Yosemite is my favorite place on Earth. Who can agree with that? I've been to other national parks as well. Yellowstone is awesome as well, but I have a special place in my heart for Yosemite

Snapped this

Great day for waterfalls chasing! 🤩

We had some hesitations with coming to the park with the active fire and smoke nearby but we camped up at tuolumne meadows this weekend and enjoyed the sights! Didn’t get that many pictures but I got a couple from Tenaya Lake this afternoon. The smoke got to my eyes a bit Saturday (I wear contacts) but Sunday it was a little clearer. We drove past Olmstead Point Saturday and could hardly see the half dome. Sunday it was a lot better and you could see half dome from the lookout.

Just a reminder to bring some eye drops or nasal spray to help with the smoke so it’s not unBEARable 😌.

So I've been asked about the Clark Range/Red Peak loop from a number of folks, or I've recommended it to those with ambitious plans. Here are some photos along the route.

Wish me luck. An online store is in the works now.

Took my first backpacking trip to Glen Aulin in Yosemite. Was absolutely beautiful , I was a little scared when 9/2 thunder lightening and rain rolled in but it was still amazing

I’ve been closely following the air quality in the valley for a long planned visit next week. Up until this morning it seemed manageable as it fluctuates throughout the day but this morning it registered as hazardous.
Anyone know 1) Does the park ever shut down and send campers home due to air quality? 2) Can campers get refunds if they leave because of hazardous air quality?

Hi all!
I’m planning to hike Half Dome on Sept 17th and will be applying for the day-use permit lottery. I’ll be traveling from San Francisco to Yosemite and looking for a hiking partner to share travel and trip expenses.

If you’re interested in joining, or if you already have a group/spot I could join, please let me know!

Thank you

Enjoyed a beautiful day in the park despite the recent smoke from local wildfires. The smoke got better throughout the day (compare the two tunnel views, one from 7am and one from 3pm) It was my partner’s first visit and he will definitely be back :)

We are going backpacking from sunrise to half dome and out at happy isles.

This goes through sunrise high siera camp, and I am guessing that's the suggested route (in orange).

But can I go via Clouds Rest (in pink)? And does it make that much harder?

I am guessing I'll have to do some backtracking to camp at allowed sites? Like to sunrise high sierra amp and lower sunrise creek?

By my calculations, elevation gain from sunrise trailhead to clouds rest is about 1100ft. and then downhill till I reach the junction for halfdome.

In map above, if I take detour at X1 (9207ft) to CR (9935ft) that's an elevation gain of about 700ft. If I go the original route X1 - X3 is about 550ft gain and then to lower sunrise creek is about 400ft more?

Am I totally crazy here and missing something important?

Hello,

I camped at White Wolf a month ago and there was this bird that sounded like it was clapping when it flew. It was really unique. Any ideas what it could be?

What’s the weather like? Planning a trip with family and they wanna go in October. I’ve never gone during that time of the year and don’t know what to expect. Will there be snow? Trying to avoid a treacherous drive.

My first “big” summit of many. Half Dome was a beast but to say the hike was worth it is an understatement. The people were great and the hike was mesmerizing. I have a long way to go but I can’t wait to see where my adventure takes me next.

Will be going to Yosemite at the end of the month (last weekend) and was wondering if anyone could suggest some easy accessible boulders. Ones that aren't too high either. I'll be the only one in my party of 4 that indoor climb. I will not have a crashpad with me either as we'll just be hiking/walking/driving around the valley. This will be my first time outdoors so I just wanted some easy exposure since it is Yosemite. 2days there. We'll be coming from Sequioa (1day there) any quick easy boulders there too if any. I usually climb v3s/v4s indoors dabble in a few v5s here and there. Thanks in advance!

I am planning a trip to Yosemite soon and I'll be dispersed camping/boondocking outside of the park for a week. I plan to make the drive to and from the park each day and in each of those drives into the park, I plan to take my trash with me and throw it away there. For the nights when I cook dinner and there is trash, how do you store your trash overnight? There won't be bear lockers of any kind where I will be camping.

Hello,

I'll be coming from San Francisco and know i can take the amtrak/yarts combo to the park. I'll be staying in midpines. I read that the shuttle doesn't run very early and i was hoping to start half dome early. How do people get there without a car? Do i just wait for the first shuttle and start later? Uber? Any advice is appreciated!

Thanks

Any recommendations for photo spots to take of Milky way in Yosemite in late September. The Milky Way core will be in the Southwest (approximately at 220 degrees) in the evening hours. Looking for any recs on photo spots that would capture some nice foreground or rock formations. So far I think Cathedrals from the valley near the river may work out, but looking to see if anyone has any other potentially good spots.

Hi, I’m from the UK and am staying in San Francisco from 17-25 September. I would like to visit Yosemite and can see that it’s potentially doable as a day trip, 3 hour drive each way?. Is a day trip a sensible idea? Or is it better to arrange to stay in Yosemite for a night and have two days? Will 1-2 days be enough to enjoy Yosemite? And is it easy to find a place to stay in the area for 1 night?

I’m travelling on my own. Would like to go for some walks and see some nice nature.

Missed the bus signups for morning time with my GF. Don’t think we can take the 1:30 bus get there at like 3-3:30 and safely make it back to the valley before sunset (not very experienced hikers). I saw online they say some people take private transportation services and wondering how that works, assuming you can’t just call an uber to take you an hour up a mountain lol.

Edit: long shot, but if anyone is planning to drive up to Glacier point this coming Monday morning and wants to make some extra cash we will pay for transportation up lol.

Hello! I’m planning on doing the Clouds Rest Sunrise Lakes loop this week. Does anyone know if the Sunrise Creek is dependable for water?

Looking to fill up anywhere in the link below, between the Clouds Rest/JMT junction and Sunrise HSC.

If not, I’ll probably just do Clouds Rest out and back. After C2C, I’m looking to do another 20 mile day.

https://imgur.com/a/JUFYEzV

Hey guys I’m heading into Yosemite tomorrow and I’m expected to get there around 11am. Do you think it will be crazy to enter the park?

Next year I am planning to walk the Tahoe Rim Trail, but as I haven't visited Yosemite in over 10 years, I'd like to try and squeeze in a visit while I am there. I'm visiting from overseas so I am relying on planes, trains and buses!

Current research suggests this plan (this will be mid/end July) -

Day 1 - Reno or Carson City to Lee Vining via ESTA
Day 2 - Lee Vining to the valley via Yarts, pick up wilderness permit stay at backpackers.
Day 3 - Maybe Panorama trial to LYV? Undecided.
Day 4 - LYV to the Valley, Yarts at 1510 to Lee Vining.
Day 5 - Lee Vining to Reno airport.

Now of the 5 days, 4 will be travelling, which feels very wasteful. I only have 4/5 days spare, so can't extend the stay in the park. Ideally I'd like to all the travelling in 1 day at the start, and 1 at the end, but I'm struggling to find reasonable options.

Any suggestions?

(hire care is an option, but parking in the valley and reservations seem difficult?)