Northern CA Hiking

Also, if I am to take time off from work I will need a set date and asap. Sorry to sound like a pain in the rear

Also I started a thread called The Northern California Hikers Appreciation Thread

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/xdpy/forum_thread/12087/index.html?skip_to_post=88607#88607

This way for those of us in this area that are planning trips and are looking for others to do some stuff this spring-fall can announce stuff and maybe meet some others from around here that share the same interest.

Anyone else interested in Yosemite next weekend March 1-2 weather looks much better…

Fri Feb 29 Sunny 58°/36° 58°F

Sat Mar 1 Mostly Sunny 53°/32° 53°F

Sun Mar 2 Mostly Sunny 52°/32° 52°F

sorry – i'm last minute out: weather report this morning did it. says not just a bit a snow but a lot of snow & 70mph winds, comparing it to the big storm in january & predicting power outages & similar damage.

sorry guys – i picked a bad weekend (and i don't get many off, which sucks)

Roger,

All I am up for next weekend as well… I say we all just stay flexible. I go up to Groveland almost every weekend and can head out at a moments notice. If anyone is up for next weekend as well… lets start the list :-)

I am in for next weekend. Again, contingent upon the weather

Anybody up for giving it a shot again this weekend… Same plan up to Glacier Pt.

If the weather's good… So am I

I was thinking it might be nice not to be on glacier point road for the whole hike. There is lots of places to explore our there.
Josh

I totally agree there are a ton of options out there. We could definitely explore other routes. Lets try to get a count of people. Also the Cabin is open Fri night if people want to come up early.

I was up in Fresno enjoying the sights and we had a chance to do some x-country ski over at Shaver Lake. I'm sold on two things: x-country skiiing (I dunno if I can stand snowshoes anymore) and the snow covered wilderness around Shaver. You can roam the perimeter of the lake with multiple road entry points, and the landscape and the lake views are gorgeous. The elevation is lower, so the temps and storm possibilities are mitigated.

We used used the Camp Edison road off the 168, but I want to try Dinkey Creek to Chawanakee Rd. and then roam NE toward the lake. It'll probably be empty in that area because there's no other road access.

I don't know what that would do to the drive for folks coming from further North but I highly recommend it. In fact, if I don't get shanghai'd by a client this weekend, I'm renting skiis, donning my pack and overnighting this weekend.

To second Joshs's recommendation about Glacier Point Road. He and I talked the other day about that, and agreed that it's pretty boring to stomp along a groomed road and watch x-country skiiers zoom past. The plus side of the snowshoes is off-trail travel.

Anyway, consider my recommendation about Shaver Lake. I was really, really impressed.

-Michael "sawchuck"

count me in. Though in Yosemite I am hard pressed to think of options outside of Glacier Point Rd as a starting point. There are many other options available though. At the end of Hwy 108 as well as Hwy 4 at Alpine Lake…Oh and Tahoe too

or what about a trip in Ventana?

I vote to go snow camping but am up for anything this weekend. I wasn't saying not to go to Yosemite at Bagger Pass I was just saying that the hike all the way to Glacier point wouldn't be very exciting. We could head towards dewey point and go exploring from there. Tahoe would also be fun.
Josh

Would the followin weekend work for anyone? I have a 4 day weekend the first weekend of March and would rather do it then. BUT if this is the weekend then I go!!!!

Josh I got your message buddy, I will call tomorrow.

folks are in town which I forgot about. It would have to be the 1st weekend of March if anyone is interested

hey guys,

sorry i missed out on last trip to yosemite.

i did catch on one ealier post that the trip out to glacier point would be boring; its anything but that. but you definitely want to be on skis, rather than snowshoes, because then it would be a long slog.

edit note: skis can go off trail too of course–you just want backcountry skis with edges, especially if the snow is crusty.

anyway, i was going to go out solo this weekend to do either the skyline-to-the-sea trail or something out in ventana– though i saw highway 1 is closed at limekiln b/c of a slide.

i would love to have some company with some like minded ul'ers. the skyline trail is about 40 miles, which i was going to do on sat and sunday. that is a trail that goes from the santa cruz mountains all the way down to the ocean. its supposed to be fairly nice and no one does it this time of year. however, it does requires a car shuttle which i was going to ask my wife to do, but if another joins in then we can do it.

ventana is always an option.

finally, if a crew is going to tahoe or another sierra locale, i could perhaps be willing to do the drive up there as well, although there will be lots of fresh up there and, i would guess without seeing what the pack looks like, high avalanche danger. we could always do something where you dont go up high or, stay along a ridgeline and not drop down (like badger).

another mid way point to so cal is sequoia, which supposedly has some nice winter backcountry options.

part of me just wants to do some mileage, whether it be on foot or skis.

Hey guys, I am loving all the ideas…. However since this weekend is rapidly approaching lets keep it to Yosemite (Badger Pass). We can then decide if we go to dewey or glacier point. Lets figure out who is in for this weekend at Yosemite and then we can plan the next trip.

Ken and Dylan I am always up for a weekend/extended weekend trip.

Who is in?

Patrick – Yes

There are several good snow-camping alternatives in the Badger Pass area. Dewey Point is of course a favorite–relatively short, great views, but it can be crowded–this Presidents Day weekend there were reportedly 70 people camping there. Snowshoeing to GP would be OK except for all the skiiers who will fly by you on the downhill sections :-)

Some other Badger-area possibilities:
– Follow the Old Badger Pass road to Bridalveil Creek campground, then head towards Ostrander Lake. Ostrander would be very ambitious on snowshoes, but there are great views of the Clark Range at Horizon Ridge. You can also get to Horizon Ridge from the GP road.
– Camp near Ostrander Rocks, on the ridge above the GP road near the (summer) Mono Meadow trailhead. About 5 mi from Badger Pass (near "Clark View" on the ski trail map). Great Clark Range views again. Follow the GP road, or parallel some or all of it on backcountry routes (e.g. Old Badger Pass, Ghost Forest Loop).

In Yosemite, but outside of the Badger Pass area:
– There are snowcamping possibilities in the Crane Flat area, such as the Merced or Rockerfeller Groves. The Crane Flat gas station has a trail map of this area.
– The "North Rim" loop–walk up the Snow Creek trail (past Mirror Lake, opposite Half Dome) until you reach snow, then snowshoe towards North Dome. Return to the Valley via the Yosemite Point/Falls trail.
– Little Yosemite/Half Dome–the "winter route" JMT/Mist Trail mix isn't fun, and the cables are down, but the views at the shoulder of Half Dome are worth it.
– Beehive Trail–walk up the switchbacks out of Hetch Hetchy, then snowshoe towards either Laurel Lake or Lake Vernon. Good views at Moraine Ridge. Beware the limited in/out hours in the Hetch Hetchy area.

The good news is that outside of Dewey Point, Glacier Point, and Ostrander Lake, odds are you'll be alone. My wife and I camped at Glacier Point with one other tent camper–and camped alone on Sentinel Dome–during the Presidents Day weekend. Winter is the best time to have the sense of having the entire park to yourself.

would i be able to hitch a ride to yosemite? i live in santa cruz but could meet somewhere on other side of the hill if necessary.

also, is this a snowshoe or ski? i prefer skis b/c so much easier, but have some semi-archaic snowshoes that i could bring. there will be lots of pow i am guessing.

let me know.

Disclaimer: I still don't know if a client is keeping me in town this weekend. BUT…..

Dylan, I would really prefer to ski (I know enough about slowshoes now) and would love a lesson on classic stride from you. Also, both your trip ideas sound great. I'd really like to follow up on your Ventana trip idea, as well as an extended, 2 day x-country ski trip. I think circumnavigating Shaver lake would be perfect for that. If Josh is coming on board for this weekend, he lives in Santa Cruz and car pooling would be a good idea.

-Michael "sawchuck"

Dylan,

You can hitch a ride with me. I am planning on heading up Friday night and spending the evening in Groveland (I have room for more). That way I can get to Yosemite without having to wake up too early. I live in redwood city and can meet you anywhere on the peninsula. Also I think this is going to be a snowshoe trip… this year snow shoes were my new addition maybe skis next year.

Joshua, Ken, Aaron are you guys in?

pm sent

So Whats the Plan?

Roger,

Ken and Joshua are out. Other commitments this weekend. I am willing to go. Still have not heard back from Dylan. What is your status?