Winter Badge -- Yosemite Valley -- Day 3

Lone Oak in the Meadow

Monday was characterized mostly by snow. It was all snow, all the time. Sunday night's dumping, snow all Monday, and snow all of Monday night, and well into Tuesday. Snow fell from the sky in huge 2" diameter clumps, drifting in the sky even before hitting the ground. Literally, several feet of snow fell. Roads closed, Badger Pass was a "total whiteout," according to one gentleman I met, everyone scrambling to get out of the valley in the morning, and looking for shelter later in the day.

Shuttle Bus Front Window


Snow Covered Pines


Yosemite Oak

Photography was hard, if not impossible, driving was still possible, if I could have gotten out of my parking spot. My truck was pretty much buried, so I rode the shuttle or walked everywhere. I took a hike in what I think was Leidig Meadow. It's not that I don't know where I was it just isn't clear which meadow I was in from looking at the map. I started at the Village and walked across the meadow to the river and then back across to Yosemite Creek and Falls. I carried my snowshoes in the Nashbar Backpack Pannier with the camera in the waterproof drybag, and used them a few times to stomp around in the meadow.

Nashbar Waterproof Pannier Double Duties as Daypack

They plow the bike paths around the valley and the sound of little Bobcat snowplows destroyed whatever calm or serenity the meaodow may have had to offer .

Meadow Close-Up


Me, At the Falls


Yosemite Creek


Yosemite Creek


Near Lower Yosemite Falls
Eventually, I made my way back to camp, to find my tent buried in the snow.

Camp

The Storm Begins -- Yosemite Valley -- Day 2

Sunday morning was innocuous enough, quiet, calm even. Even the most conservative of weather reports had to acknowledge the winter storm advisory for the Sierra Nevada. As the day progressed, the sky hung more ominously in the valley. Jim left, and I thought about it. By early afternoon it was snowing. By evening, it was undeniable, snow, and lots of it. In the morning Jim and I looked over the area around El Capitan Meadow. Despite being interested in a group of Oaks I had seen the night before, The light was wrong and I ended up focusing my attention on a burn in the west end of the valley.

Fire Damage

Black Oaks

Don't Eat Human Food
For lunch I went to Degnan's and grabbed a sandwich. I spent some part of the day finding stuff like gloves and a map.

The sign on the table says something fascinating about our dietary choices. If you just imagine people in the place of "wildlife" this gets a bit more interesting. If we ate better, maybe it wouldn't be so dangerous for the wildlife to eat it.

The Lodge

Ahwahnee Meadow

Ahwahnee Meadow
I went to the Ahwahnee for Chili in the early afternoon and walked back via the valley loop trail. Beyond that I spent some time tightening up my gear and preparing for a cold snowy night. I went back over to the Lodge to see the Cajun band that had played the previous night (you remember the picture of the guy playing the washboard tie with spoons) and to carbo load before retiring to my tent.

The First Snow Falls
By the time I got back to my tent the storm had evolved to a raging howl above the tree tops, none of which could be felt on the valley floor. Snow fell in clumps and the wind kept me awake. I had to wake and clear snow off my tent more than once.
During the night something or someone collapsed on my tent, making me fear that I was really about to be crushed, leading my to scream and shout. When I was able to evaluate the tent -- everything was normal, so I suspect I dreamt that, but it seemed so real, that I wonder. Did some crazy camper trip over my tent while wondering around in the dark?

Uh-oh

The wind howled and I slept roughly, snow fell, but I was dry and fairly warm. The coyotes woke me in the early morning with a crazy song.

Big Winter, Tiny Tent

Camp 4, Yosemite Valley, Day 1

Yosemite Falls,
It started innocently enough -- Jim Fitzgerald and I decided to meet during the trip last week to Joshua Tree to meet in Yosemite Valley and stay at Camp 4 for the weekend. Reports of snow seemed exaggerated, and the price for Camp 4 makes it attractive.

Bear Danger!
Camp 4 is quite famous and historically famous, both for myself and for the outdoor humanity. "On February 21, 2003, Camp 4 was listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its significant association with the growth and development of rock climbing in the Yosemite Valley during the 'golden years' of pioneer mountaineering".[1] In the spring of 1974 I was drenched in a plastic tent just before the snowfall dropped below the valley floor, and was forced to abandon my spring break trip due to risk of hypothermia. This represents one of my early failures at camping, of which I was reminded for years by my family.

At Camp 4 on Valentine's Day
The weather on Saturday was pleasant with drifting clouds warning of an upcoming storm. We wandered around the valley in the afternoon, taking stock of the place and looking for good photo opportunities.

Storm Warning
Later we hiked up to Lower Yosemite Falls and Jim set up his 11" x 14" to capture an oak tree. The Yosemite black oak is currently starring in a recovery effort on the valley floor, which I managed to avoid reading about. Jim's interest is merely photographic, I suspect, he's looking for an increase in value range to help his carbon printing effort.
The Valley Loop trail and the hike to Lower Yosemite Falls are populated by a few hundred thousand (not really) mule deer, so we saw a few.

Two Bucks

Lookin' Up

Lower Yosemite Falls

Near the Falls

Jim with Homemade 11 by 14 View Camera

Yosemite Creek
At the end of the day we found this sight, which seems really cliché. In February it's commonly understood that El Capitan will light up in a blaze of orange at about 4:00 P.M. But not on Saturday.

A Small Amount of Fog

...

I was in yosemite for a few days. ...

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I've Been to the Desert ...

It snowed, which was nice.

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To Hell in a Hand Basket ...

... whatever that means. I am starting to sell stuff. I never do that. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250364969103 -- the Selle Italia Trimatic road saddle, for sale now!.

Today's Ride

24.8 miles ... from San Mateo up Parrot, then over to Polhemous on Acension. Following the Ralston trail to Canada Road, then Woodside to Whiskey Hill, down Sandhill to Elcamino then a couple of miles south. Drive back to San Mateo.

Mike's Bikes in Palo Alto was totally Johnny on the Spot fixing a broken spoke at 10 on a Sunday morning.

I carried the camera the whole way but never stopped to take any pix.

In the Absence of Running Water ...

Polaroids, Contact Prints and Other Small Works.

Whatever that means. I am working on a show. 20 photos or so in black and white.

In my early life there were Polaroids, later, when I was grad school I met a woman from the desert, who had a thing for Polaroids. She took me to the desert and helped me to see it's richness, taught me to find life there, water there; I found myself there more often than not.

Later, I was in the Grand Canyon and Jack Dykinga was calling me "Roid Man," because I was taking all these Polaroids.

Years passed. A $15 dollar Polaroid camera and a passion for the desert grew. It turned into a fourbyfive and better Polaroids. Now, I am sorting through them looking for a show.

And testing out titles ...

First Aid Kit

I recently completed a ten day Wilderness First Responder (First Aid) course, during which I learned a variety of important things and received 2 different first aid certifications, bringing my total to 3. I have a workplace first aid (CPR, First Aid for Adults and AED), during the course I received an American Heart Association certificate in CPR and Basic Life Support for Health Care providers, and a Wilderness First Responder certification, which meets the standard set by the Wilderness Medicine Institute.

So I thought maybe I should look over some of the first aid kits around and try to make one that would be pretty comprehensive, just in case I need to (try to) save anyone.

I started with a National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) First Aid Kit from the American Red Cross:

5 packs of Antiseptic Wipes
5 packs of 1 fl oz Triple Antibiotic Ointment
2 packets of Hand Sanitizer (0.9 fl oz)
2 packets of Hydrocortisone Ointment (1 fl oz)
10 .375" x 1.5" Adhesive Bandages
25 .75" x 3" Adhesive Bandages
15 Adhesive Bandages-1" x 3"
5 Adhesive Bandages-1.5" x 1.5"
3 Adhesive Bandages-2" x 4.5"
3 Fingertip Adhesive Bandages
3 Knuckle Adhesive Bandages
2 Bandage Dressings-5" x 9"
1 Bandage Gauze Rolls-2"
1 Bandage Gauze Rolls-3"
2 Triangular Bandages 42" x 42" x 59"
5 Gauze Pads 3" x 3"
5 Gauze Pads 4" x 4"
1 Adhesive Tapes 1" x 10yds
1 CPR Breathing Barrier
1 Adult Emergency Blanket
1 Red Cross First Aid Guide
2 Pairs of Gloves, Non-powdered Latex-Free, size: large
1 Scissors, Pointed, metal
4 Thermometers, Disposable, Oral, Non Mercurial
1 Tweezers (Metal)
2 Aspirins, 81 mg each
1 Bio Hazard Waste Bag
1 Instant Ice Pack
1 No. 2 Pencil with eraser
1 Emergency Contact Card

In all fairness to the kit. It's pretty good, if you're in a playground in an urban area. If you're in the wild though, it might prove difficult with this kit. So I added:

2 Sam Splints
1 Trauma Pad
1 Ace Bandage with velcro closure
1 Trauma Shears
1 12 cc. Irrigation Syringe
1 Yellow Duck Tape
12 Ibuprofen
12 Aceteminophen
12 Naprosyn
12 Aspirin
1 Note Pad
2 Liquid Glucose (96 calories each)
1 Honey Stinger Gel (120 calores)
12 Dulcolax Laxative
1 Sanitary Napkin
1 Black Permanent Marker
3 Safety Pins
1 Package of Certo™ Liquid Pectin
1 Flashlight
1 Roll of Adhesive Tape
2 After Bite Towelettes
1 Qiuk-Clot Sport Clotting Sponge
1 Benzoin Tincture
2 Benedryl Tablets 25 mg.
10 Benedryl Strips 25 mg.
1 Fake Moleskin
9 Corn Cushions
1 Watch with a Sweep Second Hand
1 Gatorade Powder

Just for completeness, if I were employed by a company and/or had a medical advising physician, I might have epinephren and some antibiotics included in my kit, but a Wilderness First Responder can't administer any of these in most states without a well defined protocol and a prescribing advisor.

Needless to say, it no longer fits into the neat little bag. Additionally, it weighs 4 lbs. plus, so it's great for boating, or riding around in a truck, but is a bit heavy for backpacking. I'll be working on the weight of it, and working on a reduced list of items for backpacking.

This assumes a certain amount of other gear will be available for evacs (like a folding saw, or a section of rope, or some paddles, poles, or skis ...), and tasks like sterilizing water, and that someone (hopefully me) knows what to do with all of it.

Toenails, and Other Missing Stuff

I guess I never actually posted about my 12-15 mile hike in the Superstitions on 12/30 last year. The happy hiking guy and I and his wife walked around Weaver's Needle from the Peralta trailhead. In a day -- for like 12-14 miles total.

I had a black and blue toenail after that -- which fell off. Yesterday. I love it when that happens.

Enjoy.

Image of the Canyon

This is a 4" x 5" Polaroid taken during my 2003 Grand Canyon trip. It is untouched-up so you might detect a few minor flaws.