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waterdog 
Group: Members
Posts: 466
Joined: Sep. 2002
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Posted on: Feb. 07 2013, 12:23 am |
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We got lucky and "won" a wilderness permit for the Yosemite NP trail for July 2013. Basic itinerary is Tenaya Lks/Sunrise Lks trailhead over Clouds Rest, side trip up Half Dome cables, to Little Yosemite, and out to the Happy Aisles trailhead.
Where is the closest reliable water source to the Half Dome trail cutoff if you're coming from the north?
We want to camp as close as possible to the cutoff to Half Dome, in order to get an early start on the cables and avoid afternoon thunderstorms on Half Dome.
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| Post Number: 2
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AlmostThere
I must not be there yet, I keep hiking...
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Posts: 4967
Joined: Apr. 2008
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Posted on: Feb. 07 2013, 1:39 am |
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I would camp at Sunrise Creek. Or, fill up all the bottles and dry camp on the ridge just before the dome.
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All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking.
Friedrich Nietzsche
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| Post Number: 3
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High_Sierra_Fan
Group: Members
Posts: 39805
Joined: Aug. 2005
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Posted on: Feb. 07 2013, 12:35 pm |
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Yep, Sunrise lasts the longest and this year should be at least normal unlike last (though still somewhat early days).
http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/reports/EXECSUM
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| Post Number: 4
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markskor
Group: Members
Posts: 989
Joined: Apr. 2005
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Posted on: Feb. 07 2013, 1:48 pm |
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Suggest 3 nights -
Car in Curry Orchard - stay Valley BP camp, morning Curry bus to Tenaya TH. Lowest Sunrise Lake makes a good 1st night destination.
Easy day (late start) - fill up all water (I took a few gallon milk jugs.) - spend the night atop Clouds Rest - plenty of room - killer views.
Next day, bag the Dome, (sans packs - stashed) on the way down to LYV...or even all the way down via JMT to the beer and Curry Pizza.
Classic trip and best if not rushed through.
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mountain man who swims with trout
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| Post Number: 5
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waterdog
Group: Members
Posts: 466
Joined: Sep. 2002
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Posted on: Feb. 07 2013, 5:22 pm |
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All good info, thanks. I've heard there is reliable water about a half mile east of the JMT and Clouds Rest Trail junction. Is this correct.
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I'm more comfortable with unanswered questions than I am with unquestioned answers.
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| Post Number: 6
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High_Sierra_Fan
Group: Members
Posts: 39805
Joined: Aug. 2005
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Posted on: Feb. 07 2013, 6:10 pm |
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That's an intermittent stream that is seasonally available: I'd say check with backcountry rangers shortly before leaving for your trip as those snowmelt dependent (even if through groundwater from higher up snowmelt) sources both vary from year to year and week to week through the season. Though this year is looking better than last (when most everything dried up early, Sunrise and Rafferty both were gone in early August!, Sunrise HSC was rationing water..) so far at about 140% of average per CDEC.
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| Post Number: 7
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waterdog
Group: Members
Posts: 466
Joined: Sep. 2002
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Posted on: Feb. 07 2013, 10:47 pm |
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Sounds good.
We'll have three young teens on their first backpack, so I was thinking of a short first day (leaving time for the shuttle, etc) and stopping for the first night at 37.7902 degrees N/119.4613 W on the CRT where there's a lake, and then proceeding over Clouds Rest on Day 2 to camp at the possible water source at 37.746N/119.4947 0.5 mi east of the JM and CR trail jct for the second night (if there's water).
Day 3 would be up the cables and back down to LYV. Day 4 down the Mist Trail to Happy Aisles/beer/ice cream.
Whaddya think?
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I'm more comfortable with unanswered questions than I am with unquestioned answers.
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| Post Number: 8
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| Post Number: 9
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topshot
Group: Members
Posts: 344
Joined: Jun. 2009
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Posted on: Feb. 08 2013, 9:26 am |
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Is the spring just off the HD trail no longer active? I've read a bunch of reports of getting water there.
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| Post Number: 10
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| Post Number: 11
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markskor
Group: Members
Posts: 989
Joined: Apr. 2005
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Posted on: Feb. 08 2013, 10:05 am |
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No coordinates but...
Water is available if going CR - HD - LYV.
If coming from Sunrise, last water is that small spring ~2 miles before CR. Fill up here and spend the night atop CR.
Next water is 1 1/4 miles south of CR (drop 1000 feet) - a small artesian pool - right on the trail.
Sunrise Creek is next - good camping spots along the river.
About 1/4 mile past the last HD trail junction (HD / CR junction), just off the HD trail on the left hand side is a small artesian spring...maybe 2 miles from the cables. This spring has always held water - last year was an exception.
The pipe - about 200 yards north of the spring but off trail and must be shown exact location.
The Merced is the next available water.
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mountain man who swims with trout
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| Post Number: 12
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topshot
Group: Members
Posts: 344
Joined: Jun. 2009
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Posted on: Feb. 08 2013, 10:12 am |
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It's shown on topos, but since those are pretty old they may not be flowing anymore (one at Snag Lake in Lassen wasn't), but here's some reports from last summer and GPS coords.
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| Post Number: 13
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| Post Number: 14
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JRinGeorgia
Group: Members
Posts: 320
Joined: Jul. 2012
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Posted on: Feb. 08 2013, 10:39 am |
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Been reading discussion about the spring off the HD trail on a different forum, someone there posted coordinates of 37.75012 -119.51352 or 37 45'00N 119 30'49W. Apparently the topos show it in the wrong place -- close, but not accurate. These coordinates were walked and verified recently by someone reliable, but I can't personally vouch for them.
When in July will you be there? Me too.
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- JRinGeorgia
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JRinGeorgia
Group: Members
Posts: 320
Joined: Jul. 2012
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Posted on: Feb. 08 2013, 12:53 pm |
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Sounds nice. I'll be there 19th thru 28th...
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- JRinGeorgia
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| Post Number: 18
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| Post Number: 19
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High_Sierra_Fan
Group: Members
Posts: 39805
Joined: Aug. 2005
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Posted on: Feb. 08 2013, 1:09 pm |
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waterdog- Your permit gives you the ability to simply stay the night at the Tuolumne Meadows backpacking campground which if Yosemite Creek is open would surely be available (and a FAR better access drive unless you've got a rock crawler vehicle and actually enjoy blind curve single lane roads with nice unprotected drop-offs...: though to it's benefit the spots over the bridge are nice.)
http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/bpcamp.htm
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| Post Number: 20
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| Post Number: 22
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High_Sierra_Fan
Group: Members
Posts: 39805
Joined: Aug. 2005
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Posted on: Feb. 08 2013, 1:29 pm |
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Yeah with a Tacoma the rough road surface won't be a problem, though there were some monster potholes as they're not maniacal about surface repair and the higher viewpoint will help on some of the blind curves.
Time wise is a bit tough to remember: I ended to focus on the driving and I always "lose" my watch when I'm there but, probably closer to 30 minutes or a bit plus. It's a lot longer approach than Porcupine or Tamarack.
There's a nice map which is handy when scouting a spot:
http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/ycreekcamp.htm
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| Post Number: 23
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| Post Number: 24
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waterdog
Group: Members
Posts: 466
Joined: Sep. 2002
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Posted on: Feb. 08 2013, 5:06 pm |
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If you're on the Half Dome trail spur and are hiking towards the subdome and the cables is this piped spring on the northeast (right) side of the trail, or the southwest (left) side?
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I'm more comfortable with unanswered questions than I am with unquestioned answers.
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| Post Number: 25
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JRinGeorgia
Group: Members
Posts: 320
Joined: Jul. 2012
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Posted on: Feb. 08 2013, 6:27 pm |
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The one I am referring to is on the east as you head up towards HD -- actually it's on the east when you're coming back down too ;-). But heading up it would be on the right. Not directly on the HD trail, from what I'm reading it's a hundred yards or so off the trail.
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- JRinGeorgia
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