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Feb 2014 – Yosemite in the Rain
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Home › Forums › Campfire › Member Trip Reports › Feb 2014 – Yosemite in the Rain
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Feb 11, 2014 at 12:18 pm #1313184
The notion for this trip came up prior to the GGG when a few of us had an open weekend. It seemed like such a fantastic idea to take advantage of a record low snow winter and get out into areas that are usually super crowded summer spots. Sure enough though, in the week leading up the weather turned into actual winter conditions. Forcasts begain with lows in the teens and snow, but warmed up to low 30's and rain. Andrew, Chris, Brian, Justin, Kyle and I departed a rainy bay area Friday after work and pretty much were rained on the entire time.
Our route was relatively short… no high mileage macho stuff here. Starting at Happy Isles, hiking up to Little Yosemite Valley for one night, and then back out. It was a great chance to see what truely miserable weather is like, and evaluate what solutions are appropriate for keeping warm. It's easy to be spoiled with summer sierra weather where the wettest you can get is stream crossings, or afternoon storms, but usually bookended by sunshine and ample opportunity to dry out gear. Sustained wet is a foreign concept to us (well, some of us).
The weather actually turned out to be pretty tolerable. It never really dumped on us, and the rain was what I can best describe as a constant drizzle of varying intensity. I think we all agreed that warm and wet isn't too tough while moving, but sure were grateful to get a fire started in the evening. Sitting around in 33 degree rain wouldn't have been much fun.
Thanks to everyone for such an awesome trip. Props to Justin and Kyle for such proficient fire starting skills too…(a saw, an axe, esbit and decidedly non-ul knives were involved!) I learned a lot from just about every part of this one.
The rain sucked a little worse on the first day, so it's light on photos. The way out was more tolerable, and thus better documented… enjoy!
(I'll edit later to add some captions)
… Good times
Feb 11, 2014 at 12:32 pm #2072303Wow, I can almost feel the humidity in the photos.
Feb 11, 2014 at 3:10 pm #2072357Feb 11, 2014 at 3:55 pm #2072371This trip was awesome. It felt much more like late May than late February given the lack of snow and warm temperatures. It was probably my tenth time to Little Yosemite Valley and I see no reason to stop going back (at least when nobody else is there…). I'm pleasantly surprised at how many awesome photos everyone took because usually when it's wet and cold the cameras get packed away. I expected to be uncomfortable given the mid 30's forecast with several inches of rain, but I was never really all that wet or cold. I definitely learned a few things on this one.
The Merced River.
Brian picked a smarter spot to pitch his shelter than I did.
Half Dome in the clouds.
Nevada Falls.
Liberty Cap & Mount Broderick in the clouds.
Feb 11, 2014 at 10:15 pm #2072491nice. I am reminded of a trip that my old ski buddy and I call "the 40 degree trip". It was in Desolation in March, and the temperature was 40 degrees almost the entire time, and snowing a lot of it. Damp, cold, but still fun.
Feb 12, 2014 at 6:39 am #2072558Very nice photos! Unfortunately this makes me even more nervous for my Yosemite trip in July.
Feb 12, 2014 at 1:20 pm #2072711Indeed. I've got JMT plans for late July and am seriously worried about the water situation.
EDIT: Thanks for sharing all those pictures!
Feb 12, 2014 at 3:24 pm #2072772Looks like it was a great trip, even with the foul weather. Some great photos too!
Feb 21, 2014 at 10:15 am #2075731Nice pictures. I was really regretting the decision to leave my camera in the car.
It's easy to get spoiled with great weather most of the time in the Sierra, so it was nice to get out in less than optimal conditions for a change. Good times.
Feb 21, 2014 at 10:28 am #2075733Great pictures. It looked like a chilly but beautiful time to be out.
Feb 26, 2014 at 11:38 am #2077371Nice report James, and really nice photos. Love all the clouds and mist.
I got up there a week after you guys… what a difference in the weather. Hopefully this system will bring a little more snow.
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