Tuolumne Meadows Campgrounds is closed for the season.

The key to Tioga is the pullouts. I go down the hill at 40. When traffic piles up, I pull over.

Same with uphill. I go about 45 and pull over when necessary.

The part from Lee Vining to Ellery Lake is the only steep part.

The first time I seen Yosemite valley was in 1983 in the dead of winter. It was quite, hardly any people and very awesome. I went back a few years later during the summer and could not get out of there fast enough, wall to wall people. I have always wanted to go to Banff Canada but understand it's the same way of a summer.

When I was waiting for discharge from the USN at Treasure Island three of us worked a deal that only one had to be physically present at work the other two could just call in. We did 1 week rotations so we essentially had two weeks off followed by a week of 'work'. I spent a lot of time at Yosemite and DV that winter. Tent camping in the Valley and cross country skiing. It snowed so much one night that we had to get out and shovel off the tent every few hours. My car was buried to the bottom of the windows come morning. I had to get my car pulled out of a snow bank one day after sliding into it on a curve. Florida living did not engender snow and ice driving skills....heh

But the CG were empty. I think we were the only ones in North Pine.

agesilaus wrote:
When I was waiting for discharge from the USN at Treasure Island three of us worked a deal that only one had to be physically present at work the other two could just call in. We did 1 week rotations so we essentially had two weeks off followed by a week of 'work'. I spent a lot of time at Yosemite and DV that winter. Tent camping in the Valley and cross country skiing. It snowed so much one night that we had to get out and shovel off the tent every few hours. My car was buried to the bottom of the windows come morning. I had to get my car pulled out of a snow bank one day after sliding into it on a curve. Florida living did not engender snow and ice driving skills....heh

But the CG were empty. I think we were the only ones in North Pine.

That must be some adventure.

Your car buried up to the window in North Pine campgrounds?

Looks like that's something that happens in Tuolumne. It must be some serious heavy snowfall.

Collie, yes, the Banff area is crowded. For good reason. This was taken from our campsite in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park (not far from Banff) on a September morning, after a dusting of snow:


Click For Full-Size Image.

So I would go, at least once. We've been there three times. And once you are on the trails, you will often be alone.

Same for Yellowstone. Same for Yosemite. Very popular because they are great.

Your car buried up to the window in North Pine campgrounds?

Looks like that's something that happens in Tuolumne. It must be some serious heavy snowfall.
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It was back in the 1970's and you may of heard they were predicting a new ice age on the front of Time Magazine back then.

As for Banff next year, it was our target but the fact that one of the biggest campgrounds, Whistler will be closed until 2021 was something that made me put it off another year. We were up there 3 or 4 years ago.

Banff is definitely in my list. We would have last spring but heavy snow forecast lingered on so we turned around from Washington.

profdant139 wrote:
And my little trailer (2500 lbs, fully loaded) could be pulled by a mountain bike.

You're obviously more manly than me! :D

4runnerguy wrote:

profdant139 wrote:
And my little trailer (2500 lbs, fully loaded) could be pulled by a mountain bike.

You're obviously more manly than me! :D

Or have a extremely low first gear!

colliehauler wrote:

4runnerguy wrote:

profdant139 wrote:
And my little trailer (2500 lbs, fully loaded) could be pulled by a mountain bike.

You're obviously more manly than me! :D

Or have a extremely low first gear!

I've seen a few open hoods going uphill at Tioga -- and also steaming brakes. Well, it always smell of burning brakes and rubber in Tioga on busy summers.