Mac Os High Sierra Vs Yosemite
Raingarda Krzynowek
Besides hiking from camp to camp, the park provides saddle trips for those who prefer to ride. Mules depart from Tulumne Meadows and carry riders on 4 and 6-day trips. I hiked 7 days and cannot recall encountering a saddle trip on the trail. The camps themselves are supplied by the mule trains that bring food and supplies.
California is a magnificent place to backpack. There are vast areas where you can hike all day without seeing another human being. You contemplate the sunset over dinner and gaze at the stars as you drift off to sleep.
You see, I do not have solo backpacking experience. I always backpacked with at least one trusted buddy. But as my friends and I rose through the corporate ranks, coordinating vacation time became as difficult as staging a World Cup in Qatar. So my backpack time slowly declined.
Among native peoples, measuring oneself in nature has always been a rite of passage into adulthood. Most of us never have that experience. We spend our lives well within our comfort zones repeating the same familiar routines. I intended the High Sierra Loop as an incremental step toward becoming more self-reliant in the backcountry. It was the chance to grow toward having the confidence to backpack solo.
You can book the high sierra trip online using this link. The camps do not open until June/July because of their altitude. Enough snow must melt to make the trails passable. Additionally, the camps themselves are very small. If they served large numbers of people it would defeat their purpose. As a result, availability is limited.
Applications for specific dates are available online. But a lottery determines whether you will get a reservation. Unlucky at cards and unlucky in love, I did not think I would fare very well in the lottery. Besides, I could not plan my vacation that far in advance. So I played to my strengths. Living in Northern California, I would book my trip after the lottery ended. After February, when the lottery is completed, any remaining spaces at the High Sierra Camps are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. These spaces are updated online. So, I could wait a month or two before the trip and look for open reservations that result from cancellations. Since I was booking solo, I would also have an advantage. I could slip into open spaces that couples could not.
You can design a custom trip for yourself by booking nights at each of the camps you want to visit. You can book multiple nights at the same camp if you wish. I envision doing a shorter trip in the future where I book several nights at one or two of my favorite camps.
It sounds like you have a fantastic trip planned, Alice! There are diversions along the way to see small waterfalls or archeological sites. However, it is very difficult for me to describe them. I recommend you talk with the camp staff when you arrive and ask them. They will know! Remember, they live there most of the summer. The ranger station where you get your wilderness permit is also a good place to ask.
Perry, I feel the clockwise direction (Glen Aulin to Vogelsang) is better. This is because the hike from Tuolumne Meadows to Glen Aulin is actually a *decrease* in elevation. Tuolumne Meadows is at 8,600 feet. Glen Aulin is at approximately 7,800 feet. Contrast this with Vogelsang, at 10,300 feet. So you have a much easier first day to acclimate to the altitude and get your legs underneath you.
Great article Steve. I am completely new to backpacking but have been consuming as much information as possible to prepare, as I will also be going solo most likely. Appreciate the inspiration and sharing your experience so others can learn.
You are right about the camps remaining closed for summer 2019. Tioga Road opened in the end of May in 2018 and the end of June 2017. This year, as of June 17, there is no prediction for when the road will open. When it does, I expect that there will be some spectacular hiking!!!
Looks wonderful!
We have done quite a bit of hiking in the Alps (France, Switzerland and Austria) and this looks so amazing.
Where did you find the guided 7 day hike (that you eventually took)?
Thanks
Juliette
BambooN, they will not open the loop unless they deem it passable. There are few river crossings and they should all be manageable. If you have questions, you can call the ranger station as the date approaches to get the latest trail conditions.
So you can do the entire walk with a large daypack, or with a backpack that is only lightly loaded. There is no need for mule carriers because you should be able to fit everything you need in your daypack. You carry your water bottle, snacks, lunch (provided), clothing layers (you wear the same clothes multiple times), toiletries, and sleeping bag liner.
Currently you have JavaScript disabled. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser.
James McGrew has been visiting Yosemite his entire life, and guiding High Sierra Camp loop trips through the Yosemite backcountry for the last 14 years. His artwork gives him, and those who travel with him on these trips, yet another way to connect to the beauty of the Sierra landscape. We were honored to be able to catch up with James this year before he started his backcountry season to find out more about his unique perspective on Yosemite and some of the places that he loves.
As this season winds to a close, the High Sierra Camp lottery for next year is right around the corner. Beginning September 1, 2014, you can apply for the popular High Sierra Camp loop trips, with James or another one of the amazing rangers who lead these high country trips.
Art and Artists played a key role in the preservation and management of Yosemite. I conduct several programs which sometimes involve plein air painting and art to help illustrate the art history, natural history and help people see and experience Yosemite and find their own interpretations. These include sunset talks or daytime programs and even the entire loop trip.
Although a loop trip consists of many individual interpretive programs including day hikes, sunset talks, evening campfire and astronomy programs, all with different topics, I tie them all together with an overriding art theme for the week. It actually applies to everything from art and history, to geology, biology, aesthetics, philosophy, ecology and management.
I give specific programs on art history in Yosemite, as well as an actual art class and have the participants produce their own interpretation of Yosemite with pastels and pastel paper. At the end of the trip, we have an art show and each participant shares their unique interpretation and experiences.
Note: Although many people mistakenly think that oil paints are toxic, when used properly, they are naturally safer for the artist and environment than acrylics and many watercolors. In fact, the oils themselves are loaded with omega-3 and can double as cooking and salad dressing oil.
Finally, painting produces a tangible object that accurately represents an experience or location in Yosemite, not just visually but emotionally as well. I compare my photography with my paintings and the paintings always convey much more of the natural light, atmosphere, edges, and emotions I felt while experiencing a scene or event. A camera is merely a recording device, quite different and pales compared to the human visual processing system comprise of densely packed cells at the center of the retina, looser arrangements of cells peripherally, a combination of color, detail, motion, location tracking systems which are wired to different parts of the brain and which influence physiological responses. Those elements influence painting which is an interpretation, not just reproducing a visual scene.
Whether leisurely relaxing or pushing an adventure like rock climbing, I think that people benefit from just taking some time to use their senses and experience someplace for a period of time. Get out away from the crowds and spend some time and watch how many things reveal themselves, especially when looking from different perspectives and focusing on one thing for a while. Take time to observe from different perspectives and use all senses. At those moments, I find that most people make wonderful discoveries.
Thanks for taking the time to share your experience! It sounds like you had an incredible trip. It was truly our pleasure to be able to work with James on putting this article together. His passion and love for the park comes through in both his words and his paintings.
Thank you for the kind words and compliments. Its always great to hear from people who still recall their trips with fond memories. That was at least 12 years ago that you were on the trip, correct? I still remember the trip. Hope you are both well.
Hi Carol,
They are 5 and 7 day ranger guided trips through the high sierra camps. Due to high demand, registration is via lottery: -sierra-camps.aspx
There are about a half dozen rangers who lead the hikes and technically you cannot request a specific ranger. But you can contact us personally to try and coordinate schedules. But there are no guarantees and our schedules can change as well. Good luck and I hope to see you next summer perhaps.
I was fortunate to meet James at Merced Lake HSC in August and join his fireside talks and nature walks. He is extremely knowledgable park ranger and has deep understandings of Yosemite ecology in addition to being an accomplished artist. Meeting James was one of the many highlights of my back country experience in Yosemite NP.
d3342ee215