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   My wife and I had planned on hiking Yosemite this week (Half-Dome, Yosemite Falls) but it is 17 degrees right now and underneath four/ten feet of snow!  So we are doing the PCT and rock climbing at Joshua Tree  Anyone like to share their experiences, advice????

John Kehoe and I hiked half dome before we got married (to our wives, not each other).  Living at Steve Iron's house, we used to go out to Joshua Tree to camp. I remember when I was turned into my sleeping bag and Steve and Lee found some star in a telescope and they began hooping and hollering and woke the whole camp.  Fun times, though.

No advise, though.  I do short hikes locally in the Appalachian Mountains, but tend to vacation in hotels.

We just got back from the PCT in San Diego (We stayed in Julian.) It was great! 80 degrees in the desert, we both are sunburnt. We are now heading out to Joshua Tree and do some rock climbing! I remember a Labor Day weekend I spent with a group of saints at Joshua tree, Gary Halverson and his wife, Mary Turner, Clarence Thompson, Marcos ??? Last Name???  It rained the whole time. I remember waking up with 6 inches of water on my side of the tent.  I remember us trying to cook our food under umbrellas!!!  Gary kept saying stuff like "isn't it great how the Lord let it stop raining for ten minutes last night!"  That's when his wife hit him over the head with the skillet!!!

http://pcta.stli.com/photos.asp?section=California

Dave have you read, "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson???  It is his account of walking the whole length of the Appalachian. It is filled with interesting facts about the history, geography, etc.. of the trail along with his extremely funny wit. LOL :D :D

I've seen it in lots of shops here since we are right by the Appalachian trail.  I've only read (or more exactly listened to as abook on tape) his Notes from a Small Island.

  The guy is not your average naturalist. He ends up hiking the trail with "kats" an extremely overwieght unemployed alcoholic. Together they are quite the comedy team.

Bryson is good.  He became very popular by combining good travel writing with almost-Dave-Barry-like comedy. 

  I got back from Joshua Tree late Tuesday.  The South end is filled with wildflowers!!  We did some real fun climbs! (Pam's first time!)  I had a hairy experience (going up is a lot easier then down.) I went up a particular rock between a 3-4 foot area. I used the "Brace the back against the wall method" (see Hilary Step) while going upward 15-20 feet.  No problem!!  Yet coming down I noticed the drop!! (Didn't see it it going up!)  Funny feeling! adrenaline "ice cold" rush through my inwards!  Right about now I recall the Nightline documentary about the guy who got pinned down while hiking and had to cut off his... O.K. Dave pull yourself together! But the feeling of relief afterwards made it all worthwile!  (Who needs drugs!)

 http://www.vertical-adventures.com/gallery/

  Dave tell me about half-Dome?  What do you think about these guys?

 http://www.terntec.com/hiking_half_dome.htm

Half Dome looks like a beautiful place, God has made so many wonderful things.

A view of Half Dome from the other side:

360 degree view from Glacier Point (http://www.yosemitepark.com/ahwahnee360.cfm?mv=glacierpoint&res=l&sectionID=45&pageID=579)

(The plus key on the keyboard zooms in, and minus zooms out.)

http://www.yosemitepark.com/

Glacier Point is much easier to get to than Half Dome: you can just drive up there.

Years ago, I hiked the trail from Tuolumne Meadows down Yosemite Falls.  Actually, there wasn't much of a trail.  Every once in a while we would see a stack of three stones which were set up to indicate that we were still going in the right direction.

John Kehoe and I hiked it in two days though I think it could be done in one.  You start at Happy Isles, hike past Vernal falls and then Nevada falls.  Somewhere past Nevada falls, there is a primitive camp with bear boxes where we left our backpacks. 

I think it was the next day that we got up and went the rest of the way to half dome with daypacks, came down, broke camp and hiked back down to happy isles.

The portion to Vernal falls is hundreds of stone steps (though you could take an alternative horse trail which is dirt switchbacks).  You hike past the falls and get sprinkled.  Between Vernal falls and Nevada, it is more of a trail.

The last part of half dome is going up the cable ladders on the back of it.  I don't remember that part being too bad.  Once atop, it is the size of a football field and, of course, you have a great view of Yosemite valley.

One thing, of course, if that they don't let you go up if there are any clouds in the sky.  The place is legendary for getting hit by lightning.

I remember when we got to the bottom of the trail, we were exausted and decided to eat at the restaurant instead of making dinner.  (Of course, we weren't necessarily in the best shape).  It was well worth the effort and remains a real high point in my memory.

   Thanks,  I just watched the California Gold "Half-Dome Hike" episode with Huel Howser.  Do you get this program????

Probably not.  Unless it is on PBS.  We have basic cable so we pretty much get television for idiots.

  I hope we are in good enough shape by July to do it in one day. Have you ever been to Toulumne meadows??? I have driven the Tioga Pass and seen some beautiful countryside but never stopped to hike. Some people feel it is better than the valley.  John Muir wrote volumes on it.

Yes, I believe John and I went there too.  Also, I went as a child.  My family went to Yosemite every summer for nine years starting in 1964 (I remember the old fire falls).

My wife made our reservations yesterday at the Wawona, July 9th and 10th (Our first anniversary). We plan on doing the Yosemite Falls on the 9th take a rest and do half dome Monday/Tuesday.  Oh, boy I can't wait!!!  Dave what is camping at Half Dome like?  Do I need  a permit?  What should I look out for?  Take?   :D

  http://www.nationalparkreservations.com/wawona.htm

Today we hiked the PCT up in the San Gorgonio Pass.  It is the place just off the 10 next to the Mesa wind farm. Just south we could see snow on the mountains yet we were in the 85 degree desert. To the right is a place called Palm Spings Village. It's gotta be the worst place to live because of the constant wind blowing through the pass. Yet we saw lots of new homes going up!!! YUK!

 I Just finished a hike on the PCT in the San Jacinto Mountains. (Idyllwild) (note: the Palm Springs Tram) Thursday evening I looked up to see a 6 point buck looking down at me with the sun setting behind him. Reminded me of Hartford Insurance. If you enjoy a strenuous hikethis is it! If you start at hwy 74 the elevation moves from 6 to 10 thousand feet! This year I had to lug all of my water! Anyone ever hike it? 

Marc, Despite the draught the temperature was fine, 65 at night, 80 during the day. Low humidity. Where do you live?

http://www.desertmountains.org/