In case anyone was wondering, I just called to confirm the bear canister requirement in the winter and they said that canisters are not required at Dewey Point. Per the Superintendent's Compendium on the website:

"An exception to the above requirements is granted for winter use in designated areas within Yosemite Wilderness. Overnight visitors using skis or snowshoes in the following areas are not required to store food in bear resistant food canisters: 1) above 7200 feet in elevation or 2) above 6800 feet and within a ½ mile of a marked ski trail. Overnight visitors are required to hang their food to protect it from wildlife. The winter use exception is in effect from December 15th of each year until March 30th the following year unless otherwise designated by the Superintendent."

Anyone bringing Altai Hok's to this... ? I'm curious to see them in action. :)
No place here in the Bay Area to rent them yet, the nearest being Truckee ...

-mox

As a winter camping newbie, I could use a little shelter advice for this trip. My options are an MLD Duomid, Big Agnes Copper Spur UL3 or REI Arete ASL 2. I'd love to bring the Duomid, but I recently got it off gear swap and it literally just arrived yesterday, so I haven't been able to practice setting it up at all, let alone on snow. Then again, it seems like there will be plenty of experienced people there this weekend that could help me make sure it is set up properly.

If I go the tent route, the Copper Spur would be preferable since it's 1+ pounds lighter. Do you think this will be fine based on the forecast mentioned above? Or does it make more sense to just go with the Arete, which has solid fabric all the way up and seems like it would handle any potential snow better?

Edited by csteutterman on 01/08/2013 17:56:38 MST.

Well, you're going up on Saturday just like I am. I'm taking a mid (GoLite SL3.) I have never set it up in the snow.

That said, having set it up previously, they're pretty stupid-simple. Stake out 1-2 points, raise the center post, hold tension while you stake out the rest ... then just tighten/adjust as needed .. just gotta let the stakes set before tensioning.

Of the two tents you posted either one should work. It's going to be stupid-cold but not much snowfall to worry about for loading, so you may want to forego the mesh/mid and go double-wall.

I believe that there is enough snow for a snow-cave/quinzee, which will be warmer than anything else. (I've never built one, so we'll see ... will have the SL3 set up long before I try. :)

Weather forecasts generally show between 5-6F at night, with one site giving -2F at 4am. A snowcave/quinzee is supposed to keep you right around 32F ... a huge difference. We'll see if we get up there in time to play around and have time for it to set. :)

-mox

Hi All,

I am heading to the valley tomorrow morning. I plan on taking the shuttle up to Badger Pass on Friday so I will be at the trailhead around 9:30 or 12:00 depending on how my morning goes. Looking forward to seeing you all there!

@Chris

A floorless pyramid (with groundsheet) makes a great shelter in the snow. Even if you don't practice pitching it at home, pyramids are so easy to pitch I doubt you'd have to fiddle with it for long. I'll be pitching a mid, not sure who else but like you said, there should be plenty of folks around who can steer you in the right direction. Edit to add: the main thing (you may not have considered with the pyramid being new to you) you don't want to have trekking pole failure, take a reliable set of poles if you depend on them to pitch shelter.

A tip: Use snow stakes, they just make getting set up a little easier/quicker. If you don't have or can't get some, the longest Easton stakes you can find will be next best. If you don't have any long ones, the 6" ones can be slightly buried for better hold... but getting them out the next day may be an exercise in frustration, even with a shovel

Edited by JacobD on 01/08/2013 21:27:13 MST.

Post pics when you get there, if you have signal, so those of us coming up a bit later know what we're getting into ... :P

-mox

Hi!
I'm new here, but have been using info from the forums for a while.

Anyway, is there more room on this trip? Have plenty of backpacking experience but none in snow and this sounds like a great time to start.

The latest forecast is calling for the last snow showers to be on Thursday, with a clear and cold weekend. Temps look like as low as 3 F.

Jack glad you can make it. You have been added to the unofficial list.

@ Kat - Brrr. That is a cold forecast. This may turn out to be the coldest weather I have experienced.

Jack and Mike, you guys are welcome to carpool with Chris and I if you'd like. We are leaving early Saturday morning. Chris is taking BART from SF to Dublin and I'm picking him up there at 6:50 AM.

Andrew

What are the best foods to bring, other than they be high caloric, given that we could stay below freezing the entire time?
I think shovels will be a good tool to bring, even just for staying busy and warm. Are most people bringing some kind of shovel?

I'm bringing a snow-shovel.

If you don't already have your Cal Campfire Permit for 2013 you can get it online at:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/sequoia/passes-permits/?cid=fsbdev3_059516

Rick

"If you don't already have your Cal Campfire Permit for 2013 you can get it online"

A California campfire permit is irrelevant in Yosemite National Park.

--B.G.--

California Campfire Permits are only for national forests.

You need them on BLM land, too.

While Yosemite sits within a national forest (Stanislaus), Yosemite proper is a park and it is not needed within those boundaries.

-mox

"While Yosemite sits within a national forest (Stanislaus), "

Mike, this is not accurate.

Yosemite sits adjacent to Stanislaus N.F., but also to Toiyabe N.F. and Sierra N.F.

--B.G.--

You are correct, suh!

http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/upload/yose_guide_map.pdf

I thought Stanislaus completely surrounded Yosemite, and the others bordered Stanislaus .... thanks for correcting!

-mox

I'm bringing a snow shovel too.

As far as foods go, mostly just the usual dehydrated meals for me. No Cliff bars or the like. Kind bars, Frontier Bites, Honey Stinger waffles. I'm sleepin with a couple of things to keep them from freezing... including my camera batteries :)

Camp fire permit - You don't need one for inside the park. I should have stated that.
I posted that because it's the start of the year and you will need it for other trips.
I happened to pull mine today so it was on my mind. I guess I could of started a new thread. Sorry about any confusion!
Rick