Need

The pictures I saw seem pretty bad though.

dhuey

Whoa.

As for your room at the Ahwahnee, I doubt that was a servant room. There is lots of housing in the valley for the workers. My guess is that the room was among the least desirable rooms at the property, and they only use it when approaching capacity.

TWills

Summer season may have closed in Yosemite but there is still plenty to do and see. Go when the weather is still warm in fall and you can avoid the crowds that the park is famous for in the summer high season. There’s been some talk of fires there recently but hopefully we have seen the last of them. Check out this article for things to see and do in fall: http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/sto...ings/16319103/

abmj-jr

That last fire reported above was actually pretty small and contained despite the nasty looking smoke plume. They kept it contained in the remote back country and got it out within a couple of weeks.

Fall is roaring in on us and the fall color is perking up in the Valley and on the approaches. A pretty big rain storm is forecast for this weekend and snow may stick down to 6,000 feet or so. This could accelerate the color change but if it is very heavy it could also knock a lot of the leaves off. I was up before sunrise this morning and on my way back down the hill by 9:30 am. Home for lunch. There was a real nip in the air and I needed extra layers and a stocking cap. The seasons they are achangin'.

Here are a few shots from this morning to whet the appetite for fall in Yosemite.

SanDiego1K

Glorious pictures. Thank you.

RTW1

Great shots.... not a time I normally visit, but maybe I should.

365RoadWarrior

I heard that Tioga Pass is closing tonight for the season (until May or June). Let's hope for lots of snow.

abmj-jr

Yes, a storm is rolling in right now and significant snow is expected above 6,000 to 8,000 feet. I am getting pounded with rain, wind and lightning tonight in the Central Valley and that will all hit the Sierra after it passes through here.

I agree, hoping for lots of the white stuff.

abmj-jr

Thanks for the kind words.

365RoadWarrior

Beautiful indeed. (I couldn't see them on my mobile; now I can.)

dhuey

Fantastic photos! Yosemite ranks very high among the world's natural treasures.

yokozuma

What's the best area to stay in Yosemite as a base for 3/4 days to go out exploring?

darthbimmer

That depends on the time of year, the areas you wish to visit (if you know), your tolerance for roughing it, and your budget. Tell us a bit more and we can help you better.

You might also try a search in this forum to see recommendations given to people asking the same question.

dhuey

yokozuma, if you don't know Yosemite well, you could describe the sort of hiking you're interested in doing (arduous, moderate, easy). In all likelihood, I'd recommend either Yosemite Lodge (basic, comfortable) or the Ahwahnee (gorgeous, historic, more comfortable, pricey), depending on your budget. Both are in Yosemite Valley and close to all of the major trail heads.

I'm not a fan of staying in lodging outside of the park or the Wawona, which is almost outside. That adds lots of driving time (30-60 min. each way) every day if you're going to the Valley.

abmj-jr

Thought I'd do one last post to finish out the year, since this thread has been specific to 2014.

As of today, all west-side entrances are open and Yosemite Valley is accessible without tire chains. That was as of my conversation with the entrance ranger at about 4:00 pm. He said they are expecting another storm around or just after the weekend so that may not be true in a week. Time will tell. I found a fair amount of snow along the higher stretches of SR 41 (south entrance from Fresno) but none on the road and little in the Valley. As reported before, Tioga Pass Road (SR 120), Glacier Point Road and the Mariposa Grove of redwoods are all closed for the winter.

Temperatures were comfortable until the sun started going down when it began to get decidedly nippy. After full sundown, it was pretty cold indeed and the only folks left at the Tunnel View Overlook were a few nut-case photographers, shivering behind our tripods while waiting out exposures counted in minutes rather than fractions of same. I actually knew a couple of the other guys. The nut-case world is pretty small.

For now the major waterfalls are again running but all of the fall color is long gone. A little snow remains on the higher Valley walls and a little bit of rime ice can be found in quiet, protected spots on the river. We had a pretty impressive haze/fog bank rising from the water at sunset.

The visit today was quite easy but I recommend checking conditions ahead of time after this weekend. It is almost certain tire chains will be required to be carried in the car and a big snow could trigger requirements that they be installed. Tomorrow should be another nice day to visit.

I got some images of the restarted waterfalls, the misty, ice-rimed river at Gates of the Valley and a long exposure shot from the Tunnel View Overlook well after the sun was gone. Then I came home to thaw out.