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atchafalaya
Trad climber
California
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Sep 14, 2006 - 01:35pm PT
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my next valley goal, get: (1) Roper's Guide to the Valley
(2) Find routes by Charles and Enid Michael
(3) attempt to climb as many of the Michael's routes as possible.
The Michael's were way active in the sierras and valley back in the 20's. It was said, (i think in Roper's guide) that the Michael's climbed all the best valley routes that did not "require a rope" (3rd and 4th class). Note: might want a rope anyway. Ex. Michael's Chute on Michael Minaret rated 4th class.
The Michael's climbed some incredible stuff in the valley that probably has not seen repeats or at least not often, that would get to some gret viewpoints.
While it will involve "climbing" to do it without ropes and hardware would make for some good "other" activities...
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Jaybro
Social climber
The West
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Sep 14, 2006 - 01:39pm PT
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" The Tuolumne Grove (by Crane Flat) sucks."
YMMV!
"Not worth it, IMO."
- a one minute walk from a parking lot you'll probably drive by anyway? Come on, wouldn't just one giant Sequoia (especially if you haven't seen one before) make it "worth it"?
Although I'd agree the ones south of the park are better 'arrangements.'
Wich reminds me, the book Yosemite Tree Adventures (forgot the author's name, it's a self published deal) is usually availible in the valley. If you're into that sort of thing. Though, as Cilley said when he sneered at my copy,
"I could see doing this in your own yard but here, there's too many trees."
The Sequoia's they planted around the Ahwanee are worth checking out when strolling off the brunch. Not as big as the other ones mentioned, though.
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Nibs
Trad climber
Humboldt, CA
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Sep 14, 2006 - 01:51pm PT
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Atch:
That's a great idea!! hope you don't mind if I steal that for myself.
seconding some ideas:
Blinny's Tamarack Flat to El Cap to the Falls trail - be sure to make the side trip to Eagle peak for one of the best views.
Porcupine Flat to North Dome
Ledge Trail to GP; Panorama trail back to the Valley
Sierra Point
Blinny's suggestion of leaving a bike at the end of Pohono, hitching to GP and hiking the trail back sounds great!
and October is a great time to be in Tuolumne Meadows...
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atchafalaya
Trad climber
California
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Sep 14, 2006 - 02:25pm PT
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Steal away Nibs... I have the Ropers guide, and the Micheals climbed some wild looooooong routes back in the day. Would love to hear of a repeat of just one...
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dmalloy
Trad climber
eastside
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Sep 14, 2006 - 02:37pm PT
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One thing to remember is that all the falls will be extremely small if they are running at all - kind of changes some of these trails and views.
I'll add a vote in favor of going to visit the Sequoias. I have been to the trees in Sequoia NP, and while the groves around Yosemite don't quite measure up, I still find spending time around these humungous, long-lived beings to be a very calming and refreshing experience. I have taken three people to the Tuolumne Grove for their first time seeing Sequoias and they have all felt amply rewarded for the time it took.
The Tuolumne Grove does have some amazing trees, including a huge double-trunked tree that dominates the forest, and an old downed trunk that you can crawl about 150 feet through; however, more people visit that grove, and the trail down to the trees is a paved road. The Merced Grove requires a little bit longer of a hike, but the trail in the grove is much smaller and very few people visit. At the very least you might be able to plan to hit that on the way to/from the Valley, or as part of a one or two-day trip to the Meadows.
Regarding Half Dome....depending on when you go, the cables might be down. If they are you can still make it up and down pretty easily, but I would strongly recommend bringing some work gloves, belay gloves, etc. - holding onto those cables with bare hands when the supports are down is highly uncomfortable.
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Matt
Trad climber
places you shouldn't talk about in polite company
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Sep 14, 2006 - 02:43pm PT
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have sex in el cap meadow
oh, and never listen to anything that fattard types here
(floating the river is not so happenin in october)
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JerryGarcia
Trad climber
South Lake Tahoe
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Sep 14, 2006 - 03:07pm PT
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Dont pay to take the tram at Marriposa, its worth the walk to the top. The tree below isnt even the biggest, just the best pic I could find for comparison.
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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Sep 14, 2006 - 04:12pm PT
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Yeah the giant sequoias are a good place to visit if you have a car.
For swimming, Rainbow Pool on Highway 120 (outside the park, but it is a drive) or down the fire trail from Rainbow Pool are Three Pools (as the name suggests), some great cliff diving in those places (be careful of water levels).
Russ, where is Steamboat?
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Jerry Dodrill
climber
Bodega, CA
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Sep 14, 2006 - 04:55pm PT
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I second the hike to N. Dome via Porcupine Flat. It's four easy miles and a breathtaking view.
Also, watch the sunset from up on Sentinal Dome, just a 1 mile walk from the glacier point road, nice spot for a picnic dinner.
Walk along the base of El Cap to the E. Buttress. Take a trash bag and pick up anything you find enroute. The overhanging wall and streaked stone on the SE face is unlike any you will ever see. Sunrise from their is especially nice, looking across toward Cathedrals.
Hike to the base of the Upper Yos. falls. Check out the cave and crazy water worn rock.
Streak drunk and naked through the slide presentation at Curry Village. Don't get caught. Paper bag over head with eye holes is a nice touch. Watch the stairs on the far side of stage. ;-)
Edit: Oh, one more, go the the village store and spy out the really slow guy at the check stand. Short gray hair and glasses, can't remember his name. Wait till the line is really long before you go through. Be sure you ask him how long he has been working in the park and where. After about half an hour of strained recollection, pandemonium will have broken out.
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10b4me
Trad climber
California
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Sep 14, 2006 - 05:17pm PT
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If you like photography, hit the Ansel Adams gallery.
take a drive up to Tuolumne Meadows
hit the MRB at least once
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valygrl
climber
Santa Cruz
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Sep 14, 2006 - 05:19pm PT
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If Tioga Road is closed to auto traffic, ride your bike out it as far as you can.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
one pass away from the big ditch
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Sep 14, 2006 - 08:28pm PT
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Bring a crash pad to Lower Yosemite Falls, and when a touron asks you 'what's that for?'
You say "It's for gay love making"
Watch their eyes FLIP OUT!!
They get all scared and turn away.
closet homophobes
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Sep 14, 2006 - 08:52pm PT
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If you ask nicely, perhaps Chicken Skinner (aka Ken Yager) would let you look at some of the really neat historical stuff he's collected for the proposed Yosemite climbing museum. If you promise to help with the Yosemite Facelift in two weeks, and it's a rainy day, my guess is that the odds would improve.
Ken has made a multitude of postings to ST on his project, with lots of good photos. Somewhere there's a thread listing all the postings.
Anders
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big wall paul
Trad climber
tahoe, CA
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Jul 22, 2018 - 12:00pm PT
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Is the ledge trail to glacier point an old adventure hike? I remember looking up there, from the pizza place at curry village, thinking that would be a fun adventure.
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SC seagoat
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, Moab, A sailboat, or some time zone
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Jul 22, 2018 - 01:17pm PT
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It’s not recommended by just about anyone...however, having said that there are some that attempt it. I don’t know any of them. ;-)
You can google it and find some info about how to find it and what shape it is in. It is of course not maintained and has degraded extensively over the years...where it may not even be passable at present.
It is extremely sketchy (“someone” told me at least 5 years ago). I believe there has been rockfall activity up there in recent years so it may be more than an adventure now and probably not in the least safe.
The “trailhead” used to start behind a cabin that doesn’t even exist anymore.
I think it is likely way too unsafe.
Susan
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Spider Savage
Mountain climber
The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles
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Jul 22, 2018 - 03:31pm PT
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Is the ledge trail to glacier point an old adventure hike? I remember looking up there, from the pizza place at curry village, thinking that would be a fun adventure.
That is called "The Staircase Falls Trail." I got curious and went up there just below the great rock scar that wiped it out. There are traces of the old trail that ran for over 100 years. I stopped at the bronze plaque that said "trail closed danger do not pass" or something to that effect.
The trail is referenced in Le Conte's "Ramblings in the Sierra." He and a party of grad students from Stanford rode in to Glacier Point and took in the view. They'd been living on bacon and bread for a couple of weeks and someone told them there was food down there. They made it down to Curry in about an hour in cowboy boots, pigged out and hauled ass back up to ride around into the valley the proper way.
The book "Deaths in Yosemite" refernce a time in the 70s or 80s when someone hiking up there slipped and fell.
I plan to hike the route someday, very carefully. Looks like a bushwack in that gully up above the staircase.
Another fun "closed" trail is the trail to Sierra Point.
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Da-Veed
Big Wall climber
Bigfork
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Jul 23, 2018 - 09:40am PT
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My favorite past time (non climbing) is having beers in the middle of the night at the bridge at Lower Yosemite Falls. Remarkably peaceful!
Go to the swimming holes below Upper Yosemite Falls. (Lost Arrow approach)
Night photography of water falls or headlamps on El Cap.
October would be a great time to do the Tenaya Canyon descent.
Go to Glacier Point and people watch at sunset on Half Dome.
Hike to the Diving Board above the Porcelain Wall. (Snake Dike approach)
Hike into and around Bud Lake in the Meadows.
Spray at El Cap Bridge.
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j-tree
Big Wall climber
Typewriters and Ledges
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Jul 23, 2018 - 10:22am PT
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The El Cap lieback is good fun. Not found in SuperTopo, surprisingly. Grade indeterminate. Recommended equipment: lawn chair, sunblock, liquid and solid refreshments, binoculars, sunglasses, "Yosemite Big Walls" (SuperTopo). Can be done solo, or in teams. (Rope not required.) Length from 30 minutes to 30 days. Additional entertainment provided by tourists.
See "Coonyard Mouths Off" (Ascent, 1972, page 50) for a helpful stylistic photo.
Interestingly enough, Sloan's Yosemite Freeclimbs book has a section for the El Cap Lieback I 1st Class, FA: 1868 John Muir, Galen Clark complete with topo and rack.
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SuperTopo on the Web
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Bottom of Old Priest Grade Rd, check out the fish hatchery.
Let us know!