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OK, Let's do a tentative May 24, 25, 26. It is a bit unpredictable based on the snowfall, but the park has been pretty good about getting the High Country roads open by then. The park will be a zoo, but patience and understanding will make it an enjoyable experience. This is not a tire/speed run.it is going to very, very conservative. We will stay in Oakhurst Friday night and Mariposa Saturday night. I will see if I can get a group deal for us.
OK, Let's do a tentative May 24, 25, 26. It is a bit unpredictable based on the snowfall, but the park has been pretty good about getting the High Country roads open by then. The park will be a zoo, but patience and understanding will make it an enjoyable experience. This is not a tire/speed run.it is going to very, very conservative. We will stay in Oakhurst Friday night and Mariposa Saturday night. I will see if I can get a group deal for us.
Awesome! If any others are interested in doing this please post too.
Might have to schedule a separate trip, that time frame is iffy for me. Wish a pole was taken instead of an edict
Sorry, timing is everything, At this stage it is very iffy going sooner, as we would be very limited in where we can go. Trust me, having a poll with 20 people will get us 15 different dates.
Going later when the kids are out of school makes the crowds even worse.
I need to keep this to 20 cars or less, anything more and it becomes incredibly difficult for parking and getting around. I will start a separate thread/sign up post. Most likely around March
Sorry, timing is everything, At this stage it is very iffy going sooner, as we would be very limited in where we can go. Trust me, having a poll with 20 people will get us 15 different dates.
Going later when the kids are out of school makes the crowds even worse.
No problem, I will schedule something in September after the school kids go back to school.
Just to set an early expectation... Based on the amount of snow the high country is getting this could end up being a Fall trip.
I can tell you right now, the waterfalls in the Valley are going to be out of control bringing in crowds that will be completely out of control and beyond an exercise in patience
I can say without question we would have to park in the day use and use the buses to visit anything on the valley floor and chances are high we would be spread out over 2-3 buses at 20 minutes apart.
Would it be spectacular.... you bet, so as long as everyone joining understands this is going to be an exercise in patience, I will watch and see what it takes to make it happen.
I will be shocked if they have the high country roads open in late May(Tioga Pass Road/Glacier Point Road.
OK, the date in late May is not going to happen. I am thinking late June. With the snow level water falls are going to be crazy, bringing in a sea of humanity.
Curious how many of us could due a Monday - Wednesday trip at the end of June?
Here is my goal. I want this trip to be an awesome adventure for all involved.
With the runoff, the park is going to be incredibly crowded, but not so much during the week.
I went in February to see a very rare waterfall get lit up by the Sun and it was like going in in the summer, hordes of people.
Thoughts about a weekday run?
I'd very much like to cruise the Sierras, but I've been to Yosemite valley floor many times over the years and I think it's a better bicycle cruise than car cruise. But Tioga hwy 120, and the Eastern Sierras by 395 , using the various roads up to the lakes, Lundy ,Virginia Mammoth Convict would be a much better adventure, in my opinion. Fall would be awesome, around second week in October for best color. It would be a bit crowded on the roads, but beautiful. Or go before the fall colors for less traffic. The roads leading into the higher elevations from395 are all great weather it's from Lone Pine, Big Pine, Independence, Bishop, Mammoth etc. my $.02
I'd very much like to cruise the Sierras, but I've been to Yosemite valley floor many times over the years and I think it's a better bicycle cruise than car cruise. But Tioga hwy 120, and the Eastern Sierras by 395 , using the various roads up to the lakes, Lundy ,Virginia Mammoth Convict would be a much better adventure, in my opinion. Fall would be awesome, around second week in October for best color. It would be a bit crowded on the roads, but beautiful. Or go before the fall colors for less traffic. The roads leading into the higher elevations from395 are all great weather it's from Lone Pine, Big Pine, Independence, Bishop, Mammoth etc. my $.02
Only going to spend 1/2 - 3/4 of day on the Valley Floor., there is way too much to see on my itinerary. We tour the entire park in the three days, but this is a Yosemite trip, many people have never been and unsure about going in on their own.
I have done at least 10 of these trips for the Forum and have it down.
I do a Fall Color Trip every year for the last 20 years and up the roads you mentioned, that trip can be very iffy. Two years ago it was spectacular, last year not so much.
I have hiked/backpacked up and down 395 for the last 30 years, I know it like the back of my hand, more than most.
Only going to spend 1/2 - 3/4 of day on the Valley Floor., there is way too much to see on my itinerary. We tour the entire park in the three days, but this is a Yosemite trip, many people have never been and unsure about going in on their own.
I have done at least 10 of these trips for the Forum and have it down.
I do a Fall Color Trip every year for the last 20 years and up the roads you mentioned, that trip can be very iffy. Two years ago it was spectacular, last year not so much.
I have hiked/backpacked up and down 395 for the last 30 years, I know it like the back of my hand, more than most.
Im still very interested late June and week days work for me also. Please keep us posted as to more information. Appreciate your efforts in getting this going.
Just to keep this one up, although I think this has died a slow death.
I went into the park yesterday as a prelim trip. Tioga Road which is 1/3 of the park scenery has been closed until yesterday so the trip would have been extremely limited.
The place was an absolute Zoo. Normally in early July it is not too bad, but this year it is simply insane. The Valley floor was totally jammed with cars and wandering spectators, and this was a Monday. Glacier Point, one of the highlights took 15 minutes to find a parking spot and if we were more than 10 cars some would not have been able to park
So let's hold off until the fall, and take in what rrep suggested.
I have been going into Yosemite for 30 years and have rarely seen it this busy.
I'm still interested in cruising the area if we go in or around early October! I think the area up north go so much snow that the roads have not been opened at higher elevations until recently so the crowds are even worse than they normally are, which now days is really bad. But October, I think, would be less crowded. But these days who knows.
I went to the park on Monday to see how busy it was and it was an absolute zoo. Way too crowded for a group good time. The Valley floor was out of control and parking was non-existent, Glacier Point Parking which is one of the highlights took 15-20 minutes to get a spot, and no way could we park as a group of more than two. In the 30+ years I have been going I have never seen it this crowded in July
Right now I am thinking we push this to the fall and we do a combination of my portion and what rrep recommended.
My goal is we visit the park but make it enjoyable for all involved not a frustration in a sea of humanity.
I went to the park on Monday to see how busy it was and it was an absolute zoo. Way too crowded for a group good time. The Valley floor was out of control and parking was non-existent, Glacier Point Parking which is one of the highlights took 15-20 minutes to get a spot, and no way could we park as a group of more than two. In the 30+ years I have been going I have never seen it this crowded in July
Right now I am thinking we push this to the fall and we do a combination of my portion and what rrep recommended.
My goal is we visit the park but make it enjoyable for all involved not a frustration in a sea of humanity.
Hoping to still go. Anytime should work and thanks for keeping us updated.
12-04-2018, 10:40 PM
