Bad year ahead for Yosemite National Park

Yep we have been to the park at least 15 times. Camped in the valley 9 or 10 times. Even in a dry year you will be amazed. Do not cancel your trip. Only time it was bad there is when there was smoke from fires a few years ago.

Pogoil.

LenSatic wrote:
In the mid to late '60s, my family took a vacation to Colorado. One of the places we visited was Seven Falls. They had wooden steps up to the top. My step-father challenged me to climb it with him. (He had been a Navy Corpsman at Iwo Jima and one other island battle that I don't remember.) When we got to the top the stream was a trickle about 4" wide. The falls were fed by a pipe running from a large tank fed by a pond/reservoir. Clearly, being that the fall were the attraction, and knowing that the climate is not stable, they had planned ahead.

I moved from CA to AZ for a reason. ;)

LS

Well put about moving to AZ, were not far behind.

In the mid to late '60s, my family took a vacation to Colorado. One of the places we visited was Seven Falls. They had wooden steps up to the top. My step-father challenged me to climb it with him. (He had been a Navy Corpsman at Iwo Jima and one other island battle that I don't remember.) When we got to the top the stream was a trickle about 4" wide. The falls were fed by a pipe running from a large tank fed by a pond/reservoir. Clearly, being that the fall were the attraction, and knowing that the climate is not stable, they had planned ahead.

I moved from CA to AZ for a reason. ;)

LS

Another "glass half full" note -- because the falls were less full than usual, and because of the lack of snow and ice on the trails, we were able to hike around the various waterfalls in early March this year -- in some years, there is too much water or too much ice.

Even with the lack of water, the falls looked pretty good -- this is Lower Yosemite Falls in mid-morning -- the rainbow was intensified by the polarizing filter on the camera:

Everyday, in all weather, water or not, it is always a good day in Yosemite!

One bright side might be that the mosquitoes up in Tuolumne Meadows won't be so bad this year. I'm a glass half full type of guy I guess.

bukhrn wrote:
That figures, it would be the year we've made plans to be there. :(

I highly recomend Michael Frye's app, "The Photographer's Guide to Yosemite." It was $10 when I purchased it and well worth it and I already owned his book by the same name. As both an avid photographer and Yosemite fan, I think it's both owning both but the great part about the app is the GPS can help you locate the spots he recomends.

You want to explore and find the unique shots but there are iconic shots that everyone wants and he tells you where to go for those photos.

Also, take the time to go to Glacier Point and Mariposa Grove.

Please don't let this spoil your enthusiasm!

Agree 100%. As I stated earlier, sometimes you see things you didn't before. On our last trip to Custer State Park (our 3rd), fire had eaten up huge amounts of trees and vegetation. There were views, rock formations and other things we had never seen. These changes take on a beauty, albeit sometimes a bit eerie, of their own. Go and enjoy!

The first time I seen Yosemite was winter of 1983 and was very impressed, very few people as well. Several years later I went of a summer time and the crowds of people made me want to leave.

I'm very grateful for the Opportunity to see the park in it's glory without the hordes of people.

One TV show that I was watching, the guy asked a ranger "What should I do if I only have 2 hours to visit Yosemite"

The ranger answered "Go out in that field and cry".

Anyone not willing to spend more than a few hours in such a wonderful place should be crying - because their priorities are all messed up!

I spent a week in Yosemite Valley once, and wished I could stay another couple of days! Many times I had to stay outside the park, the reservation system is all messed up, and they tend to 'sell out' only a few minutes after allowing applications for the campsites on first come first served basis.

They need more campsites, but have people who try to prevent things like installing 120 volt power to the campsites, so that RV's will not need to run a generator.

The campsites are to close to the river, and tend to get underwater when the river floods. Even if the RV campgrounds are just outside the current border, due to their being cliffs adjacent to the valley entrance, the National Park needs hundreds more campsites!

Fred.