yosemite valley in the winter time.

[dietcookie]

I'm planning on dedicating a couple days early january to shoot some landscapes in Yosemite, Mono Lake area and the surrounding areas. The point of my whole trip is to go when the snow season is in full effect, not alot of people around. How is getting around the park when the roads are closed? I have yet to goto a National Park when it was "closed". When I went to Whitney last winter, we just drove right pass the sign..thats what the ranger even told us haha.

[Alan Rabe]

The last I remember is that the road across Tuolomme pass is closed in the winter. This is the road you would use to get to Yosimite valley from Mono lake. But just south of Mono lake is the Ancient Bristle Cone National Forest which is open in winter and has some amazing old gnarlly tree shots.

Enjoy,
Alan

[dietcookie]

Yeah, the 120 is closed usually beginning of Novemeber till who knows when. Is there any way getting to Yosemite high country when these roads are closed?

[Curt Palm]

Yeah, the 120 is closed usually beginning of Novemeber till who knows when. Is there any way getting to Yosemite high country when these roads are closed?

You can hike,ski or snowshoes, the high country isn't closed, just the roads and a few of the trails, but you had better really know what you are doing before you head to the high country in the winter, even for a day hike.

[Ron Marshall]

Unless you are good at cross-country skiing, use snowshoes. With the right type and a little practice you almost forget you are wearing them, until you pass someone who is not and is up to their armpits in a drift.

Be well prepared with survival gear in case you get caught in a storm and snowed in for a few days.

[David Karp]

The valley can be great, just beautiful in winter. Getting there from Mono Lake will be problem. As the others have said, the road is most likely going to be closed.

[dietcookie]

I'll probably forget about Yosemite High Country. I have crampons, ice axes, etc etc all the stuff for winter but I wanted to pretty much make it easy on myself and shoot from the car, or real short distances from the car. I really want to make it to the valley and mono lake area. I just gotta figure out how to get from the valley to the otherside!

[Jim Noel]

Once the snow closes Tioga Pass, as well as Monitor Pass and Sonora Pass, you will have a loooong trip from Mono Lake to Yosemite.

Your best bet is to go north on 395 from Mono Lake to Reno; head west from there, then south on 99 or I-5 to get to the cut-off to Yosemite. This is probably a 2 day trip, especially in the winter.It is still shorter than going south on 395 through Mojave to Bakersfield and back north to Yosemite.
Good Luck!

Jim

[John Kasaian]

I'll probably catch hell for this but here goes: The 'High Country' in the Sierra Nevadas is going to look pretty much the same inside Yosemite as it does outside, as long as you're at the same elevations. Since you'll be driving one of the open passes to get from Yosemite Valley to Mono Lake anyway, I'd suggest 88 from Jackson or 50 and spend some time exploring Tahoe, June Lake and Mammoth. Squaw Valley, Heavanly and Mammoth have gondolas tthat will take you 'up top. ' If you can ski witith a pack you'll be able to get away from the crowds for more options. Alternatively is you x-c there are one and two night tours to Glacier Point from Badger Pass in Yosemite. Its pricey, but from what I understand not something to be missed.

Good luck!

[Harley Goldman]

The Yosemite valley in winter is great. Very peaceful, relatively speaking (compared to summer crowds) and is quite beautiful. It is quite easy to spend a couple days wandering around the valley. Endless shooting opportunities with vistas and detail work.

[Robert Oliver]

only tualomne pass is closed in the winter, and a couple of the roads into campgrounds. They do a good job of keeping the roads plowed. Snow in the valley usually isn't too bad because of the lower elevation. The high country is a different story.

IMHO, it's the best time to visit. In december two years ago there was a trickle of water in Yosemite Falls that had a rainbow in the morning light and made a huge snow-cone at the base of the upper falls. Temps aren't too bad either.

Yosemite to Mono Lake in January is quite a trek. It's more of a summer combo. plenty to shoot on the way though on either drive if you make the journey.

You can also try Sequoia NP in the winter. It's just south of yosemite.

[Tom Westbrook]

Check the Yosemite web site. I went a couple of years ago in January and had to buy a set of chains for my rental since the agency in Monterey didn't have any. Chains are required to be carried in your vehicle at that time of year, I found. Good thing, too, because while they do plow, it's not done as early as you might want if you're out scouting locations in the pre-dawn hours.

[David Karp]

Tom is right. And the rangers will ask if you have chains, but in my experience don't require proof. A few years ago, a ranger told us that we would have to stop and put the chains on the tires as we drove out of the park. He was right, a little farther up the road we pulled over and put on the chains. The car in front of us as we got back on the road never stopped and had no chains. It was a minivan, and we watched as they almost went over the side of the mountain when they skidded out. Not once but twice. There were kids in that car, and we were scared silly watching them slide around on that winding road. Don't forget the chains. They make all the difference.

[Michael Gordon]

But just south of Mono lake is the Ancient Bristle Cone National Forest which is open in winter and has some amazing old gnarlly tree shots.

It's open in winter only if you ski/snowshoe!
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/inyo/about/#bristlecone

[Michael Gordon]

I'll probably catch hell for this but here goes: The 'High Country' in the Sierra Nevadas is going to look pretty much the same inside Yosemite as it does outside, as long as you're at the same elevations.

Yeah, I gotta take offense to that, John :) That's like saying all architecture is the same. If you've seen one castle, cathedral, or pyramid, you've seen them all ;)

Like most great mountain ranges, the Sierra has many distinct sub-ranges that are as different in appearance as humans are. Sure, there are similarities, but I've yet to see different regions of the Sierra that I would regard as "pretty much the same".

[dietcookie]

Thanks alot guys, good info. I figured I would need chains/cables. My intent is not to go "backpacking" but I do want to hike to get that better vantage point, i'm going to start looking into snowshoes, crampons probably won't work as well.

In terms of accessibility, and photoworthiness(I know it's impossible to objectively come to any conclusion on this!)..(I'm in So. Cal)..Trip to Mono Lake area then upto Hoover Wilderness..or Yosemite Valley and West Sierras? I'd like to see the Hoover Wilderness since i've never been there. But i've never seen the valley in snow..choices choices!

[dietcookie]

Robert: Just noticed, i'm your next door neighbor in Vista.

[John Kasaian]

Not that many years ago when we had an unusually mild winter, Tioga Pass was open on New Years Day and I drove across it,"just because" Keep in mind that the weather in the mountains is as unpredictable as a baby's bottom. If you want to try for the Hoover Wiilderness without long distance skiing or snowshoeing (Tioga Pass Lodge is open in the winter, but you'll have to ski in from Lee Vining if you want the shortest route----uphill all the way) you can head up as soon as Tioga Pass opens in the spring, then snowshoe the short distance up to Saddlebag Lake which will still be snowed in. Its very beautiful up there (12,000' + elev.) If you see what looks like a stone chimeny sticking out of the snow---it is and you've found Saddlebag Lodge.

Another winter option is to hike or snowshoe from the HWY 41 gate to Mariposa Grove. Depending on snowfall and road conditions it can be an easy hike and you can even camp in the grove in the wintertime. Awesome! Cold but awesome! Try this only in good weather with a stubborn high pressure area. Storms can be extremely nasty and I wouldn't want to be caught in one up there.

Also, Badger Pass used to offer Weasel rides up to the top of Badger Pass. I haven't seen the Weasel in several years (but then I wasn't looking for it either) Anyway that might be an option.

Have fun!

[John Kasaian]

Hoover Wilderness huh? Hmmmm.... the folks who run Virginia Lakes Resort don't live that far away. You might contact them and see if they'll take you in before the Lodge opens for the summer season. Virginia Lakes are on the east side of the Hoover Wilderness and IMHO a much prettier portal to the Hoover than Lundy Lake. Of course YMMV!