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Yosemite & PCH in Sept. searching for pointers.
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guggenheim
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 12:33 pm    Post subject: Yosemite & PCH in Sept. searching for pointers. Reply with quote

Finally get to take a trip to YOSEMITE! I'm a climber, this is a giant playground.

I'm leaving from Portland, OR, driving down I-5, then crossing over to hwy 101 and PCH at the Cali border, thru the Redwoods south to Ventura, CA. My friends bought a wine bar. After that, I will make my way to Yosemite for 5 days. Then north back to Portland, OR

I've done a search and read a lot of posts. I'm asking for your favorite climbs, hikes, drives, places to camp, food, etc. Not everything has to be in Yosemite, can be on the way there or the way out.

Things I've read in posts: Usal Rd, Kings Canyon, Leavitt lake, Saddlebag lave, Hardin rd, Mammoth lakes, and all the usual ones: Half Dome, Sentinel, Indian.


Help me figure filter thru all this info. Pics and links are awesome.

I thank you in advance!

BTW, I'll be taking a fwd lifted Eurovan Camper with BFG's and I'm not afraid of going offroad; I don't drive a pavement princess.


Last edited by guggenheim on Mon Aug 26, 2013 10:58 pm; edited 1 time in total
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madspaniard
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 12:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The rock climbing in the granite dome just acrross Tenaya Lake is one of the most relaxing ones I have ever done. For some reason I really felt happy doing this climb. An easy 5.6 but really fun with the lake at the bottom. In the valley, I also enjoyed Five Open Books, Manure Pile Buttress, and more complicated routes to the right of El Cap.
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 1:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Reds Meadow on the eastern side. Plenty to see there. Mostly hiking. Camping,pack station/resort. So you have choices on your stay there. There is restricted access to get into the meadow. Before 7 am or after 7 pm you can drive your own car in.

http://www.nps.gov/depo/planyourvisit/reds-meadow-and-devils-postpile-shuttle-information.htm

Look that whole area up on a topo map and you will see what a diverse area this is.

I never get tired of going to Bodie also. A large in tacked mining ghost town.
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=509

North of Mammoth on 395.
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nelinor
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 2:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Get a Rasputin Float @ North Coast Brewing. Ft. Bragg.
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 2:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Drive to the top of Panorama Point (and hike down if you want). Spectacular vista!

Good luck avoiding the fires.
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 3:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

zippyslug31 wrote:

Good luck avoiding the fires.

Fire is mostly north-north east of the valley.. burning many miles away from the valley. Wind taking smoke north and north-east, too
South entrance remains open.
Fire is 15% contained. Check USFS site for current updates and maps.
Crews are gaining on the fire..

Kings Canyon Sequoia NPs are worth a visit.. = Biggest trees on earth.

The east side of the Sierras is a whole new world.. and plenty of climbing back side, google Buttermilks.

White Mountain Wilderness and the Ancient Bristlecone forest.. = oldest trees on earth.

Lots of really great stuff to have you coming back for many visits into the future.
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windnsea
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 3:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

1. Saddlebag Lake just east of the Tioga Pass entrance on the east side of Yosemite. Do the 20 lake loop trail north of Saddlebag Lake. Go in the counterclockwise direction. Takes a day.

2. All of the waterfalls in Yosemite have been dry since early August. Every day busses of foreign tourists come into Yosemite to see the water don't falls!

3. A good day hike in Yosemite is the 4-mile trail to Glacier Point as you can see a lot from there around the park and Yosemite Valley.

4. You'll probably need to make a reservation for a camp site in Yosemite Valley over the internet. However, if you are not sure of your days, there is a little office where the park rangers might have campsites available which is in the northeast corner of the parking lot for Curry Village. Sometimes there is a line early in the morning for those looking for a campsite.

5. On your way up to Saddlebag Lake a great 1/2 day hike is up to May Lake. You'll have it almost all to yourself.

Enjoy!
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juanl
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 3:36 pm    Post subject: Re: YOSEMITE! & PCH in Sept. searching for pointers. Reply with quote

guggenheim wrote:
Finally get to take a trip to YOSEMITE! I'm a climber, this is a giant playground.

I've done a search and read a lot of posts. I'm asking for your favorite climbs, hikes, drives, places to camp, food, etc. Not everything has to be in Yosemite, can be on the way there or the way out.


Ho man. So much climbing, so little time! What are you looking for? The valley is best thought of as a place to meet your limits in terms of patience (lines, rangers), gear placements (few), runouts (many), and reevaluating your redpoint limit (sobering.) For the combination of exposure, ease of access, and just plain history, it can't be beat though.

Might still be kinda hot in the valley. For cooler temps, head up to Tuolomne for slab and crack. Head over to Clark Canyon near Mammoth for tons of bolted sport and free camping.

Also on the east side, Bishop area has tons of bouldering and sport, though it's also kind of hot. Someone already mentioned the buttermilk's, there are also the happy and sad boulders. The "ice caves" at the sads are relatively cool in the heat. Owen's river gorge also has tons of bolted sport, if you don't mind the moonscape aspect of it.

Anyway, back to Yosemite: more info needed on what you want. Sport or trad? All day or cragging? What kinda rating?
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Vinzanto
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 6:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Definentely check out the Julia Pfeiffer State Park waterfall. It is located south of Big Sur and you just pull off the Highway 1 and can see it from the road, absolutely spectacular. But for the truely adventurous (you sound like you may be) you can hike around the south side of the fall and work your way across a narrow ridge with a water chisseled arch underneath and cross onto a coastal peninsula that offers you ever better of a view of the falls!
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 7:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pfeiffer Beach,,,
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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guggenheim
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 10:49 pm    Post subject: Re: YOSEMITE! & PCH in Sept. searching for pointers. Reply with quote

juanl wrote:
guggenheim wrote:
Finally get to take a trip to YOSEMITE! I'm a climber, this is a giant playground.

I've done a search and read a lot of posts. I'm asking for your favorite climbs, hikes, drives, places to camp, food, etc. Not everything has to be in Yosemite, can be on the way there or the way out.


Ho man. So much climbing, so little time! What are you looking for? The valley is best thought of as a place to meet your limits in terms of patience (lines, rangers), gear placements (few), runouts (many), and reevaluating your redpoint limit (sobering.) For the combination of exposure, ease of access, and just plain history, it can't be beat though.

Might still be kinda hot in the valley. For cooler temps, head up to Tuolomne for slab and crack. Head over to Clark Canyon near Mammoth for tons of bolted sport and free camping.

Also on the east side, Bishop area has tons of bouldering and sport, though it's also kind of hot. Someone already mentioned the buttermilk's, there are also the happy and sad boulders. The "ice caves" at the sads are relatively cool in the heat. Owen's river gorge also has tons of bolted sport, if you don't mind the moonscape aspect of it.

Anyway, back to Yosemite: more info needed on what you want. Sport or trad? All day or cragging? What kinda rating?



Sport, bouldering, and free; all depends if my friend is able to break away from the wine cafe. I've read about Bishop and Kings Canyon for less crowds and more available routes.
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guggenheim
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 10:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

j_dirge wrote:
zippyslug31 wrote:

Good luck avoiding the fires.

Fire is mostly north-north east of the valley.. burning many miles away from the valley. Wind taking smoke north and north-east, too
South entrance remains open.
Fire is 15% contained. Check USFS site for current updates and maps.
Crews are gaining on the fire..

Kings Canyon Sequoia NPs are worth a visit.. = Biggest trees on earth.

The east side of the Sierras is a whole new world.. and plenty of climbing back side, google Buttermilks.

White Mountain Wilderness and the Ancient Bristlecone forest.. = oldest trees on earth.

Lots of really great stuff to have you coming back for many visits into the future.



Thanks d_jirge. After studying some maps, I'm planning on heading up 395, seems like a more interesting route rather than I-5. Also reading a lot of posts stating Yosemite is more spectacular driving in from the east.
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guggenheim
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 11:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Vinzanto wrote:
Definentely check out the Julia Pfeiffer State Park waterfall. It is located south of Big Sur and you just pull off the Highway 1 and can see it from the road, absolutely spectacular. But for the truely adventurous (you sound like you may be) you can hike around the south side of the fall and work your way across a narrow ridge with a water chisseled arch underneath and cross onto a coastal peninsula that offers you ever better of a view of the falls!



Looks like a great spot for rappelling and climbing Very Happy


Last edited by guggenheim on Tue Aug 27, 2013 1:19 am; edited 1 time in total
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randywebb
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 11:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

guggenheim wrote:


Looks like a great spot for repelling and climbing Very Happy


El Crapitan used to be very repelling.
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 6:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

windnsea wrote:

3. A good day hike in Yosemite is the 4-mile trail to Glacier Point as you can see a lot from there around the park and Yosemite Valley.


You can drive to glacier point as well though, so when you get to the top there will be hundreds of other people there.

I've only been to Yosemite once, but I quite liked the hike to north Dome, it is opposite Half Dome, so the view of half dome, and up and down Yosemite valley is great, and you don't have the crowds of glacier point. You do have to drive up out of Yosemite valley to start the hike, well you can hike it from the floor of Yosemite valley, but its pretty big that way, 15 miles round trip and a lot of vertical, "from the top" its 8 miles or so round trip with only 1500' or so, IIRC.
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 6:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

guggenheim wrote:
Also reading a lot of posts stating Yosemite is more spectacular driving in from the east.


+1

You see all sorts of awesome landscape then you roll into Yosemite valley to top it all off. Plus driving in from the East really makes you realize just how much vertical relief there is there Shocked
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 6:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you have a dog that travels with you, make other arrrangements. Yosemite is not dog friendly at all. We did not have this advice when we traveled there from Florida.
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 7:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you choose to visit Kings Canyon in September.. you may be amazed at how empty the place is.
It is everything that greater Yosemite NP is.. but without loads of people.
True there is nothing rivaling El Cap or Half Dome.. but the canyon in its entirety has some fantastic hikes and climbs.

Its a "wilderness" National Park and development is minimal.
Plan to bring ALL your supplies in.. as there is only a small lodge with groceries.. some pizza and the like. RVs over 26' are discouraged and its a dead end road. No tour buses make it down there.

No gas. Not much in the way in other services once you leave Fresno. (there is gas between Kings and Sequoia but no full grocery stores on the loop thru the parks between Fresno and Visalia)

Save 2 days for Kings and an overnight, minimum for Sequoia. Crowds should not be much of a nuisance.

The drive down/up between Visalia and Sequioa is incredible.
They simply don't build roads like that anymore.
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 7:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

rsxsr wrote:
Yosemite is not dog friendly...


Most parks are not.

Most dog owners don't have enough control over their dog to prevent it from harassing/chasing wildlife, unless the dog is on a leash, but around here nobody will hike with their dog on a leash. Based on how people don't control their pets the parks have no choice but to heavily restrict where dogs are allowed.

These are just my observations as a non dog owner.

Quote:
Pets are only allowed in your car, on roads and road shoulders, campgrounds, picnic areas, parking lots, etc. Dogs must be leashed. Dogs are not allowed on any park trails or in the backcountry.

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PostPosted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 8:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

We always travel with our dog when camping. We have found most dog owners to be responsible, do have control over their dogs, do not let them run unleashed, and pickup after them. Back east, state parks are much more dog friendly.

National parks are a bureaucratic mess. I believe it is easier for them to ban owners with pets than to accomodate them. If you can't get out of Yosemite valley, you might as well go to Disney. We won't be back.
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