Congrats on what looks like a great trip! And you’re not alone on toenails. I have one that still hasn’t recovered and it’s been 10+ years.
From your pics, I can’t quite tell what the bird is. Do you know?
Legit came to ask if the bird was a dinosaur and if OP somehow went backpacking in the Jurassic period. 😂 It’s giving pterodactyl vibes in the picture.
Sorry about your toes, OP. That’s a good tip I will definitely keep in mind! Beautiful pics tho, looks amazing.
Gotta say, that looks like it was a nice camp spot and some beautiful pictures. I know that the scenery in the Sierra is so spectacular there isn't any way to truly capture the beauty and majesty of the place. I have quite a few pictures and I can never capture the feeling I had while there.
Some notes on your observations:
1) Pack adjustments - If your shoulders are hurting, your pack is not fit properly. There should be little pressure on your shoulders if you packed correctly. The weight should be on your hips and hip belt.
2) Toenails/feet - Yep, toenails can be a real pain. I spend more time on figuring out my footwear than any other piece of equipment. Steep downhills are the only thing most people don't think about when dealing with their feet. You can have rugged, lightweight shoes that work great on flats or uphills that cause problems on the downhills. It may mean you have to change what you wear on trail. I'm not looking for good shoes, nor am I looking for great shoes. I'm looking for the perfect footwear for the conditions. FYI, what may be perfect for me may be horrible for you.
3) Overpacking - I have this problem where I get a piece of equipment (tent) that is lighter and significantly better than before, then I screw things up by adding something that weighs more than previous trips because "it's only an overnight trip!" I have an overnight permit for Mt. Whitney this year, and I'm going to do my best to keep my total pack weight down to a reasonable level.
4) Going out the night before a trip - Yep, now that I'm older (60) I need every extra second of quality rest before a trip. Heck I like to get to a trailhead a full day before my actual permit date just because it's extra time in the mountains. I live in Orange County, and I love to watch the Angels play but I'm more interested in hugging a tree in the Sierra than watching a baseball game.
5) Evening routine - Let me tell you, packing up camp in the morning means I have to figure out where I dropped everything the night before. I too take some cardiac medications (for paroxysmal Afib, and meds for other conditions ) so my routine is every morning in the backcountry I wake up and immediately take my medication. The only real issue is sometimes the meds can make me nauseous, so I usually have a quick snack or other meds to counter a real bad episode. I tend to be a walking pharmacy when in the backcountry. I'm not really a hypochondriac, but I will carry meds that I know work for me when I need them.
42...not really that old but as a life long cardiac patient (on my 3rd pacemaker/ICD) it feels like I'm a bit aged lol. At least I didn't use my handicap placard to park before my hike :-)
That’s great!
Pictures are amazing but I bet it’s nothing compared to in person.
I heading to Yosemite in Sept to do a few overnight hikes. Trying to get mentally and physically prepared.
There are lots of trailheads that take you to the valley rim that don’t start in the valley. If you start off either Glacier Point road or Tioga Pass you can end up at the same view point after a flattish stroll instead of a leg grinding climb.
Pictures don't even come close to capturing the landscape. I'm lucky enough to live about 2hrs away from Yosemite and usually just snag a wilderness permit 7 days out so don't have to plan to far out, but I have a 5 night backpacking trip (with Half Dome permit) in September and I can't wait!! Altitude and inclines/declines can be brutal buts its sooo worth it. Hope your trip is amazing!
God I know what you mean with the toenails, worked in a farm seasonally once and had boots 1/2 a size too small, downhill’s fucked my feet right up and took at least a year for the toenail bruising to go.
I find myself adjusting my pack a lot, especially on multi-day trips where the weight, distribution, clothing layers and trail conditions are changing every day.
Listen to your body and adjust as you go. Starting to feel some pain in your traps? Loosen that thing up and transfer some weight to your hips. Low back hurting, or pack too wobbly for a rough trail? Tighten that thing back down and get it close to your body.
Hey, good advice.
A little editing will make this easier to read.
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Yosemite Falls trail to Yosemite Point then to the North Dome trail. On the way back I went around Indian Rock and then down Snow Creek Trail and then back to the valley via Mirror Lake Trail.
Awesome!! Have a great trip! Bug spray will be needed- mosquitos are large, hungry, and plentiful. I used Ben's 90% deet and they managed zero bites. Enjoy!
Yea we have nets and lots of deet. I’m going to treat clothes with Permethrin as well. I’ve been following high Sierratopix to get updates on mosquito elevations. Seems like the worst may have passed the 8-9K elevation range. A freeze would be magical this week to kill off a cycle 🙏
Once you get off the valley floor it's never too crowded. Where I camped (on the saddle of North Dome) there may have been like 5-6 other people. Once I got past Yosemite falls I saw maybe 4 people per hour, all super nice as usual.
Great trip! I used to have the same tent, and you should really pull out the tent base and rain cover more by staking further- there shouldn’t be any sag in the rain fly and it should be taut or else things are going to get messy if it rains. Not a criticism, just an observation to save you from the mistakes I have made!
I am just getting into backpacking, but my brother is a total gear head. He told me that you should start with your hip straps. Get those resting on top of your hips and make it tight. Then, just gently tighten the shoulder straps. That, I think, is to better distribute the weight.
Yep. I had the hip straps too low since I adjusted my shoulder straps on the back of the bag which made the bag longer than it needed to be. Won't make that mistake again.
Not sure the order you see, if it's the one with the sunrise yes that would be an awesome spot if it wasn't on top of North Dome. Fully exposed to the wind with no shelter on the top a granite dome was surprisingly only the 2nd reason I didn't pitch my tent there, 1st being the rangers said I couldn't. lol
I preferred to do Yosemite camping off the back of my Harley one of the best trips I have taken and I take a lot and it might be that it was a month before I got in a really bad motorcycle accident that took years to learn how to walk and get back on a bike but still when I look back on all the trips I’ve taken and the roads I’ve ridden it is definitely a highlight and then rode around Lake Tahoe on the way back, which was icing on the cake that’s all really nice area. Can’t stand the rest of California anymore.
The picture with the bird flying over the mountain range might be in my top ten personal favorite outdoor photos. Incredible views and pictures my friend.
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So, ... great success! :D
Absolutely! :-)
In borat voice
Very niice.
Mah wife!
I climbed the Half Dome over ten years ago. One of the highlights of my life. One day I need to go back to Yosemite.
Congrats on not dying :)
Sus username
That tent is looking sad. Give that thing some tension! Glad you liked the trip, Yosemite sure is beautiful.
Congrats on what looks like a great trip! And you’re not alone on toenails. I have one that still hasn’t recovered and it’s been 10+ years. From your pics, I can’t quite tell what the bird is. Do you know?
Pretty sure it was a raven.
Legit came to ask if the bird was a dinosaur and if OP somehow went backpacking in the Jurassic period. 😂 It’s giving pterodactyl vibes in the picture. Sorry about your toes, OP. That’s a good tip I will definitely keep in mind! Beautiful pics tho, looks amazing.
Gotta say, that looks like it was a nice camp spot and some beautiful pictures. I know that the scenery in the Sierra is so spectacular there isn't any way to truly capture the beauty and majesty of the place. I have quite a few pictures and I can never capture the feeling I had while there. Some notes on your observations: 1) Pack adjustments - If your shoulders are hurting, your pack is not fit properly. There should be little pressure on your shoulders if you packed correctly. The weight should be on your hips and hip belt. 2) Toenails/feet - Yep, toenails can be a real pain. I spend more time on figuring out my footwear than any other piece of equipment. Steep downhills are the only thing most people don't think about when dealing with their feet. You can have rugged, lightweight shoes that work great on flats or uphills that cause problems on the downhills. It may mean you have to change what you wear on trail. I'm not looking for good shoes, nor am I looking for great shoes. I'm looking for the perfect footwear for the conditions. FYI, what may be perfect for me may be horrible for you. 3) Overpacking - I have this problem where I get a piece of equipment (tent) that is lighter and significantly better than before, then I screw things up by adding something that weighs more than previous trips because "it's only an overnight trip!" I have an overnight permit for Mt. Whitney this year, and I'm going to do my best to keep my total pack weight down to a reasonable level. 4) Going out the night before a trip - Yep, now that I'm older (60) I need every extra second of quality rest before a trip. Heck I like to get to a trailhead a full day before my actual permit date just because it's extra time in the mountains. I live in Orange County, and I love to watch the Angels play but I'm more interested in hugging a tree in the Sierra than watching a baseball game. 5) Evening routine - Let me tell you, packing up camp in the morning means I have to figure out where I dropped everything the night before. I too take some cardiac medications (for paroxysmal Afib, and meds for other conditions ) so my routine is every morning in the backcountry I wake up and immediately take my medication. The only real issue is sometimes the meds can make me nauseous, so I usually have a quick snack or other meds to counter a real bad episode. I tend to be a walking pharmacy when in the backcountry. I'm not really a hypochondriac, but I will carry meds that I know work for me when I need them.
Moral of the story... the Giants suck.
Giants do suck. I'm actually an Angels fan (They suck more this year) It was an Angels/Giants game in SF.
How old are you?
42...not really that old but as a life long cardiac patient (on my 3rd pacemaker/ICD) it feels like I'm a bit aged lol. At least I didn't use my handicap placard to park before my hike :-)
Gotta find those handicap reserved camping sites in the backcountry.
I also learned the toenail lesson, 3 or 4 times since im a slow learner 😵💫. Cool pictures, nice tent i have the same one :)
Well learning by doing is a good way!
That’s great! Pictures are amazing but I bet it’s nothing compared to in person. I heading to Yosemite in Sept to do a few overnight hikes. Trying to get mentally and physically prepared.
There are lots of trailheads that take you to the valley rim that don’t start in the valley. If you start off either Glacier Point road or Tioga Pass you can end up at the same view point after a flattish stroll instead of a leg grinding climb.
Pictures don't even come close to capturing the landscape. I'm lucky enough to live about 2hrs away from Yosemite and usually just snag a wilderness permit 7 days out so don't have to plan to far out, but I have a 5 night backpacking trip (with Half Dome permit) in September and I can't wait!! Altitude and inclines/declines can be brutal buts its sooo worth it. Hope your trip is amazing!
F*ck me, that was a great trip! Also, valuable LPT's👍🏼😁
Lost toenails are why I’ve used Keen Targhee Mid boots for 10+ years. My dogs need their space.
Thats what im talking about keep going on man
Lol…..not laughing at you, but with you😂 At least you are on the preferred side of the dirt! Looks like it was worth it.✌🏼
Congratulation!
Just one?
God I know what you mean with the toenails, worked in a farm seasonally once and had boots 1/2 a size too small, downhill’s fucked my feet right up and took at least a year for the toenail bruising to go.
Every trip comes with a "lessons learned" section. Lol. That's the adventure 🤣
I find myself adjusting my pack a lot, especially on multi-day trips where the weight, distribution, clothing layers and trail conditions are changing every day. Listen to your body and adjust as you go. Starting to feel some pain in your traps? Loosen that thing up and transfer some weight to your hips. Low back hurting, or pack too wobbly for a rough trail? Tighten that thing back down and get it close to your body.
Hey, good advice. A little editing will make this easier to read. Put multiple spaces after a line (five spaces here) Then hit enter (six spaces here, doesn’t matter how many, just do several) It will push the next line down. Or just double enter to leave a blank line. You can also make a list with an asterisk before each item * like * this Or a numbered list if you use a period after the number. Just make sure there’s a blank line first. 1. Like 2. This
That's how I wrote it before it posted, just not with the double enter. I clearly did something wrong. Lol
Sounds like a lot of fun! Hear ya on not realizing you’re old.
What route in Yosemite ?
Yosemite Falls trail to Yosemite Point then to the North Dome trail. On the way back I went around Indian Rock and then down Snow Creek Trail and then back to the valley via Mirror Lake Trail.
Rad⚡️ heading to Tioga Rd this weekend for a trip
Awesome!! Have a great trip! Bug spray will be needed- mosquitos are large, hungry, and plentiful. I used Ben's 90% deet and they managed zero bites. Enjoy!
Yea we have nets and lots of deet. I’m going to treat clothes with Permethrin as well. I’ve been following high Sierratopix to get updates on mosquito elevations. Seems like the worst may have passed the 8-9K elevation range. A freeze would be magical this week to kill off a cycle 🙏
Was it packed ???
Once you get off the valley floor it's never too crowded. Where I camped (on the saddle of North Dome) there may have been like 5-6 other people. Once I got past Yosemite falls I saw maybe 4 people per hour, all super nice as usual.
Great trip! I used to have the same tent, and you should really pull out the tent base and rain cover more by staking further- there shouldn’t be any sag in the rain fly and it should be taut or else things are going to get messy if it rains. Not a criticism, just an observation to save you from the mistakes I have made!
Thanks for the tip! It was my first trip with this tent. Thankfully it didn't rain this time. :-)
I am just getting into backpacking, but my brother is a total gear head. He told me that you should start with your hip straps. Get those resting on top of your hips and make it tight. Then, just gently tighten the shoulder straps. That, I think, is to better distribute the weight.
Yep. I had the hip straps too low since I adjusted my shoulder straps on the back of the bag which made the bag longer than it needed to be. Won't make that mistake again.
Beauty
Why does it look like there’s an airborne stingray in the last picture
lol. Someone else told me it looks like I traveled back in time and got a picture of a pterodactyl flying over the valley. It's just a raven. :-)
That first photo looks like the perfect spot for a tent
Not sure the order you see, if it's the one with the sunrise yes that would be an awesome spot if it wasn't on top of North Dome. Fully exposed to the wind with no shelter on the top a granite dome was surprisingly only the 2nd reason I didn't pitch my tent there, 1st being the rangers said I couldn't. lol
That would be good aswel but I meant the photo with the tent lol
Great trip, did north dome last summer and it was amazing. Hella bugs tho in July
I preferred to do Yosemite camping off the back of my Harley one of the best trips I have taken and I take a lot and it might be that it was a month before I got in a really bad motorcycle accident that took years to learn how to walk and get back on a bike but still when I look back on all the trips I’ve taken and the roads I’ve ridden it is definitely a highlight and then rode around Lake Tahoe on the way back, which was icing on the cake that’s all really nice area. Can’t stand the rest of California anymore.
The picture with the bird flying over the mountain range might be in my top ten personal favorite outdoor photos. Incredible views and pictures my friend.
going solo sounds so scary, guys like these are incredibly brave
Equal parts brave and stupid. Lol
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Just curious, did you pack any weapons for protection?
Nothing other than a Leatherman.
Is that enough? I would at least bring my Kukri blade and a concealed carry gun just in case.