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Yosemite Np

J

JohnC

Ranger
I've made many visits to Yosemite at different times of the year. For the last 6 years (except when they closed the park) I've always gone the first week of May. The waterfalls are flowing and the dogwoods and redbuds are blooming. It's a very beautiful time to visit.

Unfortunately, this year the dogwoods got hit with a short, April cold snap that briefly brought snow and effectively killed off the buds for the season. It was quite disappointing. But a trip to Yosemite is always an amazing pleasure and this year was no different. I had previously always camped in Upper Pines. This year I decided to try Lower Pines. Anywhere in the park is well worth staying, but I really liked Upper Pines and will probably go back there in the future.

This year turned out extra special. The day before I was leaving I found out that Glacier Point Road would be open to bicycles only, the day I was getting there. Normally, they open the road to bicycles only, the day before it opens to the public each spring. But when they closed it last winter, it was to remain closed for the next two years in order to do some long overdo maintenance. So, it was quite the surprise to find they were still having a bikes only weekend.

It was also a great time to live on the edge with my relatively new ebike! I knew the road was 32 mile RT, but I really didn't know just how much climbing was involved. So, how long was my battery good for? Who knows. I've never done that many miles and climb on one battery before. I had done that many miles with about half the climb and had "some" battery left. What I did know was that pedaling a 53 lb bike uphill with no motor is no fun at all. And this was not a place to get stuck miles from the car. But I very judiciously managed my power and took note of the stretches of up and down. I could always turn around early if need be. Ultimately, the battery died on the very last climb coming back. Once cresting the last hill, I had 5 miles of all downhill back to the car. And boy, did I need it! For those who are looking to do it in the future, it was exactly 31.6 miles and 3500 feet of climb. I'll add that my ebike is Class 1, pedal assist only. No throttle. No free rides. If I don't pedal, it don't go!

My first morning in the park I went down to photograph El Capitan. I actually managed to see a bear on the other side of the Merced River from where I was. Unfortunately, he patiently waited for me to change lenses and then scampered off before I could even get one shot. Disappointing but ultimately it led to another opportunity.

With no dogwoods and no clouds forecast for a few days, I decided to play a longshot. I went back a couple of days to where I had seen the bear my first morning. It was quite the longshot that he would reappear but I was running out of options. This time I brought my "wildlife" gear only, and was ready for a bear encounter. I never did find the bear, But the second day back I managed to find a couple of BASE jumpers who had just launched from El Capitan. With the right lens I was actually able to get a few shots of them descending down in front of El Cap. For the record BASE jumping is illegal in any national park and I'm in no way condoning it. But if you're standing there with a camera and it happens in front of you, by all means go ahead and photograph it. ;-)

Here's a few photos...

I couldn't get maintenance to come trim the trees or else I would have had an awesome view of Half Dome from my site.

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It's absolutely amazing to be the only person standing at Glacier Point and taking in the view.

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The day after a tough bike ride calls for a nice afternoon nap!

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Yosemite Falls from out back of the Ahwahnee Hotel.

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I really love this up close and personal view of upper Yosemite Falls. The power of the water is just amazing to see.

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Many climbers take a few days to climb El Cap. Now that's a campsite with a view!

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Here comes the BASE jumper.

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The only evening with clouds. I was hoping some color would show up, but alas, there was none.

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I decided to get up with the roosters on my departure day. I took a quick loop of the valley and was able to park anywhere. Tourists don't usually get out before about 10:00. If you really want to see things without the crowds get out early!

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Stunning. The beauty that God has made for us!!!

Ebikes are game changing toys, aren't they? We use ours in flatlands....folders with 20 inch wheels -- May be really good at climbing, I just don't feel like stressing them that much so we stick to flatlands.

Maybe if I were more confident in my own strength...dead pedling a 40 pound bike....no thanks. Plus, ours are folders so the wheels are tiny --- every ride is very technical...have to pay attention at every moment beucase the small wheels are twitchy!!!
 
Warren Mary Ellen said:
I’ve driven that road once. It was thirty years ago & since I started riding I’ve thought it would be a good cycling route. I’m close to the SC/NC mountains & get up there when I can to ride.
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The road itself is pretty crappy. Not as noticeable in a car as on a bike. But it is part of the reason they are closing down for two years to re-do it all. There will also be new plumbing involved as there is the ski lift about five miles into the drive, and a small little shop and bathrooms at the very end point. I've heard they had utility issues involving heat and water out there.

That said, it is a great opportunity to be able to ride it without cars. You couldn't pay me to ride it when open to cars.

They also have a bikes only day when they open 120 (Tioga Rd) every spring. That is the eastern entrance to the park which starts in Lee Vining and comes out all the way on the western side of the park. Taking that all the way to the valley is about 50 miles one way. And that road is also quite bad. It's narrow, lots of cracked asphalt, and absolutely no shoulders. Some of the drop offs go straight down and you would not survive a fall. It's insanity to ride that with cars (and oversized RVs) but there are folks who do.

What I have ridden though, is the first 12 miles from Lee Vining up to the park entrance gates. That's an all uphill ride that is really nice. A little over 3,000 feet of climb. I stopped there on a last minute decision when driving back from Oregon where I had been on a week long group bike tour. No ebike for that one!

Tioga Pass from Lee Vining Mobil Station

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I knew the cars would tough much of the year and of course winter you would not be able to do it. Living in SC, trains you for not having shouders on roads although not a lot of sheer cliffs to go off of. The Great Smokey Mountains NP has a couple of car free mornings in the Cades Cove area. You would need either a Mtn bike or a gravel bike for it. It is beautiful though and the full loop is 11 miles. The roads in the GSMNP would be great riding, but too much car traffic much of the year. There is no admission fee to enter the park so of course lots of people do.

A lot of the climbs in SC are really on escarpments, so they are pretty steep in spots with a lot switchbacks. Road condtions can be dicey so that eliminates some. NC is better if you get up there and on a weekday, you'll have the Blue Ridge Parkway to yourself.
 
Yosemite valley is disappointing in that they only have bike trails on the east third or so of the valley. The whole valley is only 7 miles long and a mile wide. But for some reason, the only trails that reach from one end to the other are hiking only. The paved roads can be ridden but I've not been comfortable riding them given that tourists are gawking and looking everywhere except the road.

I recently replaced the bike in the photo above with a "gravel" bike. I was amazed how similar a gravel bike is to the current so called endurance road bikes. My intent is to ride on the road 99% of the time. But the gravel bike is so much more comfortable and isn't noticeably less efficient than the old road bike.
 
JohnC said:
Yosemite valley is disappointing in that they only have bike trails on the east third or so of the valley. The whole valley is only 7 miles long and a mile wide. But for some reason, the only trails that reach from one end to the other are hiking only. The paved roads can be ridden but I've not been comfortable riding them given that tourists are gawking and looking everywhere except the road.

I recently replaced the bike in the photo above with a "gravel" bike. I was amazed how similar a gravel bike is to the current so called endurance road bikes. My intent is to ride on the road 99% of the time. But the gravel bike is so much more comfortable and isn't noticeably less efficient than the old road bike.
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Which gravel bike did you get, John?
 
SLO Camper said:
Which gravel bike did you get, John?
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The Trek Checkpoint SL6 eTap. I love SRAM eTap. Bought it when it first came out to put on the Specialized bike in the photo above. And I'm really loving the 1X. And those gravel tires are so amazingly comfortable. The only "issue" is that the bike is about 5 lbs heavier than my old Specialized. But then I'm even more than 5 lbs up. ;-)
 
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