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NatalieLorin 
Group: Members
Posts: 200
Joined: Oct. 2009
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Posted on: Mar. 10 2013, 12:21 am |
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My husband has a conference out in Silicon Valley, and we were thinking about tacking on a side trip to Yosemite and/or Tahoe area. Problem is that we're aren't sure whether to plan on camping or not - the initial forecasts we saw were a little all over the place with regards to temperature. I have a pretty decent down bag, but it won't take me down into the teens like I was seeing forecast earlier.
Thoughts?
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~Big wheels keep on turning
Carry me home to see my kin
Singing songs about the Southland
I miss Alabama once again~
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| Post Number: 2
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| Post Number: 3
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High_Sierra_Fan
Group: Members
Posts: 39511
Joined: Aug. 2005
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Posted on: Mar. 10 2013, 1:29 pm |
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Yosemite's elevation goes from 2k to 13k so there's a reason for a big spread of temperatures in a forecast. Look at something close to where you'll be actually staying. The park website has a link to a weather service interactive map.
Tahoe is still in ski season....
So are large parts of Yosemite
http://www.yosemitepark.com/badger-webcam.aspx
But not others
http://www.yosemiteconservancy.org/webcams/half-dome
For camping I'd suggest seeing where you could find openings and then see if your equipment fits. Valley or out of the Valley like Hodgdon Meadow. As an FYI Lake Tahoe's shore elevation is over six thousand feet, so 2000 feet higher ( so colder) than Yosemite Valley.
In a Valley campsite with a decent tent and sleeping pad I'd say a reasonable down bag could work, though you never mentioned its actual temp range: what have you used it in? But anywhere higher where it will push into the teens you need a bag, sleep gear, that will keep you warm in the teens. Look at current Valley temperatures for some benchmarks.
I'd say hit recreation.gov and see whether its even possible to get a Valley campsite then think about equipment.
Oh and oh I'm mistaken and you meant backpacking then no you'd definitely need a warmer bag. For backpacking in the Summer I take a warmer bag in the Yosemite and Sierra backcountry.
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| Post Number: 4
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High_Sierra_Fan
Group: Members
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Joined: Aug. 2005
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Posted on: Mar. 10 2013, 1:51 pm |
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Either Tahoe or Yosemite totally worth the drive.
Though south of Monterey and north of Pt. Reyes along the coast are nice as well.
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| Post Number: 5
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NatalieLorin
Group: Members
Posts: 200
Joined: Oct. 2009
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Posted on: Mar. 10 2013, 4:11 pm |
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Hey, thanks.
I'll check the interactive map. I've taken my sleeping bag down into the upper 20's (that's a guess) on a trip to Vogelsang one year without any problem. It's a marmot 800 down fill bag. With a ridge rest I sleep pretty warm.
We're also talking about heading south to Death Valley and flying out of LA or Vegas instead and coming back to Yosemite and trying to do a lower elevation backpacking trip (ie North Rim) in May or June.
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~Big wheels keep on turning
Carry me home to see my kin
Singing songs about the Southland
I miss Alabama once again~
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| Post Number: 6
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| Post Number: 7
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High_Sierra_Fan
Group: Members
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Joined: Aug. 2005
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Posted on: Mar. 10 2013, 8:44 pm |
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Don't forget 120 through the park is closed so you'll route via further north to get to 395 for the run south to Death Valley, you could scoot around the southern end of the Sierra but that would be far less scenic a drive IMHO.
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| Post Number: 8
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snusmumriken
Group: Members
Posts: 361
Joined: May 2004
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Posted on: Mar. 10 2013, 9:57 pm |
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The weather forecast for Yosemite Valley this week is 60-70 daytime and 35-45 at night. That is about 10 degrees warmer than normal.
The following week could be about the same
or 50-60 daytime and 25-35 night time if its about average,
or 40-50 daytime and 15-25 night time if we get a cold spell.
The snow has just melted off in Yosemite Valley, so it will be a a couple of weeks until meadows turn green, and a few weeks beyond that for the wild flowers to be in bloom.
The water falls are already flowing nicely and there is a beauty to having snow on the cliffs surrounding the valley.
Hope that helps your planning. Have a lovely time wherever you go.
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| Post Number: 9
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AlmostThere
I must not be there yet, I keep hiking...
Group: Members
Posts: 4870
Joined: Apr. 2008
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Posted on: Mar. 11 2013, 9:17 am |
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Unless, of course, it snows again.
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All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking.
Friedrich Nietzsche
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| Post Number: 10
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snusmumriken
Group: Members
Posts: 361
Joined: May 2004
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Posted on: Mar. 11 2013, 12:05 pm |
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True, a late season winter storm is possible. Always check the weather report before you go! However right now it is beautiful spring time weather in Yosemite Valley.
Yosemite Webcam
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| Post Number: 11
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| Post Number: 12
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NatalieLorin
Group: Members
Posts: 200
Joined: Oct. 2009
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Posted on: Mar. 12 2013, 4:55 pm |
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Grrrr. This is my problem. Weather.com is showing (currently) lows in the teens. This is too cold. Weather underground (linked from the NPS site) is saying lows in the 30's. This isn't too cold. And I need to start packing soon and still don't know what we're doing 
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~Big wheels keep on turning
Carry me home to see my kin
Singing songs about the Southland
I miss Alabama once again~
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| Post Number: 13
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| Post Number: 14
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NatalieLorin
Group: Members
Posts: 200
Joined: Oct. 2009
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Posted on: Mar. 12 2013, 5:59 pm |
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Ok, maybe that's the problem. Sorry, I've got my "easily confused" brains on today.
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~Big wheels keep on turning
Carry me home to see my kin
Singing songs about the Southland
I miss Alabama once again~
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| Post Number: 15
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waterdog
Group: Members
Posts: 466
Joined: Sep. 2002
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Posted on: Mar. 12 2013, 6:52 pm |
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Just take the warmest stuff you can pack and go Yosemite Valley. It's only about 4,000' in the Valley, but it doesn't get a lot of sun.
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I'm more comfortable with unanswered questions than I am with unquestioned answers.
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| Post Number: 16
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High_Sierra_Fan
Group: Members
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Joined: Aug. 2005
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Posted on: Mar. 12 2013, 7:21 pm |
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"warmest stuff ", I'd agree with that. It's my experience that one can always make warm things less efficient and so comfortable enough in warmer conditions, heck when I've felt lazy in packing I've used 0F bags in the Valley in summer when I was planning on spending the majority of my route up high and out in the open! Though not more than my shins were probably covered.... but there comes a point where you just can't adapt things to colder conditions than they are designed for and you'll be cold.
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| Post Number: 17
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snusmumriken
Group: Members
Posts: 361
Joined: May 2004
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Posted on: Mar. 24 2013, 12:00 pm |
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Hope you had a great trip.
Let us know where you went and how it turned out.
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