Yosemite round Thanksgiving 2010 or ??

[donald_weston1]

<p>Have checked with google search but no listings for this specific info. Am going to be in California the week leading up to and including the holiday. Have been to Yosemite twice before years ago and wondered what things would be doable this time of the year. I know the Tioga Pass road most likely will be closed by then, which is unfortunately too bad. Will be heading in from San Francisco area and spending at most two to three nights in park.<br>

Another alternative is just stay on coastal areas and go south to Carmel/ Big Sur area for the same 2-3 nights...have been there also, luckily, but lots to shoot and things are always different, right? comments and suggestions would be appreciated. Is my desire to return to Yosemite over shadowing reality of what there is to shoot this time of year, I mean, fall folliage and waterfalls will be gone by Thanksgiving? Correct? Would I just be better doing in the coast and leaving Yosemite for another time of year down the road.<br>

Thanks for all your great advice...best, Don</p>

[craig_gillette]

<p>You would be past the peak of fall colors and into early winter conditions in Yosemite. We had a camping trip shortened due to fears that high winds in the high country might blow in the valley and there was concern that trees along the river might not handle the winds well so they closed the valley campsites. It was brisk and winds at Tunnel View sprung a door on my truck when it blew out of someone's hand on opening. The ladies decided that resetting up at one of the other sites wasn't promising so we ended up driving back down into the CV and going home. </p>

<p>I don't recall the water conditions but believe there was water flowing in the side falls because of some of the early season storms. Don't remember if Glacier Point was still open or not. I don't know if that's typical Thanksgiving conditions up there or not. If you can get reservations for the lodges or motels nearby, weather probably won't be an issue unless you actually have a storm during the time you would be there. </p>

[famico]

<p>Although I'm a big fan of going to Yosemite, that time of year can be dicey. I remember a trip similar to Craig's, where we stayed just south of Yosemite in mid-November. Things looked fine until that evening when a storm blew in. We had cold rain where we were staying, but as we drove to the park it changed to snow. Conditions were bad enough that most everything in the park was closed.<br>

<br /> Now that may be a rare circumstance at that time of year, but it did happen to us and spoiled our plans. You might want to save Yosemite for a different time of year and explore other options instead. Good luck with whatever you decide, and enjoy your trip!</p>

[jake_burns]

<p>It's certainly not the best time to visit Yosemite, but it could also be quite adventurous photographically. Trust me, there's nothing like being in the Valley during the first snow storm of the year, but you have to get lucky for that.</p>

[craig_gillette]

<p>Don't get me too wrong, the day was sunny and bright, just windy and cold. It's always beautiful in Yosemite. Late October and into November is when California's weather begins to get wet (finally) and winter storms begin to come down from the north and then swing inland. You could just as easily get the same storm system along the central coast. But both are beautiful and offer plenty of opportunities. If it got real bad south of Monterey/Carmel, you'd probably be able get out to the south and return via San Luis Obispo and the Salinas Valley along 101.</p>

[danny_low]

<p>Everything depends on your luck with the weather. Both Yosemite and Carmel will be fine places. Bad weather can actually give you some great photo ops in both places. The difference is if a really bad storm comes in, it can be significantly harder to get out of Yosemite than Carmel. It is not that unusual for a heavy storm to dump enough snow in the Sierras to trap people in Yosemite for a few days. The peak period for big storms is Dec-Jan and this is still an El Nino year. El Nino is an ocean current that brings in exceptionally wet and snowy winters for California when it surfaces. So you will be pushing your luck in Yosemite with a late November trip.</p>

<p>Danny</p>

 

[steven_f1]

<p>Generally Yosemite valley never very rarely closes due to heavy snow. At on 4000 feet what snow they get on the valley floor is generally gone by the end of the day. Use Hwy 140 to get to the park. 120 and 41 get high enough that they might sometimes close due to snowsince hey get up to about 6000 feet. How strong the falls are flowing will depend a lot on how much rain and snow have fallen by then. During a winter storm is in my opinion one of the best times to photograph the valley.</p>

[bikealps]

<p>dicey = good<br>

I have been to Yosemite many times in October, never in November, but I bet trhe photo conditions would be awesome. Please enjoy Yosemite and the Sierras. The high country (Tuolomne Meadows) and Tioga Pass are incredible any time of year... so is Mono Lake on the other side... as is any of the big sierra passes... Kaiser, Sonora, Ebbetts ... I believe there are caltrans websites that can advise you on travel conditions. the dicier it gets, the better your photos will be.</p>

[david_daniel]

<p>To me the most interesting part of Yosemite is the high country around Tualume. It's very unlikely you'll be able to access this area at Thanksgiving time. Alternatively, during Thanksgiving week it will be very crowded in the valley. If I was you I'd stay in the Bay Area. There are gorgeous parks there, lots of old forts, and of course there's the bridges. Golden Gate NRA, Point Reyes National Seashore, the Presidio, the Nike missile site. And there are numerous preserves all over the area. I spent two weeks up there this summer and didn't even explore the City, just spent all my time on the coast. It'll probably be rainy and foggy but to me that's a bonus. Don't miss the historic ranch in the very northern part of Point Reyes. When I was there I saw a probably 100 Tule Elk on my hike and my drive in and out. It's all rather spectacular.</p><div></div>