Showshoeing in Yosemite - Now is the Time!

The approaching snow storm in the Sierra's reminds me that for the next couple of months, the conditions are great for donning the winter gear and putting on your snowshoes. One of my first articles on Bay Area Outdoors and Beyond was a snowshoe hike up to Dewey Point in Yosemite. In fact, that hike is featured in the latest issue of Backpacker Magazine (March 2010, page 29). This is a great hike and definitely doable as a day hike or overnight-er. You can check out the hike from the previous article or at Backpacker Magazine.

By no means is Dewey Point the only snowshoe hiking in Yosemite. There are a number of great winter trails available in the park and they are not just for snowshoes either. Many cross-country or Nordic skiers also partake.

Why snowshoe? Not only is it great exercise, it also is a way to see Yosemite in a way few people ever do. Winter is my favorite time to be in Yosemite. The crowds are diminished and the trails offer solitude and scenery most only found in picture books.

Yosemite has three main areas containing marked winter trails: Badger Pass and Glacier Point Road, Crane Flat and Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias (Click on the preceding links for brochures and trail maps for each area). The Valley Loop Trail in Yosemite Valley can also provide some great snowshoeing if enough snow has accumulated.

Badger Pass is the home of the Badger Pass Ski Resort, but it also has the most hiking options. Badger Pass even offers a Ranger guided snowshoe walk ($5 donation requested, conditions permitting). Dewey Point is by far the most popular of the routes, but each of the trails provides an adventure.

Crane Flat is located at the intersection of Big Oak Flat Road and the Tioga Road (Hwy 120). The Gin Flat Loop Trail is the most adventurous of the hikes, but the short hike down to the Tuolumne Grove is my favorite. I did this hike last year during a moderate snow storm and it took my breath away. The 2 mile round trip hike (I went beyond the grove for a 3 mile trip) is straight forward and descends down to Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias where the Tunnel Tree is a main feature. Unfortunately, it is just a shell of what it once was. Human intervention seems to do that. Most of the "Tunnel Trees" I've been to have fallen or are dead. While not as grand as the Mariposa Grove, the trees Tuolumne Grove are just as inspiring.

Getting to the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias can be tricky in the winter months. The road to the grove is often closed in the winter and it is a 2-mile trek to get to the trails. However, it is well worth it. You're out there for the snowshoeing and sightseeing anyways! The longest trail is the Loop Road (8 miles) and provides access to most of the more popular trees in the park, Fallen Monarch, Grizzly Giant and California Tunnel Tree. Many hikers, I mean snowshoers, opt for the lower grove hike (.8 miles one way) featuring the trees mentioned previously.

When snowshoeing or cross country skiing, be aware of the weather forecast and your physical condition. Be aware of avalanche conditions; most of the winter trails in Yosemite avoid avalanche areas, but check with the Ranger Station for conditions and warnings. Don't forget to hydrate; your body still needs plenty of water, even though you may not feel like it in the cold. If you are new or inexperienced for snowshoeing, start out with smaller hikes first. Know what you are getting into. Snowshoeing on a hard-packed snow trail is a lot different from two feet of fresh powder. Breaking a trail can be exhausting; take turns leading the way with your group. If you are following, try to step into the leaders footprints when you can.

Snowshoeing is a fun sport and just about anyone can do it. Snowshoe rentals are available in the valley and at Badger Pass and also at your local REI store. It is a great way to wash away the winter blues and energize your spirit. Now is the time!

Yosemite - Pothole Dome Loop, An Adventure for All

Guarding the western edge of Tuolumne Meadows is a big chunk of granite called Pot Hole Dome. Compared to the some of the other domes surrounding Tuolumne, you wouldn’t consider this one as anything special. It rises to only 300 feet above the meadow and you won’t find many climbers dangling from its sides or a register up top. But what you will get if you venture to the dome is a great family friendly hiking experience with grand views of Tuolumne Meadows and chance for up close wildlife encounters (of the good kind).

My first experience with Pot Hole dome was 6 years ago on a family camping trip to Tuolumne Meadows. I had gathered 8 families together to experience the wonders of Yosemite. I actually was able to get 5 campsites all together, not something possible today. Our group consisted of all ages from my three year old daughter to my 70 something father-in-law. I was challenged to find activities for all ages. A coworker of mine (and Tuolumne expert) Ken, suggested I check out Pot Hole Dome and he also gave me some pointers to enhance the 3 mile journey. The hike was a hit!

I recently had an opportunity to get back to Tuolumne Meadows with some visitors from Germany, David and Philipp. The guys had never hear of Yosemite (can you believe that?) and I knew I couldn’t let them leave California without experiencing Yosemite. My original plan was to take them to Yosemite Valley for the tourist stuff the first day and then a hike up to Cathedral Lakes the next day (a future article). The Big Meadow fire closed our access to the Valley and we had to change plans. After securing a campsite in the Tuolumne Meadows campground, I considered our options. It was already the afternoon but we had a little time to explore and I wanted to take them somewhere special. I recalled the great experience I had at Pot Hole Dome, shared it with them, they agreed to the trek and we headed out.

The trailhead (pictured above) for Pot Hole dome is along the Tioga Road at the western edge of Tuolumne Meadows. It’s tough to miss the two parking areas near the dome and the two trail routes to the dome (depending upon which lot you park in). I prefer the western most trail that circles the meadow instead of the one that cuts across. Not only does this route give you a little extra trail time, it also puts you at the edge of the meadow and a full perspective of Tuolumne. Once you arrive at the dome, there are several footpaths through the trees. Pick one and start up the gradual incline to the top. There are no marked trails, but none are really needed. A number of granite dikes (pictured left), lines in the granite that look like grout, lead up the dome and lead the way. The slope of the dome isn’t too bad and in no time you arrive at the high point providing great views of Tuolumne Meadows.

After reaching the top, most visitors take in the sights, turn back around and head back to the car. That’s fine, but there is so much more to see. Rather than heading back the route you came, descend the dome away from the road in a north easterly direction towards the Tuolumne River. There is no trail, no markers, but it’s not hard to find your way. Once you get down in the trees, continue heading in the same northeastern direction until you are off the dome and encounter a trail. Head left (north) on the trail and enjoy the quite walk through the pines. Watch for deer through the trees. I’d be surprised if you don’t see any here.

The trail winds through the trees heading north and will start to head west. Once it turns, you will see a lightning struck tree ahead (see photo below) and a small meadow to the right, cut across the western edge of the meadow to another trail that follows the Tuolumne River. Take a right and very soon you will be out of the trees and at the river. The rocky shores of the river here make a great picnic spot. On our trip there, we were visited by a couple of deer crossing the river within 10 feet of us.

When done at the river, pick yourself up and locate the narrow trail running south through the trees and skirt the meadow back towards the trailhead. If you are fortunate like we were, you will be treated to another wildlife show as deer gather in the meadow. In our case, does and fawns came in view every 100 feet or so and then we encountered a herd of 19 deer, 18 of which were some pretty big bucks with full racks!

Too soon, the road and trailhead will come into view signaling the coming end to the adventure.

Pothole Dome is a great place to hike and explore and is an adventure that almost everyone can enjoy. Although the hike up the dome is a bit steep in parts, it's a short trek and provides some great views of Tuolumne Meadows and the peaks beyond. The hike can be up and down the dome or encompass much more of the meadow and the Tuolumne River too.

Below is a Google map showing the GPS track and route of this trip. You can also view my preliminary trip report at Trimble Outdoors.

Buck hiding in the woods

This tree is your cue to head right cutting across the meadow

Here's Philipp at the gateway to the meadow near the river

Doe crossing the Tuolumne River

A doe, juvenile and a fawn. I had their attention.

Eight of eighteen bucks in the meadow

More of the bucks (and one doe).

Cathedral Peak towers over the meadow

Happy New Year!

I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year and thank you for stopping by Bay Area Outdoors and Beyond!

2009 was a busy year for me and I'm aware at just how far behind I am in my updates. In the coming weeks I will have at least 5 hikes and a couple of other locations I will be writing about. Here's a sneak peak: hikes and outings in San Francisco at Land's End, Golden Gate Park and the Golden Gate Bridge; Loch Lomond in the Santa Cruz mountains and some great things from Point Lobos near Monterey. On the "Beyond" side, I've spent more time in Yosemite and have a few spectacular hikes queued up out of Tuolumne Meadows - Pot Hole Dome and Cathedral Lakes plus a nice trip up to Half Dome. In addition to Yosemite, I've visited Red Rock Canyon in Las Vegas and also did a little hiking in Victoria B.C. I feel others would enjoy.

Some of the neglect of this site is because I have been focusing a lot of effort on my photography. Providing great photos is one of the best ways to share the many great places and opportunities to get out of the house and enjoy the "Great Outdoors" (okay, that's pretty cliché, but it's true).

For now, I will be working on sharing more hikes and other outdoor destinations in addition to providing some backpacking and photography tips that I find useful.

Thanks again for stopping by and I hope you join me for a great 2010!

Here's a preview of some things to come:

Some fun on Half Dome

Nevada Falls in the Fall

Colorful Vernal Fall in Fall

The Golden Gate Bridge from Eagle's Point

Cypress Trees at Land's End

Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco

Upper Cathedral Lake in Yosemite

Cathedral Peak in Yosemite

Numerous bucks in Tuolumne Meadows

More deer near Pot Hole Dome

Sunset at Point Lobos near Monterey

Harbor Seals and a Sea Otter in Point Lobos

Rainbow Mountain in Red Rock Canyon near Las Vegas

Loch Lomond Lake in the Santa Cruz Mountains

Yosemite - North Dome Loop

For the past couple of years, I've wanted to venture to the North Rim of Yosemite Valley. I've scoured the topo maps looking for a variety of hikes and after a buddy of mine (Mark) told me about his hike to North Dome with his brother, I knew I had to go there. I didn't want to do the normal out and back from Porcupine Creek like most hikers do. I saw an option for a perfect loop and decided I had to do it.

After several failed attempts to get out there, I finally had a weekend free (okay, one where my wife let me get away) and gathered some of my hiking buddies, Tim, Tony and Rafael and headed out to Yosemite for a 2 day 10+ mile hike. Why do this as a two day hike and not a single day? Because I can! Splitting this trip into two days, allowed for a much more relaxed trip, knowing we had no time limits to get where we were going and could stop for whatever photo opportunity came our way. With a crescent moon and clear skies forecasted, we were also hoping for some great night shots over the valley. We weren't disappointed!

To paraphrase a famous quote, "what goes down must come up"! That was the story of our journey. We arrived at the trailhead at Porcupine Creek(~8100') early and got our packs on were quickly on our way down towards North Dome. The trail near the trailhead is actually an old paved road for the first .7 miles. The road starts out nice and deteriorates the further you get into the forest. Once past the "road", the trail crosses a couple of seasonal creeks (including Porcupine Creek) and roams through a typical "Yosemite" forest, mix of pines and firs and decent underbrush and lots of dead-fall all around.

Within no time (about 1.7 miles) we were at a four-way junction (photo on the right). We almost took the wrong trail, but thank goodness I looked at the topo map a little closer. The first trail heads to the left and down to Mirror Lake and Yosemite Valley via Snow Creek Trail (okay, something I want to do, but not that day). The next trail marker, about 20 ft later was the North Nome Trail to the left. The other trail marker to the right indicated Yosemite Falls. That was going to be our trail on the way back.

Okay, we made it to the junction and now it was time to go down hill to the Dome, right, nope. Gotta go up to get down and that's what we did. As you gain elevation, the terrain also changes to more of a chaparral setting, a little more exposed, but starting to gain some nice views too.

Our main destination was North Dome, but we did have a planned stop along the way at Indian Rock. In fact, I think I was more excited about checking out Indian Rock than North Dome. Indian Rock (pictured left) is the only natural arch in Yosemite and it is spectacular! The Indian Rock trail is a .3 mile spur (.6 round trip, but the topo maps show it much further away) straight up hill to the top of Indian Ridge. The rock is a large outcropping of granite that includes a 15 ft granite arch and provides lots of exploring and photographic opportunities.

After a couple of hours hanging out at the arch, we continued on down to the Dome. It was really downhill this time. In about a half a mile, the trail splits up, to the left is the "established" trail that continues among the trees, but to the right the trail follows the granite of Indian Ridge. A more direct, but steeper route and the way we went. We followed the cairns and were soon greeted with an incredible view of Yosemite Valley and its many icons: Half Dome, Clouds Rest, Glacier Point, Illilouette Falls, etc.

We soon met back up with the "other" trail and were on a ridge above North Dome. Getting down to North Dome was more fun. The trail down drops about 200 feet very quickly and soon we were among the trees at the base of North Dome (Numerous trail camps are among these trees). The gradual slope up North Dome was rewarded with a face to face view of Half Dome. We hung out at the dome for a while and headed back up to a trail camp we found on the ridge above the dome. Still fantastic views of everything, but we didn't have to haul our packs and gear down and then back up. One word of caution to those planning an overnight trip to North Dome, there is no water within a mile. You need to pack in water.

A breezy afternoon turned into a calm and perfect evening, barely a breeze and a clear night. Shutters were clicking all around our campsite. The sunset wasn't as spectacular as I was hoping but it was special. The stars were incredible and after draining my camera battery, I hit the sleeping bag under the stars (no tent for this trip). I kept waking up that night, not because I had trouble sleeping, but because I couldn't keep my eyes off the sky. Morning was just as nice. I worked on draining another battery on the sunrise, packed the packs and then were back on the trail before 8am.

The route back quickly descended on a granite trail and into a forest filled with Red Firs. It was more lush than the route from the trailhead and I thoroughly enjoyed the stroll through that part of the forest. We crossed a dry Arch Rock Creek and made it to Lehamite creek for a needed refill of our water bottles. After the creek, the trail back takes a sharp right. The marker is easy to miss (right Tony and Rafael?), you have to look back and to the right to pick up the route. There are a number of nice established trail camps here near the creek.

Remember that paraphrased quote I mentioned? Well here is where it really came into play. The first part of the trail was a gradual climb including a section through a nice meadow filled with ferns, corn lilies and other wildflowers. After that meadow it's a steep grade and a good push back to the four way trail junction. Getting back to the trailhead seemed longer, but we eventually made it and headed back to the Bay Area.

In a little more than 24 hours we hiked a great loop trail, saw some incredible sites, had lots of laughs and experienced the best night ever sleeping under the stars. I strongly encourage you to get out to North Dome and Indian Rock. It is a popular but less crowded destination and definitely a must do hike. I would rate the difficulty level of the hike a 7 (mostly because of the last steep section and length as a day hike).

Below is the track on a Google Map. You can view my preliminary trip report on Trimble Outdoors. You can also view more photos from the trip on my SmugMug photo gallery.

On the edge at North Dome

Our campsite on a ridge above North Dome

Sunset shades of Yosemite Valley

I love star trails. This is a 5 minute exposure. The focal point is the North Star.

Morning view of North Dome and Half Dome

A San Francisco Gem - Crissy Field to Baker Beach

A few weeks back I managed to get out and explore more parts of San Francisco. What started out as a straight photography trip turned into a great little hike featuring lots of wildflowers, the Golden Gate Bridge, Civil War gun mounts and a great beach.

My photography buddy Tony and I headed out with a plan to get shots of the Golden Gate bridge and then at the San Francisco Zoo. What started out as a foggy and overcast day in the east bay, turned into a beautiful sunny day by the bay. We ended up at Crissy Field, found a parking spot and grabbed our cameras headed to Torpedo Wharf for our first views of the Bridge.

Wanting more, we located the trailhead to the California Coastal Trail and headed up for more views of the iconic golden gateway to the bay. The trail up is moderately steep, but within minutes hikers are treated to full displays of wildflowers and more spectacular views of the Golden Gate bridge and the City by the Bay.

Still wanting more, we continued along the trail and came across Battery East (above), one of several Civil War (and later) battlements and ammunition caches created to defend the SF Bay. Part of the trail actually goes through a small tunnel with a very low clearance (good thing I'm short). Further along is the main tourist vista area for the southern view of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Still not satisfied we decided to check out the view from the "other side" and followed the trial below the bridge and on the west side. More batteries and gun mounts are along the trail. We saw the trail marker indicating that Baker Beach 1.0 mile and decided to go for it! The hike to Baker Beach was a good hike on a very well maintained trail with a mix of blacktop paths and dirt and sandy trails.

Once the trail hits Lincoln Blvd, there are two options to the beach, the longer, but more gradual descent to the main parking area or the steep and surprisingly fun Sand Ladder (right). Guess which route we took. The Sand Ladder was a series of small diameter logs (about 8") connected together with cables and then laid down the moderately steep sandy hill to provide stair type steps. Very cool!

The hike from Crissy Field to Baker Beach is an easy to moderate hike with some elevation gain and loss. It is a must do venture that can be done anytime of the year, but best in the morning hours to avoid the wind and fog. However, the view of the Golden Gate Bridge and Marin Headlands from Baker Beach on a clear evening can be stunning. Parking at Crissy Field fills up quick and can be tough to find at peak times.

The hike is about 3 miles round trip. I had technical difficulties with my GPS and did not get a good track of this trail (my bad!). I will attempt to recover the trail and post it if I am able. Your comments and questions are welcome!

More photos from this trip, including the San Francisco Zoo, can be found at my SmugMug Gallery.

View Crissy Field to Baker Beach in a larger map

Baker Beach and the Golden Gate Bridge

Bumble bee collecting pollen from a yellow Bush Lupine

Great views of the Golden Gate bridge from the "outside"

Golden Gate Bridge and Fort Point near the south view vista