looking at doing Mt. Whitney this year. What's a good month to go? Prob need to submit the lottery asap. Looking at completing it in 2 days.

 

you can apply 168 days in advance. figure your date/s and submit the new rolling dates application to get a better chance.

 

Is June too early to go?

 

(i'm a wildland firefighter based out of Incline village, Lake tahoe, nv) But when we aren't on fires we do project work cutting down trees marked by the forest service as unhealthy (and other reasons) to try and mitigate bug spread (and overgrowth, etc.) but in the tahoe basin its crazy how much the drought and bug kill is killing trees, unfortunately a lot of the old sugar pines are dieing which is our highest priority... But all other trees are seeing too.. seeing it first hand opens your eyes to it

 

it can be. its all weather dependent...

 

Colorado has been ravaged by the pine beetles. Driving up I-70, doubly so after going through the tunnels it's 70% beetle kill I'd say, very messy. Other areas of the state are bad too; shame really but warming trends whatever the cause are occurring allowing for it to happen.

 

yeah i noticed it, we were there for 2 weeks, when your know your trees and what to look for its a pretty unfortunate site..

 

California has gotten hit hard too between that and fire it's depressing

 

Wait till you see this weekends flood photos!

 

shits getting deep here

 

NEED PICS!

 

I aint stupid enough to go into the Valley today or tomorrow for that matter. Chance of rock slides is WAY up and Im not chancing it to get stuck on the wrong side. (it happened to us a couple months ago. We -me and the Mr.- were camping in the Valley. He wasn't off work yet and was just outside the park at their offices. I was set up and ready in the valley. Slide happened just inside the entrance station. Mr was on one side, I was on the other... Through some awesome logistical coordination, they allowed some essential employees a pass to walk through the debris field (major safety no no))

Anyway, I'll see if the Mr (who is at work today) will get some pics before coming home. He's working remotely on Friday...
In the mean time, this USGS cam is at Happy Isles, looking at the Merced River


https://ca.water.usgs.gov/webcams/happyisles/

 

I like to keep an eye on this handy chart when it gets closer to hike time. Lets me compare current year to previous years that I was actually there for. I can gauge how much water to expect in drainages, and if there is a higher chance of snowpack on passes even late into the summer. Nice little spike in snow water content in the past couple of days.

http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cdecapp/snowapp/swcchart.action

 

Just read that 2 skiers were rescued from and avalanche this morning on mt. Rose. There closing the roads to the area.

 

Looks like Yosemite separated JMT permits from backcountry permits and they now have their own application.

https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/upload/jmtfaxform.pdf

@Seabass @Cuffs

 

It's kinda been that way. It not fully. What they did add this year is a rolling date permit.

If you're start date is flexible, you can put in for a 21 day window.

Ex: you want to start on Monday, so your names in the lottery. You don't get picked, your name rolls to Tuesday lottery. Then Wednesday... it's still lottery, but you don't have to file a request Every. Single. Day. And if you don't get anything for those 21 days, you can resubmit.
With us being right here, it's perfect! I send my first round in Saturday!

 

5pm Friday.
(Couldn't decide which I liked better)