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View Full Version : Joshua Tree, Bodie, Yosemite (?), Sequoia



al olson
31-Mar-2013, 06:41
I will be driving down to phoenix on Tuesday to take my camper trailer out of storage, planning to go on to Joshua Tree for several days of photos.

This is the third spring for Joshua Tree and I hope to get some night photos that were impossible last year because of high winds (40-50 mph) and dust for the three days I stayed there. It was calm on the fourth day and I did an hour of morning photos but I had to leave to meet a friend at Three Rivers.

When I get what I want, I was thinking of going up to Bodie for a couple of days. Again I will have to meet a friend at Three Rivers (jazz festival) and would be looking for the shortest way from Bodie. If I could cut across Yosemite on 120 it looks like that would shorten the trip by many miles.

To some of you Californians in the know, maybe you can help me out. From what I can find, 120 is not open until May 1st. Is that cut into stone? Do they not plow it until then? From the thread 'Whether in Yosemite' it is indicated that snows were light this year. Around here improved roads are plowed and open at 11,000 feet (except for the shelf roads).

If Yosemite is not open I will likely head up to Sequoia and take my chances. In the past it has been open at mid-April, but on some occasions chains have been required.

If anyone will be shooting in these areas next week, let me know and we could arrange to meet. I expect to be in the Belle campground with a small, white, Scamp trailer.

Curt Palm
31-Mar-2013, 10:05
May 1st would be an early opening for this road. this page lists the opening days for tioga pass rd in past years:
http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/tiogaopen.htm