Yosemite in Feb.

[Lon Overacker]

Preston is absolutely correct. If you're not familiar driving in snow and especially icy conditions you should do the safe thing.

It's true I've never used chains in the valley, but I also drove like a baby. I've seen more than one rollover or cars that have slid off the road. Just this last January a late model suv had slid off the road and would have gone down the embankment had they not been saved by a very large Ponderosa. And this was on a straight-away; probably driving too fast and then tried to avoid a coyote or something. Fortunately the couple was ok - can't say that about the car though. I Caught up with the wife a 1/4 mile down the road walking. Asked her if she needed a lift and she said no thank you. CLEARLY she was walking off in a huff. I can just here the "I told you so!" "Honey, You're driving too fast, slow down!" Obviously he was a photographer.

Be careful out there.

[tgtaylor]

I'll chime in with a couple of observations:

1. It use to be that the park never made you put on chains unless they were truly necessary and then they would man a roadblock and wouldn't let you pass until you had installed chains. In recent years they seemed to have changed that policy (or behavior) and now require chains even when they are not really necessary. On top of that they no longer set-up a roadblock to prevent you from proceeding without chains. Instead, they will hide in the dark and when they see that you don't have chains on, run up behind you with their red lights flashing to give you a ticket. Two years back me and a friend arrived in the park via 120 just after sundown with a light snow falling. The road conditions at the time didn't require chains and there wasn't any roadblock at the entrance station to make you install chains before proceeding as in past years. Luckily the ranger and I recognized each other and we got off with a warning with the ranger actually helping up install the chains (RV). The second ranger that pulled up wasn't as impressed and we would have been issued a ticket if she was the first one to stop us.

2. In my opinion, the best time to be in the valley for winter photography is immediately after a major storm so i would recommend trying to time it as such if you can. If you do you definitely will need chains.

3. You can tent camp for $5 a night at Camp 4 which is directly across the road from the Yosemite Lodge and still have access to all the amenities of staying at the lodge: restaurant, coffee shop, movie theatre, bar, grill, Internet access, etc. There is always plenty of room at Camp 4 during the winter months. Free showers are located at Camp Curry where at 3/4am you will see the largest bears in the Sierra.

Have a great trip and Happy Holidays,

Thomas

[Drew Wiley]

Tom - are they the largest bears in the Sierra because there's one less camper in
each instance?

[tgtaylor]

Actually your best chances to see bears at Camp Curry are during the summer and fall when they are not hibernating.

When I first started to go to Yosemite years ago I wasn't into photography and went just for hiking. I'd leave straight from work on a Friday afternoon and around 3/4am on Monday shower in Camp Curry and drive straight to work. The first time I left my glasses in the car and right near the office a large bear walked right in front of me without stopping and about an arm or so length away with his head cocked sidways to me and his mouth slightly open. On all fours he was about as tall as me and being totally unexpected scarred the crap out of me! So I went back to the car and put my glasses on. There were 3 equally large bears patroling the walkways between the tents like cops walking their beat.

[scorpio516]

November 19-20 I was down there. Chains were required from the 120 entrance down to the El Portal entrance (that was first time I took the low entrance/exit).
There was about 6" of snow on the valley floor Friday morning. An additional 18" fell in the following 18 hours. Upper Pines had quite a few open spots too. Lots of open tents in Curry Village.

It also snowed when we were down the week before memorial day (late May).

[John Kasaian]

The largest bears I've seen in the Sierras were near Mammoth, CA. I've heard that Banner Peak has some huge ones. Since they took out the garbage pits the average Yosemite black bears have been looking a bit on the dinky side IMHO. The rangers used to trap troublemakers in a bear chariot(a length of steel culvert on wheels) and release them at Granite Creek (outside the park) where deer hunters would camp. Apparently there was less red tape for the rangers if a deer hunter killed them in the act of depredation. One of the funniest sights you'll ever see is a bear feasting on an ice chest full of canned beer.

[Drew Wiley]

John - I doubt they'd dump bears around Granite Creek - nearly the entire drainage is under Ansel Adams Wilderness jurisdiction. I have heard of them dumping rogue bears
up in Shasta Natl Forest land, where the bear hunters sometimes complain about the
flavor of the meat! Having taken hundreds of trips during my life into Sierra backcountry I have never had anything even close to a bear incident. Only once as a
kid car camping at Tuolumne did we have a nusiance bear, which licked my sister in the face as she was sleeping. She let out a scream and went running one direction,
the bear ran off the other direction, stepped on me, and off into the distance accidentally knocking over garbage cans. Friends who hike in the Hetch Hetchy drainage claim bears have been dumped there, or at least the local bear culture has become pesky. The Granite Creek drainage per se is just south of the park, ringed by the Clark Range, with the rugged West side of the Ritter Range visible across the gorge of the North Fork of the San Joaquin canyon. I know the area very well.

[Keith S. Walklet]

February weather in Yosemite Valley can be mild or wintery. I've taught classes there every February for years, and find from my own experience there seems to be about a 20% chance of fresh snow. This year, as predicted, has proven to be both wet and cold, so I am optimistic that conditions will be wintry for the two classes mid-month.

So why bother with February if snow isn't guaranteed? The quality of light is exceptional, regardless. If snow is coupled with that special light, it is extraordinary. The most well-known example is the light that backlights Horsetail Fall, which is just one example of the potential convergence of conditions, but it the low angle of the light all day and the juxtaposition of warm and cool tones throughout the park is what makes it really exciting.

A mathematical extrapolation of the 20% chance of snow estimate could lead one to the conclusion that given 28 days in the month, on average, roughly 6 six will include fresh snow. To maximize the chance you'd overlap with a snow day means a stay of three weeks. Twist my arm! Besides, with all the other subjects surrounding the park (wildflowers, emerald hills) mentioned in earlier posts, it wouldn't be difficult to stay busy while waiting for storms to blow in, if that's what you're looking for.

I always suggest to the students that they stay and extra couple of days beyond the class to increase the chance that they'll have ideal conditions.

As for getting around, I favor the mobility of my 4wd to travel throughout the valley, and the park, but if one is moving at a slow, contemplative pace, there is plenty to be had in the east end of the valley where lodging is situated. If you find a need to head west without a car, you might consider the services of a guide, available through AAG, etc.

BTW, last I was aware, bears trapped within Yosemite are released within the boundaries of the park as far from populated areas as they can be taken.

Happy trails!

[Vaughn]

Heads up -- Hwy 140 into Yosemite is closed for perhaps 24 hours (from 12-30-10). Rockfall.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/outp...onal-park.html

[John Kasaian]

John - I doubt they'd dump bears around Granite Creek - nearly the entire drainage is under Ansel Adams Wilderness jurisdiction. I have heard of them dumping rogue bears
up in Shasta Natl Forest land, where the bear hunters sometimes complain about the
flavor of the meat! Having taken hundreds of trips during my life into Sierra backcountry I have never had anything even close to a bear incident. Only once as a
kid car camping at Tuolumne did we have a nusiance bear, which licked my sister in the face as she was sleeping. She let out a scream and went running one direction,
the bear ran off the other direction, stepped on me, and off into the distance accidentally knocking over garbage cans. Friends who hike in the Hetch Hetchy drainage claim bears have been dumped there, or at least the local bear culture has become pesky. The Granite Creek drainage per se is just south of the park, ringed by the Clark Range, with the rugged West side of the Ritter Range visible across the gorge of the North Fork of the San Joaquin canyon. I know the area very well.

I recollect that I first heard this story back in the 60's at a ranger led campfire program in Yosemite Valley,long before the Ansel Adams Wilderness was established. I do know the beer drinking bear was savoring his brewskies in the late 80's---I prudently did't ask him where he came from.