Yosemite Blog

Passing through some of the most beautiful and rugged country, the John Muir Trail epitomizes High Sierra backpacking to many a hiker. When I started researching the trail while planning a backpacking trip I looked through many, many books and one of the best I found was the“Guide to the John Muir Trail” by Thomas Winnett and Kathy Morey.

The book is full of maps, trail descriptions in both directions, and a mileage/altitude chart to help you plan your trip whether you’re just doing short hikes on the trail or you’re planing on thru hiking the whole thing.Check it out. This is one you’re definitely going to want to add to your library.

Technorati Tags: backpacking, books, California, Sierra Nevada, wilderness, yosemite

360 Degree Panorama from Matterhorn Peak (VIEW FULL SIZE!)

Originally uploaded by mlog.

Misha posted this awesome image of a 360 degree panorama from the top of Matterhorn Peak. You’ve gotta see this thing at full size. All the surrounding peaks are labeled. Very interesting.

Nice job, Misha.

The 8th Annual Yosemite Valley Apple Picking is taking place Tuesday and Wednesday at Curry Village(Tuesday) and Lamon’s Apple Orchard(Wednesday).

These ripe apples attract bears to developed areas and alter their natural diets. By removing the apples, bears will return to natural food sources found throughout the park and not become exposed to humans and their food.

DNC will again provide their famous Bear Scat Muffins free to volunteers. The first 50 volunteers to pick 3 bags of apples will also receive a free t-shirt courtesy of DNC.

Tuesday, August 30, 2005 at Curry Village Apple Orchard from 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Shuttle Bus Stop #14

Wednesday, August 31, 2005 at Lamon’s (Valley Stables) Apple Orchard from 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Shuttle Bus Stop #18

Apples not taken home by employees and visitors will be donated to the Hornitos Catahoula Ranch. (NPS)

Technorati Tags: bears, yosemite

Congratulations to Shannon and Chad who were engaged at Bridalveil Fall this weekend. Here’s to a happy and prosperous relationship.

Cheers!

Technorati Tags: yosemite

Here’s an interesting article from over at the Contra Costa Times about the recent addition of wireless internet in Yosemite. Personally there’ve been times when I’ve been in the Park and wished to be able to get online to check the news or weather. Of course, I’m also the guy who takes my laptop camping with me. Here’s a snippet of the article and be sure to read the whole thing.

Contra Costa Times: Mike and Anne Usher yearned for quiet, scenery and relief from the hubbub of city life when they made their annual trek to this valley of giant granite walls and waterfalls.

They didn’t expect satellite television service in their Yosemite Lodge rooms.

“You come up here to experience nature,” Mike Usher said, resting on his lodge room porch after a family hike. “TV makes this more like an ordinary place. I don’t like it.”

Yosemite Lodge, a short walk from the spray-whipped base of the world’s fifth-tallest waterfall, hooked up its rooms this year to television, with mixed visitor reception.

Wireless computer service also has debuted in centrally located areas of the lodge, the largest in the park.

Some critics see the change as striking a loud and sour note in a place that conservationist John Muir called the “grandest special temple of nature I was ever permitted to enter.”

There’s also a comments section set up on the Contra Costa Times website if you wish to comment there. Check it out.

Thanks, Ari.

Technorati Tags: California, camping, internet, news, technology, web, yosemite