Half Dome cables are up
The
cables on Half Dome in Yosemite National Park will be in place and open
for the season on Friday, May 24, 2013, weather permitting. The
cables provide access to the summit of Half Dome, one of Yosemite’s
most popular hikes.
Visitors are required to have a permit to
ascend the Half Dome cables seven days per week. The majority of
the permits were distributed through a lottery system that ended in
March. However, approximately 50 permits per day are available
through a two day in advance lottery. Visitors without a Half
Dome permit wishing to hike the cables may enter the lottery two days
in advance of their planned day hike by visiting www.recreation.gov or
by calling 1-877-444-6777. For more information regarding the
lottery and the Half Dome cables, please visit
www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/halfdome.htm.
The trail to Half
Dome from Yosemite Valley is an extremely strenuous hike covering over
17 miles. Hikers gain 4,800 feet of elevation along the trail that
passes highlights such as Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall, before reaching
the cables on Half Dome’s steep granite shoulder. Metal cables and
wooden planks are placed along the steep shoulder of the dome to assist
hikers to the summit.
Visitors are advised to take appropriate
precautions when planning a hike of this length and difficulty, and to
be prepared for changing weather and trail conditions. Thunder and
lightning are common occurrences in the High Sierra during the summer
and fall seasons. Hikers should not attempt to summit Half Dome
when rain or thunderstorms are forecasted and are advised to use
extreme caution when the rocks are wet.
*****************
Backcountry snow survey
Results
for the April snow survey show that the Merced River basin snowpack is
at 53% of average while the Tuolumne River basin is at 52% of average
for this time of year. Last year, the Merced was at 47% while the
Tuolumne was at 43%, but the distribution of snow is much different
this year. Last year, the snowpack was fairly consistently about 45% of
average at all surveyed elevations. This year, the snowpack is about
70% of average down to around 8,000 feet, but drops off substantially
below that. So, those early-June high-elevation backpacking trips that
might have been possible last year will probably be much snowier this
year
*****************
Announcing
the 2013/2014 schedule
for the
Yosemite
Series of Photography Workshops!
by
Phil
Hawkins
Award-winning
Yosemite photographer for 28 years
The finest
photography workshops in Yosemite;
week long and weekend workshops in all seasons!
see:
yosemitephotoworkshops.com
-and-
Now available!
Photo prints of Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada!**********************************
17
people died in YNP during the summer of 2011!
A record!
Read
this article about the dangerous conditions in Yosemite... and about people's abject STUPIDITY!!
http://www.fresnobee.com/2011/08/01/2485221/half-dome-fall-means-14-dead-in.html#storylink=misearch
***********************************
(6/7/11) Yosemite National Park announces three changes to
the way visitors make camping reservations...
Details
This is
hard-core! Major changes in dealing with your campground
reservation.
***********************************
TARGETED SPEEDING ENFORCEMENT
The Official Announcement- "Over
the next several months, rangers in the Valley and El Portal will be
conducting targeted speeding enforcement aimed at reducing
speed-related traffic issues on the roadways. Speeding
vehicles are the greatest threat to people and wildlife in the
park. Moreover, this effort is in response to requests from
the community indicating a desire for increased speed enforcement to
better provide for the safety of pedestrians, motorists, and
wildlife. Citations will be issued where warranted. Remember
that the people who use these roads most often are your neighbors,
coworkers, and friends; help keep them safe by driving defensively and
in compliance with all posted speeds and regulations.
Targeted speed enforcement is a proven effective method for achieving
these goals. By publicizing these enforcement and education
efforts, the National Park Service believes motorists can be deterred
from speeding. Additional area specific reminders are outlined below."
(Ed. Note - That's Yosemite Valley and El Portal- duh)
Editor's
Note- I can tell you from personal experience that Wawona
will be in this list... It has always been a speed trap and
will continue to be so. OBSERVE THE SPEED LIMITS!
This is one thing that Yosemite Law Enforcement does not take
lightly. They are hard-core and will stop you even if they
THINK you are speeding. I was recently stopped on the portion
of highway 41 south of Tunnel View and accused of doing 50 mph in a
rather curvy area in which it is physically impossible to be going that
fast. I was definitely doing maybe 40 or so, but not 50 as he
said. We had a rather contentious exchange, and he let me off
with a warning, but then came back and said "You've had two
warnings up here in the last 18 months" (true) !!!
They KNOW you driving history in the park before they even pull you over.
Now,
having said all this, most of the time if your driver's license,
insurance and registration is in order and you were not driving over
10mph over the limit, and you have nothing outstanding (failure to
appear, etc.) they'll give you a warning. But that's not
guaranteed, so best thing is to just watch your speed.
One
spot in particular to watch yourself is coming out of the tunnel at
Tunnel View. Speed enforcement is really
needed here, as people come FLYING down that hill and come out the
tunnel through those cross walks at 40 and 50 mph. I have
witnessed an LEO sitting in the parking lot catching people left and
right coming out of the tunnel. In
addition, something needs to be done with speeding employees after
shift changes. At 9pm cars are speeding toward Oakhurst and El
Portal at breakneck speeds.
The Man is watching!
***********************************
Gas Prices
(3/15/13,
regular 3.99 Fresno
3.99 in Oakhurst
4.92 in Wawona, Crane Flat and Tuolumne (Tuolumne is closed in winter)
****************************
Thinking
of climbing Half Dome?
Read
this article appearing in Saturday's (7/7/07) San Francisco Chronicle:
Go Here
****************************
Bear-proof food canisters MANDATORY
in the backcountry!
The Park
Service announced revised wilderness food
storage regulations in an effort to reduce the number of
incidents of bears obtaining food from backpackers in Yosemite’s
backcountry. Yosemite’s Bear Council endorsed this recommendation by
Chief Ranger Steve Shackelton. Bear-proof canisters are
required within seven linear miles of park roads. This
includes the Wawona Road (Highway 41), the Big Oak Flat Road (Highway
120 West), the Tioga Road (Highway 120 East), the Glacier Point Road,
the Hetch Hetchy Road, and the Lake Eleanor Road. Bear-proof
canisters are required within one-half mile of the shoreline
of Benson Lake and above 9,600 feet (above tree line). Yosemite
National Park still strongly recommends backpackers use approved bear
canisters throughout the wilderness.
A map delineating the new wilderness areas requiring bear canisters can
be viewed at
http://www.nps.gov/yose/wilderness/bfoodstoragem.htm.
Within
the green shaded areas, backpackers are required to store food items,
items carrying food scents, and toiletries in bear canisters.
National
Park Service approved bear canisters are available for a minimal rental
fee from wilderness centers, some concession outlets, and the Hetch
Hetchy entrance.
Approved
bear canisters for 2010:
-
Garcia
Backpacker Model 812-C
-
Bearikade
Weekender MKII (1766 and higher) and Expedition MKII (1766 and higher)
www.wild-ideas.net/
-
BearVault 110b, 200, BV250 and
BV300
www.bearvault.com
-
Purple
Mountain Engineering (PME) Tahoe Model (conditionally approved)
-
CounterAssault
Bear Keg (conditionally approved)
-
Ursack
TKO 2.0 Hybrid (conditionally approved)
http://www.ursack.com/
-
BearVault BV350 and BV400
(conditionally approved)
Approved
panniers (for stock use):
-
DeCarteret
Aluminum Stock Panniers
-
Berner
Bear Box
-
Bear
Aware Panniers
-
Bear
Country camping (conditionally approved)
********************************************
Winter Driving Reality!
If you are planning a
winter visit, please read below...
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You will not be
allowed to proceed without chains or 4-wheel drive. Many people attempt
to ignore this admonition, but this friendly-but-serious ranger will
make you turn back. In the 20 minutes I stood taking pictures, many
angry, expletive-spewing people were turned back. If you do not have
4-wheel drive...
|
 |
...you can let these enterprising gentlemen install your chains for a
fee of $25. Actually, this is money well spent; these guys know what
they are doing, which will save you much pain from flapping pieces of
chains chewing away at your wheel wells or fender paint, or worse,
chains coming off. Plus, they work fast and you don't have to get out
and get cold and wet and frustrated.
PS: You would
not believe what these guys have to go through to get a permit to
operate. They must pass a test of installing all the different kinds of
chains available. Then, pay a fee... but during a major storm these
guys clean UP!
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************************************
Chain
Designations and Highway Condition ratings:
R-1 Park signs read "AUTOS
& PICKUPS SNOW TIRES OK". This means chains are required for
all vehicles unless they have snow tread tires. (4wdr without snow
tires must chain up.) Snow tires must have a minimum tread depth of
6/32 of an inch to be legal. Studded snow tires may be used if the
tires are also rated as snow tires, if not, the tires need to be
chained up. (Studs do not replace chains!)
· Any vehicle with a gross vehicle weight of 10,000 lbs must chain up.
(Usually, large vans on up.)
· All vehicles, including those with 4-wheel drive with snow tires that
are towing trailers must have chains on one drive axle of the vehicle.
· If the trailer has brakes, it must also have chains on one axle.
R-2 Park signs read
"4W DRIVE WITH SNOW TIRES OK". This means that chains are required on
all vehicles. The exception is four-wheel drive vehicles with snow
tires on all four wheels. (This is for all 4-wheel drive passenger
vehicles with an unladen weight of 6500 pounds or less)
· The 4wdr system must be engaged!
R-3 Park signs read "NO
EXCEPTIONS". This means that chains are required on all vehicles. There
are no exceptions. (Yes "ALL" means four-wheel drives too.)
Remember, State Law requires you to carry chains in your vehicle when
entering an active chain control area. Tire traction devices can be
link chain, cable chain and/or spider straps.
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The weather can change quickly; it was 80 degrees and sunny two days
before this shot was taken, April 8, 2001. During Spring, be
prepared!
This
is at the 4,000 foot elevation, just before you get to Fish Camp.
|
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...and
then there's this photo taken at the Yosemite National Park boundary on
April 21, 2001 on Highway 41. Now, this snow melted rapidly, but for
about an 18 hour period chains were required between Wawona and the
valley. During the night many people were turned away by the Highway
Patrol roadblocks and had to go back to Oakhurst and get a motel room.
ALWAYS CARRY YOUR CHAINS until about the first of
May.
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(vwf) :-(
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