2008 Camp Swank
 

Since iSm keeps mentioning that we need a camping thread but does not appear to have created one (what would he have left to bitch about if he did), I have created this thread.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

Though personally this trip in 2007 ended on a particularly sour note for me, the trip as a whole was awesome and enjoyed by most everyone. I am looking forward to releasing my demons and enjoying the 2008 Camp Swank Festival.

Do Jews have some biscuit that they toss into the woods for such an occasion?

I heard iSm suggest that the time we should go will have to be reserved ON Jan 15th, so let's get this hammered out ASAP. Then again, he said May through June, but some swankers will be on a 2-week cruise in mid-to-late May, so we should plan around that, I think.

OK. So, here's the link to the reservation information.

Yeah, ^ that.

I'm already planning to be there either Memorial Day Weekend (it wasn't so bad so long as you didn't show up on Saturday) again or the weekend before. I'm not the one making reservations so I can't say for sure.

Will someone bring a hammock?

Couldn't we just go up and commandeer a few sites - taking them away from some rightful owners?

We could make this the Pirate Swanking! :argghh:

I'll cut and paste this from an old thread this summer about the drive-through we did on the way back from Sacramento:

We found the PERFECT sites at Crane Flat, which is about a 20-minute drive north of the main valley.

The sites shown are 502,504,506,508,and 510, as shown on this map:

http://www.recreation.gov/camping/ma...O&parkId=70930

As you can see from the pictures, there is ample parking, ample bear box space, flat ground, and tons of shade. We checked all the other sites at the campground, and they were on hills and pretty close together. This cluster of sites is perfect for a communal environment, located at the back of the main campground, with site 502 being a great spot for nightly campfires.









We checked a lot of other campgrounds, but they were very crowded with tiny sites.

So, hopefully, we'll find this helpful one day when planning another Swank Camp.

If you're end up planning any any of the three weekends surrounding Memorial Day (the one before, the one, and the one after) it might be best to pick a spot where you can park and then never move your car until you're leaving, definitely so if you end up picking Memorial Day weekend.

Is this Yosemite a popular place to go? If so, maybe we could camp out at Mile Square Park since it is closer.

Yes, camping in Yosemite in Summer is like camping at Disneyland in July. (Not a favorite thing of mine - but I don't care for crowds in National parks.)

I will express tentative interest in this. It will ultimately come down to the dates and the cost.

yeah, that pretty much says it. although Ive got a ton of vacation days accrued now, so whatever works out you can pretty much count me in (barring any unforseens of course)

I'll go as long as CaptJack cooks breakfast. ;)

I have the time, I don't know if I'll be able to take the time. My summer is on hold until we know when our software release is going to happen.

ok, but just recall if you would, Katie did the bulk of the work, buying and prep for that.

I stood around playing with the fire, drinking pirate coffee and occasionally flipped over the chorizo.

Well, we're not talking summer. It's got to be Spring or nothing, if you're with Yosemite newbs.

Otherwise, winter and autumn are the next best seasons. Summer is dead last, but also has certain advantages (the only one coming to mind is that I find the Merced warm enough to swim in).


Of the campgrounds outside the Valley, I'd sooner pick Wolf Creek than Crane Flats - because it encourages visits to Tuolumne Meadow as well as Yosemite Valley via its location between the two (but much closer to the Valley).

I hope i can make it this year!

Me and my failing memory... :(

"Just as long as KatieSue cooks breakfast and CaptJack stands around drinking coffee and flipping things, I'll be in.." :)

I'm in again. With a new and improved tent, chairs and bbq/griddle. As long as ISM still does the dishes ;)

I still have a big ol' tub of Hollandaise sauce mix :evil:

that would be pirate coffee, which was in fact more rum than coffee.

:D

Oooh rum!

Hey, if we wanna have Pirate Camp, you won't hear any objections from me!

I'll second that - there meal was my favorite of all.

As far as dates and details, we can't do Memorial Day weekend, but otherwise I will leave it up to others as to details. I am willing to help, but being a newbie I have no input to offer.

Whatever we do, I hope that Alex is able to make it this time!!!

I second that!

I mean third that.

Well then second that too. You must not work in management. You haven't learned to take credit for other peoples work yet. Besides, they wouldn't have been nearly as good had you not been standing near them.

I'm thinking I'd like to go, but man, my brain barely works a month ahead. I leave it to the better brains here to make decisions, and GD and I will discuss possibilities...

You're the main newb (to my mind) that MUST see Yosemite, or be considered a California traitor!!!

(If CP and GD aren't going this time, I'm really not interested in it being Yosemite ... certainly not Yosemite Valley.)

In any case, I think we should still get a team together to try for Valley ressies on January 15. If we get any, we'll work around it. Memorial Day is out and so are the dates of the Panama Canal Cruise (can someone please provide those). Other than that, mid- April to mid-June dates are ideal.

Cruise dates are May 10th - 25th.

I'm putting my vote in for "earlier the better". I am also a Yosemite newb, but I have no objection to the alternate campsite option.

Heheh, it's looking like most of May is out.


Um, which leads me to wonder ... how are the peeps going on the cruise going to manage camping in the same time period? Is that even possible, or should we really consider one to be exclusive of the other.

I mean, taking the entire month of May out of consideration for the sake of people who would not be able to come camping anyway .... well, it just seems potentially wasteful ... especially considering how hard Yosemite ressies are to come by.


So, for those of you cruising ... could you also get time off in late April, the first week of May, or early June for camping? Or is that a pipe dream?

I'm self-employed, so I make my own schedule. And, I approve my vacation request for camping. ;)

Reservations for April have been available for the last 3 weeks and a quick look suggests that the valley floor campgrounds are already pretty full (the five random sites I just checked only had a few days available and not any consecutive ones).

If I go with my usual group it does look like we'll be there around Memorial Day (May 23-28 is what they're reserving). So if April is full and May is out, if you want to reserve when the next dates open you'll only have the June 1-15 available.

Totally interested but it will depend on the dates locked down. My oldest friend is getting hitched, so I may be camping out in Wisconsin sometime in May. (Camping on the grounds is offered as an alternative to staying in nearby B&Bs.)

Found one major problem with Disneyphile's suggestion: reservations at Crane are non site-specific, meaning we can't guarantee getting the spaces she saw.

I'm going to suggest the weekend of either April 18th or 25th. It looks like we may be able to get sites then at one of the "Pines" sites.

Actually, the 18th has LOTS of availability - more so that the 25th.

But is what Alex says true, i.e., that on January 15, the dates coming open are early June?

I have no problem with early June, btw. But if Alex is right, then April is either gone already, or certainly will be by the time we get our act together.

We have to go for dates that will first and only first become available on the morning we try, with hundreds of other people, to get through to 3 operators in the 3-minute window before all campsites are taken.

It's rough.

Like I said above, there are LOTS of sites available for the weekend of the 18th. Go look at the resie site.

Are the sites that DP recommended available?

The weekend of the 18th is our wedding anniversary, but it is the 11th anniversary, so not that big of a deal. I mean, ANY anniversary is a big deal of course, but as anniversaries go, the 11th isn't one of the major ones.

The 25th is also Coachella weekend

Per Morrigoons post above, at the site Disneyphile suggested you can't reserve a specific campsite just a place at that campground. So we wouldn't be guaranteed together or at those sites.

I must have looked wrongly if there are lots of sites. April 18 would be far enough apart from Memorial Day that I might even be able to join for a weekend only. I wouldn't need to worry about Lani's schedule since there is no way she'll be camping when it is as cold as it can be up there in mid-April (the average is about a high of 49 but last April the 15th was a high of 32).

whoo hoo! real camping!

Reserve-able site IN the Valley proper are Upper Pines, Lower Pines and North Pines - which are all right next to each other.

Other areas OUTSIDE of the Valley are Wawona (about an hour from the Valley), Hodgdon Meadow (off 395/120 and about 1 1/2 hours outside of the Valley and about an 7-8 hour drive up 395/120). The other area is Tuolumne Meadows which is appears is not available at all (and may not be open that early in the year due to road closures and elevation of 8000 feet.)

The Valley is not that bad. I would NOT camp in Tuolumne in April. I camped in August one year and it was 29 at night.

According to weather underground that was the high for the valley floor last April 15 (not that I mind). And when I was there a couple of years ago a week after Labor Day we got snowed on (that made coming down off Half Dome in shorts and t-shirts a lot of fun).

Again, that is not the standard, but people probably need to be prepared for the possibility (nothing sadder than a campsite full of people sleeping in their cars with heaters on) of it being pretty cold.

Are there camping sites available where your vehicle is not within sight of your tent?

Oh yeah, it will be cold in April. I just don't think it will be unbearable during the day. A large fire at night and some warm sleeping bags will be a big help. And lots of lesbian outerwear. ;)

Yes, they are called Backpacking or Wilderness Camps.


Have fun.

IT's called "Riding with me..." :rolleyes:

Well, April may be too early. There's no point in going if the high trails are still closed. That's some of the best stuff.

The prime Yosemite season is very, very short. Especially nowadays with snowmelt getting less and less with each passing year. You want the waterfalls to be glorious, but you don't want a bunch of the best trails and sights off-limits due to snow.

Frankly, it's all about May.


As in MAYbe we should put Yosemite off till next year, when so many people aren't taking a cruise that takes up half of May.


:confused:



(of course, next year more than a few of us will be aiming for Japan in April. You can't win.)

What about Space Camp? :D

One time, in band camp...

yeah right....ONE time

:p

I do agree with you, iSm, about the big trails being closed until May.

But, it also would depend on how long the camp trip would be. If it isn't too long, there is still plenty of hiking, walking, biking to be had.

The days are shorter, though, which on one hand is an excuse for shorter hikes. :D

But, we do go and while the Mist Trail is missed, there is so much else to do.

But, that is me. I prefer the shorter hikes, and, I like it cold so that I am not sweating.

The good thing about waiting, though, is also that more people can go who this year will be cruising.

That is a big :snap: .

Those temps!!!

When is MouseAdventure?

April 13th is MA.

Sadly I'll have to put myself in the "no" category and hope things work out. I'm taking a few days in May to go back to SF, and with our software push I won't be able to get coverage (and they'll want me to actually work at work. The nerve!)

Well, I don't care if the high trails are closed. I wold like Tuolumne to be open, but only because I never get up there any more. Yosemite Valley is a place I've been thousands of times and my brother lives just outside the gates, so it's easy for us to go up any time.

So, whatever works. There's always Kings Canyon.

And Mile Square Park

Mmm...I actually also prefer the high trails to be closed....then no one can guilt me for not going on them....:D

I love to walk. All over. Flat land. Slightly elevated trails. Good times. :snap:

Here's the deal, and it's mine personally. I won't go to Yosemite again with a newbie that I can't introduce to the Mist Trail and the Fissures/Sentinal Dome hike. These are the most beautiful expeditions in beautiful Yosemite, in my most humble but keen-eyed and Yosemite-experienced opinion.

My impetus for doing Camp Swank in Yosemite is to share the glorious Nature Temple with friends, but in large part to make sure that good friends who have never experienced its wonders get to do so at last.

I really have zero interest in a half-hearted stab at that. So if the stuff that, in my blah blah opinion, is not available ... i could not find it in my heart to go with newbies. Also, since the last time I was there myself was in early Spring when these fantastic elements were off-limits, I have no desire to have my next visit there be under the same too-limited conditions.


Again, that's just me.



But if anybody's up for Yosemite in early June, I'm all for that being this year's Camp Swank.


Otherwise, yeah, I also want to camp in King's Canyon. But won't that be too freaking freezing in April anyway?

If we do Kings Canyon, that would be June or even July. It's a ghost town most of the year.

Regarding Yosemite, keep in mind that MANY people would not be able to even handle the Mist Trail. It's a strenuous hike (6 miles and 1000 ft elevation gain) and INCREDIBLY slippery - especially when the water is flowing. You also get soaking wet which is not comfortable in April. I've done it several times and I don't know if I could do the entire hike at this point in my life.

Sentinel Dome is also a difficult 6 miles that, again, not all people would be able to do (not to mention that the starting elevation is 7200 feet). Besides the fact that the Glacier Point road MAY still be closed in April. (I believe they opened early last year.)

Early June in Yosemite sounds great to me.

Or, we could do the Joshua Tree thing in March this year, and save Yosemite for next year...

I suggest lots of vacations in the Netherlands

Joshua Tree's not really a camping thing. (But, ask the mousepod clan, it would be a great thing to rent a house for the weekend and explore. I love Joshua Tree. It's nearby and I intend to go more than once this coming Spring.)


And of course, not everyone would be amenable to every hike in Yosemite. The Fissures/Sentinal Dome hike is a mild hike ... yeah, until the final push up Sentinal Dome ... but I've seen folks of every age, stamina, and build do that hike ... and love it.

The Mist Trail, ditto. Not flat ground, but hardly a mountain climb. Ok, not for everyone. So???


But yeah, the Glacier Point Road closed, the Mist Trail still closed. Yosemite in April is less than ideal (not that I didn't enjoy it ... ask zapppop how i thrilled to finally seeing the dozens of tiny waterfalls that only flow in early Spring. There was nowhere you could go in the entire Valley that did not have at least one waterfall in view. It was like being in Rivendell.)


That said, the big impressive falls, five - count'em - five of 'em - are flowing in June, and I feel the supreme majesty of the Mist Trail and the Sentinel Dome Trail should be available if and when we go ... and that newbies especially should behold these wonders with their own eyes.

June works, that's about when we went camping last year.

Lightweight.

So there isn't any camping out here where the cars are just a bit away, calling for the smallest of hikes. As much as I love cars, they do seem to encroach on that "one with nature" feel when they are 6 feet from your tent.

not when my tent actually sets up in the back of my truck. Im betting they would frown of me driving my tent into the communal area for the night. :P

I agree, but I've never seen a National park with such camping.

National Forests, yes.


It's not that I would be against camping in a National Forest, just that the National Parks have the spectacular stuff that I'm drawn to see for the trouble of camping.

I want both elements. I love our camp life, and would enjoy it if we did it in some nameless forest in the middle of nowhere with nothing around. But I also love the excursions to some of nature's most splended offerings.

I'm sure many of those can be found in National Forests ... but ever since I found out some of our pals who live in California haven't been to freaking YOSEMITE ... I've had a keen yen to remedy that pronto.


Maybe we can invest in a bunch of camoflauge nets and drape them over all the vehicles!!

There are a couple "walk in" campgrounds on the valley floor but they are still pretty much in the thick of things. The most prominent is Camp 4, but while the cars may be farther away the campers are dense enough that you won't be any more likely to feel particularly natural.

On the other hand, it is the primary campground for the mountain climbers so the people watching is pretty nice with very toned bodies and people scurrying around in place people shouldn't be.

Um, ok, I (and undoubtedly others) totally spaced on the January 15th Call-In.


Anyone want to try for the February 15th Call-In??? It would be our one and only shot for Yosemite Valley Campsites this Spring.


Or do we want to take the less hassle (now) route and more hassle (later) route, and simply try for sites outside the Valley?


Is anyone still interested in a 2008 Swank Camp? June 2008. Glorious Yosemite (as seen in Soariin' Over California!)

I'm definately in - just let me know what I can do to help.

not only "yes" but "773H yes!"

althought I should probably wash the dishes from the last camp trip first, huh?

:p

Nah - oh and I have your knife and fork, not sure how I ended up with those. But they are clean.

However, it is the 11th anniversary of our 11th anniversary.

Ken and I are still interested, of course! :)

I'm not exactly sure where we're all headed, but I trust that more specific information on the when, where how and why will come available shortly. I am not certain if I'll be able to come, due to a mid-May family obligation and my current bid to start working at the Park on weekends, but I definitely would love to go!

I've never been to a major state park in CA, including Yosemite. I've never seen a Sequoia tree either (is that even how you spell it?), so wherever we go, should I be able to make it, will be wonderful and amazing for me, I'm sure.

Well, you can see Sequioa trees in Yosemite, as a matter of fact.


The question to determine an answer to in the next few days is if, this coming Friday, February 15, we want to assemble volunteers to man the phone and internet at 9am Pacific Time to try, along with thousands of others, to snag camping reservations in Yosemite Valley (Lower Pines being the prime choice) ... or at one of the other campgrounds outside the Valley (Wolf Creek and Crane Flat being the leading candidates).


Camping in the Valley would be glorious. As I've said before in this thread (and elsewhere), newbies to Yosemite should LIVE in the Valley as their introduction, if at all possible.


HOWEVER, I believe only two Valley campsites can be reserved by any one person. Last year's camping trip required 5. That means it would take two of us the off-chance of both getting reservations, in the same campground, to get 4 sites. Chances of that are slim. The sites would likely not be near each other, much less adjacent. And there would be room for less people than last year.

These are daunting facts, and we may just want to go with the out-of-the-Valley sites where the limitations are far less stringent.

Of those, I'd vote for Wolf Creek. It's about a 20 minute drive to the Valley from there. Closer to Tuolmne Meadows (another beautiful area) than Valley campsites. (It's also closer to a hidden grove of Sequioas, far less touristy than the one near the road at the Park entrance).

Crane Flat is about a 40-minute drive to the Valley, but it's much closer to Glacier Point (a wonderful spot) and to the Taft-Point/Sentinal Dome hike, one of the Park's best adventures.


Oh, the time frame we are looking at now is mid-to late June 2008. On February 15, reservations will open for June 15 thru July 14. Last year's camping trip was the last weekend of June, first of July.


Whether we want to try for Valley sites or not, we need volunteers to launch a coordinated effort at snagging campsite reservations this coming Friday morning, Feb. 15.

You guys probably have already seen this site but I went to it and loved the photos.....

http://www.yosemitefun.com/Yosemite_...rk_camping.htm


And, might be inspiring to those who have not yet been.

We're only available the last weekend of June (I have a shoot and CineGear the previous week), so if that can be considered, then please do. And, if not, then we totally understand, and will reminisce vicariously through the pictures and tales. :)

Are the reservations cancelable? If so you might want to just go ahead and try and book sites, see what you get and then go forward from there.

Well....I don't know if this works with the campsites but when I reserve a room, I like to send a check {or I have in the past}. They say they will hold my reservation for 2 weeks while waiting for the payment.

If this has changed, I don't know. For rooms, they require one night as a down payment. Don't know about campsites.

Hope this helps.

The payments are refundable ... but we'll need a small phone army to try and reserve both Valley campsites and Wolf Creek sites.

I'm in.
But y'all will have to put up with my snoring.
:D

Do we have to stay in a place called Wolf Creek? Wasn't that the name of a horror film?

And no one's brought up our mountain lion defense plan. Someone should come up with something.

Noise usually keeps them at bay. And, being too quiet was certainly not an issue at the last one. ;)

dunno. my money is still on Kevy

OK, we need volunteers for Friday morning.

I know that's the day after Valentines Day. So those without love interests are especially needed. It's got to happen from 8:59 to 10:00 a.m., so we need people who are basically unemployed.


If there's anybody currently this patethic, er -sorry- totally useful to the cause ... please volunteer your services and let us know here in this thread a.s.a.p.

:p

um...rather than scan backwards through this whole thread at work...what is it exactly we'd be volunteering for?

I should be able to pitch in - it's usually quiet here in the morning but I can't guarantee.

Calling and redialing and redialing and redialing ad infinitum the Yosemite Campsite Reservations Line, which opens at 9am on Friday. You and thousands of others will be trying to get thru to a handful of operators. Each minute that passes makes your ultimate success at getting what you want unlikely. Heheh, but eventually you get thru ... and really, we should be able to grab campsites.

Specific information as to how many sites, the dates we want, the number to call, blah blah will be forthcoming in a day or two. But we need as many volunteers as possible. The more people trying, the better our odds of success! MwaHaHa!!

Swanie can help too.

I can't do it, but I will see if GusGus is available.

Is there going to be room service this year?

If you're getting serviced in your room, you can bring your own tent, bucko!

room? only room anywhere nearby was the outhouse...and that was DEFINITELY self serve
:cool:

You know, I'd be glad to do it. I can't foot any cost at the moment (since I am still looking for work), but I have the time, and would be glad to offer my phone calling services. Perhaps we could work something out, if someone trusted me enough with their informations.

Anyhow, just a thought. Let me know...

Well, I'm willing to foot the bill (as I did last time), so I'll let the anyone on the volunteer brigade have my credit card numbers and blah, blah, blah.

How much cost are we talking about, anyway?

Ditto

Here's the link. It looks like the reservations line opens at 7am, which means you don't have to necessarily be unemployed to try and help us get reservations.

Campsites are $20 per day. We reserved 5 last time. Same this time? We did 6 nights last time (even though some people stayed less time). Same this time? If so, the campsite reservations run $600.


Don't let me run the show. Because I will pick Valley campsites and they won't be adjacent. I have heard no input as to whether we should camp outside the Valley and possibly get sites together (though only 4 at a time can be reserved) vs. inside the Valley where only 2 can be reserved at a time.

I know it makes more sense for us to camp outside the Valley, but I still don't want to. So, um, we need to have some other opinions, please.


From the site linked-to above, it appears that - of the outside-the-Valley campgrounds, only Crane Flat accepts reservations. White Wolf, my preferred campground (erroneously referred to as Wolf Creek) is apparently first-come-first-served. I don't think that will work.

The reservations phone line number is (877) 444-6777. This is the site for booking Lower Pines sites (inside the Valley), and this is the site for booking Crane Flat sites (outside the Valley).

I'm not an unemployed, unattached pathetic individual...but as a happily married, stay-at-home Mom I certainly can help :D Can we all IM on Friday to keep up with everyone's progress?

swanie

Oh, the news just keeps getting crappier the more research I do.

Crane Flat Campground is really far from Yosemite Valley. It's just past the Tioga Road (which is the road that actually crosses the Sierra's, and leads to the lovely Tuolmne Meadow). I don't want to camp there. Bah.

White Wolf, the closer campground, does not take reservations.

Lower Pines and the other campgrounds in the Valley will not allow for more than 2 adjacent reserved campsites.



I hate to say it, but Yosemite is going to completely suck for Swank Camp.


But if I don't hear anything to the contrary, my plan is to reserve 4 campsites in Lower Pines, in pairs as close to each other as possible.


If you will recall last years' Swank Camp ... there was the hardscrabble no-man's-land between Upper and Lower Camps (or whatever cool nicknames we had for them). If we're lucky, the distance between our two sets of double campsites would be simiilar.


Here's a map of Lower Pines Camground. The best sites, and those that will go most quickly, are the ones on the outer edges of a loop, near the Merced River. From the looks of it, 36, 37, 38 and 39 would be the prime 4 sites.

17, 18, 19, 20 also look good, though farther apart from each other (but perhaps more individually spacious, who knows?)

Have we ever considered just reserving a group site?

Seriously - the rangers leave you alone more, and there's more room to spread out, noise is not generally an issue since you don't have others around, there are less parking restrictions, more bear boxes, super large firepits than can withstand big fires, and usually a central restroom.

For our Pagan group campouts in the Angeles Forest, it rocked. People could still spread out for privacy, but then commune in one central location. We would have (sometimes topless) drum circles that lasted until 5am, with the night ranger joining in at times. And, we even burned a very large wicker man in the firepit once.

that actually sounds kind of fun. would there be enough attendees to qualify for a group site?

But a group site where? It wouldn't be in Yosemite. The Group campground there is horrible.

hmm...I dont have enough diverse recent camping experience to answer that.

The Valley group site was destroyed by the flooding, there are only group sites outside the Valley.

Some places have minimums and others don't. Most don't care, because you pay a flat rate for the site, not per person anyway.

I'm totally cool with staying outside the Valley, if others are.

From the Yosemite website:

There are four group campgrounds in Yosemite: in Wawona, Tuolumne Meadows, Hodgdon Meadow and Bridalveil Creek. The valley group campground was destroyed in the January 1997 flood. A maximum of 30 people are allowed in each group campsite, and check-in/check-out time is noon.

During periods of peak visitation, all group campsites may be booked early. Make reservations for the Wawona and Bridalveil Creek group camps by writing to: Wawona Group Reservations, Wawona District Office, P.O. Box 2027, Yosemite, CA 95389 no sooner than 12 weeks in advance.

I would rather stay outside the valley in a site where we could spread out and still be communal than trying to shoehorn into several small sites.

I am all for a group site thing! Good idea DP.

I'm cool with staying outside the Valley, but not a million miles outside the Valley. It we're going to camp all the way out by the Tioga Road, we might as well stay at Not Afraid's brother's place in Oakhurst. :p


White Wolf is a workable distance outside the Valley. We can take our chances with first-come, first-served, but I don't think that would get us any closer to four adjacent campsites.

OOOOH!! Check this out:

http://www.evergreenlodge.com/groupcamping.html

Group Camping
The Evergreen Lodge private Group Campground can accommodate groups as large as 50 people. Situated in the serenity of the towering pine trees, the campground is designed for groups looking for a unique Yosemite camping experience without the hassles of public campgrounds. Our campground offers the following amenities:

Private bathrooms for men and women, including hot showers
Large campfire area
Parking for vans
Ample space for small and large tents

However, they don't allow cooking at their site:

Please note that cooking is not allowed in the campground due to bear and fire-related issues.

Catering
Our food & beverage team is happy to tailor outdoor meals and barbecues to fit your group's budget and schedule, and our restaurant and tavern are always open for groups as well.

Recreation
We offer a team of outdoor guides who can help plan naturalist hikes, horseback riding, rafting, and fly fishing tours to give your group a truly memorable outdoor experience. We can also arrange for local park ranger, naturalist and hiking guide presentations, discussions & slide shows. Click here to learn more about our extensive Recreation & Activities program.

School groups find our camping especially fun for their students. With campfires and activities planned especially for your group by our recreation team, students can learn first hand about environmental issues and the wilderness, including the wildlife and plants that make up the beauty of Yosemite National Park and the Stanislaus National Forest.

Pricing
Rates depend on your specific program and group size.

Reservations cn be made through Recreation.gov, but it seems 3 of the group sites are already filled for a big block of May - July. Hodgdon is the only one available.

It is 45 mins from the Valley.

I don't know where Evergreen Lodge is, but Bridalveil Creek is along the Glacier Point Road, if I'm not mistaken. That wouldn't be horrible.

ETA: Ok, nix that then. Where the heck is Hodgson Meadow??



As for Evergreen ... seriously folks, Not Afraid's bother's place in Oakhurst would be closer.

The pricing for a group site in Yosemite is $40 per night for up to 30 people. That's a hell of a lot cheaper than a bunch of individual sites too.

Evergreen is not in a good location. Hodgson is close to Evergreen.

If we want group sites, I think we need to start thinking of another location, because Yosemite proper is not going to work.

Yep, the Hodgson location sucks. I had no idea Group campgrounds were allowed to reserve earlier than 5 months out. Um, maybe that's a good idea for next season's Swank Camp. Heheh.

We missed that boat.


Do you guys want to do King's Canyon this year, and Yosemite some other time?

Thing is, the Group sites at Yosemite are simply too far from Yosemite Valley. We'd be in the same boat. It's an enormously popular attraction ... and for good reason. Camping is not going to be as convenient there.



My personal preference would be to let fate decide. Even if we have six people calling and/or clicking on Friday morning, the chances of getting 4 reasonably close together campsites anywhere in Yosemite Valley are slim. So what if we leave it to chance? ... and if we get them, use them. And if not ... well, not?



I had another group camping trip to Yosemite Valley with some different people skuttled because it's just not a place that works for big groups. But the fact remains that too many swankers have never been to Yosemite Valley. That's a tragic sadness.

If that's the case, there are quite a few group campsites in Sequoia/KC too.

Or, we could always do it closer to home this year in the Angeles Forest or some other region if it would help more people attend. Just a thought.

Should we start a new thread with a poll?

Maybe in a sec. I'm researching a few other cool locations and maybe we can add them. :)

The link I posted to above is to a group site in Sequoia NF. I've both camped and cabined there and it's really beautiful but doesn't have the spectacular scenery as the NPs.

There are also many sites outside the Valley nearer to Oakhurst and Bass Lake.

Personally, I'd prefer going to Kings Canyon.

poll: always a good call to get things rolling and let everyone know 'da haps'

I say King's Canyon or the dreaded Widow's Peak.

Kings Canyon National Park

Sunset Campground (elevation 6589 ft): 1/8 mile west of Grant Grove Visitor Center. Store and showers nearby. Two sites available (A and B). Each site hold 15-30 people with a fee of $40 per night per site. RVs and trailers must camp in regular campsites nearby.

Reservations are made by mail or fax only:
-Sunset Group Sites
-PO Box 926
-Kings Canyon National Park, CA 93633
-FAX: 559-565-4391 or 559-565-4390

For group camping information only, call 559-565-4341 November-April or 559-565-4335 May-October.
Click for information on regular campgrounds including Sunset.


Canyon View Campground(elevation 4635 ft): 1/2 mile east of Cedar Grove Visitor Center. Store and showers nearby. Four sites available (A, B, C and D). Only one site per organization per day. Each site holds 20-40 people, with a fee of $40 per night per site. RVs and trailers must camp in regular campsites nearby.

Reservations are made by mail or fax only:
-Canyon View Group Sites
-PO Box 926
-Kings Canyon National Park, CA 93633
-FAX: 559-565-4391 or 559-565-4390 (January-April)
-FAX: 559-565-0314 (May-October)

For group camping information only, call 559-565-4335 November-April or 559-565-3792 May-October.
Click for information on regular, non-group campgrounds including Canyon View.

Just called to inquire about the KC sites I just posted. We need to fax in a request, and then they'll contact us if the dates are available. However, the ranger was confident that June should be available - he said the holiday times are usually sold out first.

Anyone want to fax over a request today and see if we can score it?

How about June 26th - 30th? (Th-M)

Well, i went ahead and posted a poll anywho. It's got the basic choices, and we can hash out details later.

Group campsites are only $40/day? That beats the heck out of paying for 4 or 5 individual sites!

Yep. Even if only 10 people showed, it's a hell of a lot cheaper.

That's cause, in my experience (admittedly limited to a few National Parks), Group Campsites are absolutely lame.

I can send a fax inquiry to the Kings Canyon group sites. If avaible we'd at least have a plan B should we be unable to get enough sites in Yosemite.

Here's the link again to the general reservations info page.

The reservations phone line number is (877) 444-6777.

This is the site for booking Lower Pines sites.

BUT ... I just found out only 2 sites can be booked under one name. So, even if we can snag 4 or 5 sites, we need a different person's credit card for each transaction. Any volunteers?

At 4 people per site, 4 sites will allow for 16 people. A 5th site would be required for a capacity of 20 people.

Well, that was fun.



Lower Pines campground sold out in about 2.6 minutes. The only person who got through on the phone was swanie ... and of course, she was the only one not on our I.M. conference, and so communications did not extend to checking other Valley campgrounds while she was still on the line.

Le sigh.



Yosemite may be a cabin or lodge adventure from now on.



OR: There's the allure of White Wolf camp .... just 10 minutes outside the Valley and populated on a first-come, first-served basis. It's a big campground, and I've never experienced problems getting several adjacent sites there on a just-show-up basis.

Of course that was in the days when it took a ful 16 minutes for Lower Pines to sell out. ;)
Things might be a little trickier now, and in the high season especially. Dunno for sure.



The other avenues we are exploring are:

1) A Group Campsite at King's Canyon. Katiesue is faxing a request this morning, and there appear to be sites available.

2) Regular campsites at Sheep Creek campground in King's Canyon. Not Afraid, €uroMeinke, Nirvanaman and myself scoped this place out at the tail end of last Swank Camp and there are some killer campsites near the river. This is also (as are all King's Canyon campgrounds) a first-come, first-served situation. We'd have the same chance as anyone else, and this campground is vast ... if the coolest sites were to already be taken.


* * * * *

When you try to get a slew of campsites first-come, first-served, you really have to be first-come. You show up at the crack of dawn on a weekday when demand for new sites is lowest, and basically wait in line at the campground entrance until noon ... and then see what's available.


I think that strategy can work almost as well at White Wolf in Yosemite as it can at Sheep Creek in King's Canyon. And I'm alarmed that, absent some fantastic stroke of luck .... camping in Yosemite Valley is apparently a thing of the past. Certainly it's not going to happen for a handful of campsites.

And so, White Wolf will remain the only viable camping option for Yosemite, whether we have swank camp there this season or some other.





What says any of youse??

Disneyland's picnic area?

Nope ... not since they blocked access from DTD. Pfft.

Actually, they swapped the blocked entrances. You now do not need to go through security to get into the picnic area (but you, for obvious reasons, cannot go out the other side).

Sounds like someone is working on King's Canyon. But weren't there some group sites somewhere just outside Yosemite that were being talked about? I remember something about lots of shade and flat ground being mentioned.

Alternatively, we could come closer to home this year, maybe something within easy drive distance?

The remaining Yosemite Group camps are way too far from the action, and - since booking is allowed one year in advance - are likely full-up.

In a nutshell, the remaining options are (more details in the other camping thread):


a) First-Come, First-Served at Sheep Creek campground in King's Canyon

b) First-Come, First-Served at White Wolf campground, 10 minutes outside Yosemite Valley

c) Group Campground reservation at King's Canyon.

My concerns on the FCFS option are:

1. Is site squatting allowed? If we wanted four sites, would we have to have enough people able to go up on Thursday to get four spots? If say, only two couples can go up, would they be able to hold four spots?
2. Is it too much of a crap shoot to hope to get four spots? This concerns me a lot.

If we were all going up at the same time as a single caravan, it might not be as bad, but everybody will be arriving at different times. With as many people coming, I think we are much better off having a set destination.

We'd have to have at least four people and their tent(s) to nab 4 spots. But I don't think 4 adjacent spots would be a problem.

Certainly not a problem at Sheep Creek.

As for the Yosemite option, 2 nonadjacent pairs of internally-adjacent campsites is the best we could have hoped for anyway. I think that's a worst-case scenario at White Wolf, with 4 adjacent sites a distinct possibility.


We should know about the Group site in King's Canyon soon. But, personally, I'd rather take our chances at Sheep Creek if we're going to do King's Canyon.

OK - here's the scoop.

No group sites avaliable in Cedar Grove for our dates. However - June 1-15th Campsite B is open and A, B, C & D (she thinks D is the best one) are open June 8-14. If we get a reservation we do not pay until arrival then it's $40/night.

There are 5 midsize campsites in Cedar Grove but they are first come/first serve. They hold 7-19 persons. Then at least we'd only maybe need one of those plus a regular campsite. Just an option.

So do we want to try for an earlier date? If so when or do we move along to the plan B chance it method?

Showoff

OK: I will defer to your expertise and experience on this. Since we are not taking any other vacation time as of yet, it shouldn't be a problem for me to get time off to go up Thursday (or was it Wednesday... maybe I should go look).

1) I'm cool with earlier. It was Disneyphile who had an issue with dates, so hopefully we'll hear from her soon.

2) Am I to understand you can reserve a random Group Campsite, but which one you get is first-come, first-served?

3) In any event, but especially if Item 2 is a "yes," I'd rather take our chances with first-come, first-serve at Sheep Creek.

Why don't we go ahead and snag a reservation, we can always cancel if something better comes up, but at least we'll have secured something.

If you decide to do it earlier in the month...I might be able to make it. The dates late in June interfere with our cruise from hell with the in-laws and in-family.

swanie

Agreed

Where did you get the idea for #2? I looked back at DP's post (copied below) and I don't see anything that mentions this.

No need to go back to DP's post from days ago. This is from Katiesue's of a little while ago re Cedar Grove group campsites:

So, I reiterate. If Group Sites are first come, first served ... why bother with them over the Loved-It-With-Our-Own-Eyes pre-swankapproved sites in Sheep Creek?


Yes, Group Camp would be a few dollars cheaper for each camper. And technically, some spot would be reserved.


I don't think either are sufficient advantages.



In fact, I'm gonna vote we grow a collective set and try for White Wolf in Yosemite.

Hmmm. White Wolf or Sheep Creek...
I vote for Sheep Creek. But that's just based on the name and that's all.
:D

According to Katiesue, the group site reservations are for a specific site.

Looks like the "midsize" campsites are the FCFS ones.

What if it is a White in a Creek's clothing?

Yeah, I think we need a clarification from KS. My take was "some group sites are specifically reservable and mid-size group sites are FCFS."

That is correct - the group sites for 20-40 people you need to reserve. And you reserve a specific group site A, B, C or D (the ranger thought D was the preferred one).

The Mid-Size sites are FCFS. I just threw the mid-size in there as they hadn't been in the discussion before and the ranger suggested them as an alternative.

I'm confused, but I got up early.

Having this many people with no reservations makes me nervous - more so in Yosemite than in KC. KC has many campgrounds in the Valley to choose from. Yosemite has less. I have chanced WW before and gotten a spot in August, but 4 spots, together? Not sure about this.

Oh, it's a gamble alright. I don't expect too many votes for that option, but it's my preference anyway.

The way I see it ... the gamble is not going away. And each and every year brings more crowding, not less, to Yosemite. Oh sure, we could go a little earlier in the Springtime ... but not much. Late May is perhaps the earliest.

And so what if we delay Yosemite Swank Camp for a year, or two or four? Same boat then. Maybe worse. Maybe late May two years from now is just as crowded as late June this year.


Also ... what if this morning a miracle happened and two of us were able to get reservations? Do you think they would have been 4 adjacent campsites?




I'm just sayin'




Anyway, King's Canyon is lovely. I would love to camp there.



But what about next year? Are we really going to venture to the Tetons, and start swank-camping in places that take multiple days to even get to? Or are we going to be facing the Yosemite dilemma sooner or later?



So, i will go against the grain, with the highest risk being most attractive to me, and the lowest risk the least.

White Wolf (the better to eat you with), followed by Sheep Creek (the better to be shorn), followed by Group Camp D (are we all branded on the ass at that one??)

The only weekend in June we can't make it is the 21st/22nd. We're open on the earlier weekends if that's what's available. :)

May I just point out that, d'uh, if we go somewhere without reservations, we don't need to have the trip be five months from now. We could non-ressie camp in March if we wanted.







by which i mean to suggest that White Wolf might be as uncrowded in mid-May as Sheep Creek is in late June.

I say we plan for Yosemite in May. It's the best time of year in the Valley anyways and, with some advance, we could pull it off. The Cruise got in the way of may this year.

Y'all have fun! :)

um...so like, Ive been out of touch for a couple days.

was anything decided or resolved?

No, and with all due respect to Disneyphile, I think we should wait on the decisions for a while.

But here's the current status. We are awaiting (are we?) word about the availabilty of a King's Canyon Group Camp. This, btw, is not my preferred modus for camping in King's Canyon.

So .... if we don't reserve the Group Site ... we're basically going to whereever we go without a reservation.

And the choice thus becomes ... Kings Canyon (Sheep Creek campground) and, because that place is less popular, we can go in late June (which would allow Disneyphile to join us). The downside to that, imo, is that we visited many of the King's Canyon highlights during last year's Swank Camp.

The other option is Yosemite (White Wolf campground) earlier in the season, to hopefully find adjacent campsites available before the summer rush. The month of May has a conflict for Disneyphile, as she's going on a 14-day Disney Cruise.


Right now, however, it's all up in the air. And since (apart from the Group Camp option) we have no ability to make any reservations, we don't have to come to a decision right now.

Agreed!

The dates we wanted - June 26-July 1 were not avaliable for group sites. There were sites avaliable earlier in the month. I have no request in any other dates. I can fax one over if we pick alternate dates.

If I recall (and the information is hidden somewhere in this girnormous thread) those dates were picked because Disneyphile had a shooting-schedule conflict in early June.

ZOMG, she is one busy woman. And we love her, so we're gonna wait till things get a bit less frenzied for her before we come to any conclusions.


But it looks to me like we'll be camping on a whim and a prayer. Fix up the Gypsy Carts and Get 'em ready to roll.

:cool:

hmmm...ok.
guess I need to change to a tentative yes depending on the dates selected

I agree to wait a bit. Worst case we call all pitch tents on my balcony. I've got pine tree's it'll be just like Yosemite ;)

We can all take turns peeing over the side to simulate the waterfalls!

Visible mojo for this

Has anyone gone back to see if those dates have been freed up? While people reserve dates, they don't always come through with the deposits and their cc's don't always work....

I'm just sayin'....

I'll be needing a lot of beer then

Work, work, work

What's the latest on this? Anything?

I mean, anything besides Big Lots having those inflatable mattresses that can be a king or a twin or a couch for only $25?

No. Holding pattern for a while. Disneyphile respect holding pattern.


Nothing needs to be done. 90% chance we are chancing it without any reservations.

I found a webcam for Kings Canyon/Sequoia

We're fully available in June, except for the weekend of the 20th-22nd.

And, I might like to bring my dad too. He hasn't been camping in years, and I know he'd love it. :)

Good idea!

The group campsites called again today and they have wait listed us for the June 26-30 dates. I'll keep you posted.

Earlier dates are avaliable - June 5-10 or June 12-17 (as of this afternoon).

Earlier the better, IMHO. But that's just for my own selfish scheduling purposes ;)

I'm fine with earlier.

What I am not particularly fine with (but perfectly voted downable) is taking a site that's sight unseen, even though reserved, vs. the beautiful sites some of us purposefully scoped out for a future Swank Camp that we'd like to try for.

I'm mostly fine with nailing down a date so I can plan my time off.

ditto.

ok, why don't you folks who want to nail it down pick a date?

without rehashing and rereading the whole thread, any of the above work for me. the earlier the better as I need a break before the insanity becomes permanent

for the most part, I can go at any time. I just need to let the powers that be know a couple weeks ahead so they can volunteer me for 3x the work in my absense.

As far as I'm concerned, pick a date. If we can go, we'll go. If we can't, we won't.

I hereby nominate Wednesday, May 14 through Tuesday, May 20 for Wolf Creek in Yosemite.


I can't help it. That's where I want to go. We did (a little bit of) Kings Canyon last year. I know these days conflict with certain people's schedules. I'm willing to go with the majority decision, but this is where and when we'd do it if I had my druthers.

I'm anxious to share the wonders of Yosemite Valley with Gemini Cricket. He helped save a boy's life at Bridalveil Fall ... and then ventured no further into the Incomparable Valley. Being as I saw someone fall to their death from the top of Yosemite Falls, G.C. and I share a Yosemite Waterfall Tragedy bond ... and it is a life-debt I owe to him to see that he discovers the rest of the Valley.

BUT ... that's just my lone guy preference so far.


So no more of this 'sometime in May' or 'I'm good in late June'. Propose some actual dates and places ... and we'll come to a group consensus based on actual plans.

June 5-10 at Kings Canyon group site is my pick.

OK. I have looked through this and other threads, pulled some known conflicting dates and have come up with this summary (using just the weekend days for discussion). Let's use this as a discussion start (well, continuation since ISM and DP have already posted).

Known Bad Weekends

• April 12-13 - Kevin unavailable (MS Walk)
• April 26-27 - Coachella (and I think Susan and I are at a wedding in Oregon, but I am not sure)
• May 10-11 - Disney Cruise
• May 17-18 - Disney Cruise
• May 24-25 - Disney Cruise (and Monday the 26th is Memorial Day)
• June 21-22 - Ken & Teresa unavailable

Requested Weekends

• May 17-18 - Wolf Creek (ISM)
• June 7-8 - King's Canyon Group Site (DP)

Obviously, no individual drives the event, so any one person's absence or requests should drive choices. However, there are a couple of people on the Cruise (DP and GusGus and possibly others that I do not remember), so I would personally request not booking those weekends and Coachella will eliminate a large number of potential campers.

And personally (again - sorry), I would like to accommodate T&K 's (Disneyphile & Frodo Potter) schedule - they could REALLY use this.

With that in mind (accommodating individual unavailabilities), I see the following availabilities:

Possible Weekends

• April 5-6
• April 19-20
• May 3-4
• May 31-June 1 (although this is the weekend after Memorial Day Weekend)
• June 7-8
• June 14-15
• June 21-22
• June 28-29

Let's start by eliminating weekends. If you have a conflict with any of the weekends above, or prefer one of these weekends, post now (let's keep it simple and start with just the weekends and the build the extra days around it). Then we can get it narrowed down to a couple of weekends for voting.

Everyone okay with that?

any of the 'possibles' from the beginning of May forward work for me. April has an event or two already booked and I can't manage another extended leave during that month. (either work or money-wise). the "Wednesday, May 14 through Tuesday, May 20 " @ wolf creek sounds great as well

thanks for the summary K. that helps me a ton

Thanks, Kevy. My dad could use it too - he and my mother used to camp a lot back in their early days, and it would probably be good to get him out and reminisce. He'll also be good to keep watch over the site during long group outings, since he can't walk for more than a couple hours at a time anyway. But, if the majority can't make it around our schedule, then we totally understand.

I have a shoot that weekend, and that's the only conflict for us in your list.

Crap - I even had that on the upper list. Sorry.

Using the responses so far, this brings the list (preliminarily) to:

Possible Weekends

• May 3-4
• May 31-June 1 (although this is the weekend after Memorial Day Weekend)
• June 7-8
• June 14-15
• June 28-29

AFAIK, I am available for any, but getting the time off work will be increasingly difficult as it gets later into the summer season. Oops, I take that back, June 15th is Father's Day, so count that right out for me.

D-phile's suggestion of June 7-8 is fine by me. It's approximately when we went last year, if I recall, it's not too close to a holiday weekend.

On a personal level, the 7-8 is the only weekend that immediately follows payday for me ;)

I think I'm pretty good with whatever date is picked.

Actually, last year was end of June/beginning of July.

That's why I like earlier in June - not as hot.

Then again, I can't remember too much of the weather last year, because I was largely comatose with altitude sickness most of the time. I'm hoping that won't happen again this year. It shouldn't, since I can usually adjust to climates/surroundings that I've visited within about 2 years.

I don't recall it being too hot last year.

Yeah, could have just been me then. My body was really having some strange reactions last year.

As the weekend i suggested clearly wasn't one of the possible weekends that Kevy later listed, i hereby declare Disneyphiles' suggested weekend and location the winner.

Its definitely starting to look that way. I think we should wait for a couple more people to weigh in before declaring a chosen weekend.

Hey, and if you absolutely hate the group site, you can totally blame me, and I'll never suggest one again for future events. And, I commend you for giving it a chance. ;)

All we are saying
is give peace a chance...

oh, and i knew those dates would be somewhere too close to the cruise to work, but - hehehe- i didn't know they were the ACTUAL cruise dates.

Figures.

BTW iSm (totally off topic): I can't help but stare at your avatar every time you post. I LOVE that photo!

And, well, we'd still have to get the Group Site reservation.

I would personally still vote for Sheep Creek over the group camp. Like I've said before, four of us specifically scoped out many campsites there for a future Swank Camp. We had no idea it would be the very next year. But I don't see why we don't go with the investigation legwork that was put in.


Again, just my one-man's vote.

Is the group site at Cedar Grove? Is there a map of the site anywhere?

Didn't you agree with the leg work that Disneyphile and Frodo Potter did? I thought that is what you posted.

Um, no, I never wrote that. I'm agreeing that their dates and choice of National Park ... as one of only two dates posited, and the ONLY ONE included in your list, Kevy, was the defacto winner.

So I went on to urge, as I always and consistently have ... that we consider using the campsites that Not Afraid, €uroMeinke, Nirvanaman and myself visited last year for the express purpose of determining a location for the future Swank Camp in Kings Canyon.

If this year IS that future Swank Camp, why not use the sites we personally visited and approved?


Has anyone visited this Group Camp? Seen it with their own eyes? It seems to me, and perhaps I'm incorrect, that the desire to have a reserved site is trumping all other considerations. But I am constrained to again point out that it is our reasonable bid for security which has us going to Kings Canyon for the second year in a row, instead of trying for Yosemite.

Ok, I understand and appreciate that. For the dates that work for most people, Yosemite would be too big a gamble. OK, so we choose Kings Canyon which is far less a gamble. Are we willing to take a sight-unseen site over a personally scoped-out campground in some kind of (imo) misguided effort at complete security?

Personally, I think choosing an unseen group camp over a visited campground to be a far greater gamble.

Why don't we get a map of the group campsite? From the description, it seems all group sites are by the river. If we can get a general location we can look at it via Google earth. Or we can trust on a description from the ranger and specifically ask how the group sites compare to the Sheep Creek campsites that are on the Kings Riverfront and border Sheep Creek.

There is NO guarantee that the Sheep Creek sites will be available anyways. They are beautiful spots and usually go first.

OK - my bad. I mistook DP's location suggestion for her previous site suggestion (eighth post of this thread). Is Crane Flat an option (I don't know and I don't have the energy to look at this point)? Since it is (per DP's claim) only 20 minutes from Yosemite, do we want to consider that location?

Ok, let's (meaning someone else, please) do that. Get the location and Google Earth it. Scope it from the Spy Satellite.


But, yeah, the pretty sites go first. Who's to say we won't be first?


But, um, first things first. Let's get the location and spy view info on the group campsite.



ETA: Crane Flat is NOT 20 minutes from Yosemite Valley. It is much farther, being near the intersection of the Tioga Road. Thus, out of consideration. And, if I recall correctly, also not reservable.

So, what you're saying is that DP is a liar liar pants on fire?

So you're thinking about going June 7-8? Oop, I guess doing a party to renew our vows that weekend is a no-go. Ah well, maybe another anniversary.

I'm saying DP was apparently misinformed about the proximity of Crane Flat to Yosemite. What's the difference? We have apparently ruled out Yosemite non-reservable campsites as too big a risk for Swank Camp, because we have so many people.


So ... what I'd like to know at some point is whether that will always disqualify Yosemite from being a Swank Camp location. We can't reasonably go there before late May, because too many great places are off-limits due to snow. We can't reasonably go there after August, because the waterfalls which are arguably the park's highlights won't be flowing worth a damn.

SO ... I'd like to know whether the gamble of trying for some consecutive campsites at White Wolf (which is the campground rougly 15 minutes from the edge of the Valley, and 25 minutes from Curry Village Day Parking) will ALWAYS be a Swank Camp non-starter. Because if that's the case, I'm going to try to arrange a much smaller excusion, perhaps at a lodge and not a camp, for me and Gemini Cricket and Cadaverous Pallor (and her hubby and anyone else who's never been) ... perhaps even for this year.



As for the anniversary party ... Gee, I'd like to do that, too. I hate to can-worm open, but arent' there any other June camping weekends possible?

NO NO NO - we will definitely do the vow renewal thing with you guys sometime. We'll find a weekend, it totally doesn't even have to be our anniversary. We're flexible.

(On another note, if there's lodge "camping" at any point this year, well, T&I like lodges)

Dude, I was joking.

The rangers who I've talked to about the group sites have been quite helpful and I'm sure can give you more information about the exact locations. The number they called me from on Friday was 559-565-3341. They do call back if you leave a message. Having only been in the area last year I have no idea locations etc.

My two cents - the kings canyon sites seemed to be pretty empty when we were there last year. If we're going even earlier in June I'd be fine with chancing it and picking out our own sites. The problem is communication with the others coming in at later times. But I'm sure we can figure out some sort of smoke signal system.

What if we compromise - do a group campsite in Kings Canyon for the whole group camping experience. Then as ISM suggested, another time, and maybe even this year, reserve a lodge or something in Yosemite proper for that experince (or plan ahead enough and do the lodge thing next summer instead?). Just a suggestion. That or we just have to break into smaller groups to do yosemite camping.

I'm happy to fax to them again with alternate dates just let me know what's decided.

June 4-10

We want Wed - Tuesday or Thursday to Tuesday? At least a few people are going to have to be there the first day.

OK. Pending a return phone call from a ranger confirming that Sheep Creek will even be OPEN in early June....... I'm going to suggest we do the following:

Sheep Creek
June 5-9 (or 10)

Following Memorial day weekend (and prior to school being out) the Kings Canyon campgrounds are REALLY deserted. So deserted that they may not have them all open in June. In my experience, Sheep Creek and Sentinel open first, Canyon View and Moraine open last. But, like I said, I'm waiting confirmation (if they even know). In any case, choosing that first weekend in June will give us the BEST opportunity for choosing the Sheep Creek Campsites of our swank dreams.

The following is a google earth map of the area. The campgrounds from left to right are:
Sheep Creek
Sentinel
Canyon View
Moraine

wow. I hope not. Ive not been there in ages and would love to re-visit it with the Swanksters, especially ones who know whats what there. speaking just for myself, I can do the take your chances camping without a lot of issue.

It certainly is a more logistical challenge.

If we really want to do Yosemite, I suggest we go off season (or early season) and stay at the Lodge.

I'm all for Kings Canyon.
I'm all for Yosemite.
I'd go to both. I'd go to just one.
If thats our cup of tea
Just as long
as I don't see Kevy's Shlong...

:) bornieo's camp swank poem.

Well, let's put Yosemite off the table for now. Camping is only even worth gambling for during the time Gus Gus and Disneyphile are on or getting ready for or recovering from the Cruise (with the further proviso that they've taken 2 weeks off from whatever do that cruise).

So ... assuming we want to camp this year and not lodge this year, let's do King's Canyon in early to mid June.


If we want to Lodge this year, that's a whole different experience. But again, I would recommend it for the earliest possible dates ... late May, early June that may or may not (or june or june not) conflict with the cruise again.


It's just that if we are never going to take a chance on non-reserved White Wolf for Yosemite Swank Camp, I'd like to arrange a lodge trip for this year or next.


I hate to say it ... but this whole mess requires a poll with zilliontul options.

Uh, yeah; don't get me started on THAT detail. :mad:

There's also housekeeping camps and tent cabin options in White Wolf. Also, for 2008 the tentative opening dates and closing of White Wolf are Fri. June 13 to Sun. September 21.


The will often times "unofficially" open the high sierra campgrounds earlier if the roads are clear and the post-winter maintenance has been done. This has been a larger snow year (but not terrible) so it's a crap shoot.


Oh, the other thing to consider about Kings Canyon, because of the wonderful snow pack, the river will be INCREDIBLE and not like the sad river it was last year. Also, the wildflowers will be starting to bloom at that elevation in June, so it should be very pretty in the meadows. BUT, keep in mind, there is not as much to do in Kings Canyon as there is in Sequoia or Yosemite.

Well, that just leaves more time for drinking and...

Oh, wait.

Yup.


I always miss river-chilled crisp white wine when I'm camping in Kings Canyon.


Ok. I've made my own suggestions and recommendations bassed on what i know or have experienced. I've also spent as much time as I have on this today. Unless i get a call back from the ranger, I'm done for now. You guys decide what you want to do.

I don't think I can swing a full week. A long weekend is more what I had in mind. The only weekend that is officially out for me is Fathers day due to a car show I have to run at work.

Methinks it is like the 2007 Camp Swank: some people will arrive earlier and/or stay later than others. I suspect most will just make a long weekend of as was done before. I think the longer number of days is just being alloted for those who want to make a longer trip of it (which I am considering).

Just a thought unrelated to this camping endeavor. But it might ease things for next year if you all just picked a date now for 2009 and said "come hell or high water we'll be camping somewhere on this weekend, we're all creative good hearted people so even if it ends up being a Wal-Mart parking lot we'll have fun. Hold the date and details to be determined later."

Simultaneously trying to pick the when and the where never works smoothly for big group activities in my experience.

Just wanted to say I really like the idea of a lodge trip for next year. That's probably how I want to do Yosemite the first time (unless you count when I was 6 months old, in which case that's exactly how I did it.)

Well, if there's enough interest in a Lodge Trip for next year, I'll postpone any thought of a smaller lodge excursion this year.

Alex was right about not debating both a time and a place. I think we have narrowed to Kings Canyon in early June. Which of two weekends and which of two campgrounds are what's in play. That shouldn't be too hard to deal with, i hope.

But if NA's Google Earth photo of Kings Canyon posted above is illustrative, I don't see how that tool is going to help us get a handle on what the Group Camp may be like.

Well, if you choose to go with my recommendation, it will be Sheep Creek the first weekend in June.

I second Sheep Creek the first weekend in June!





Or do I first Sheep Creek the second weekend in June?

the lodge thing for Yoze works for me. so should the first weekend in June dates.

so something like the 4th or 5th through the 10th yes?

Ok so Sheep Creek first weekend in June (and that's not a group spot so I'm not faxing a reservation correct?)

I'm still waiting a call back to confirm Sheep Creek will be open (but it usually is by June). But, according to the ranger I spoke with today, Kings Canyone is deserted after Mem Day (and even then it doesn't fill) and is pretty clear until mid June. That coincides with the many experiences I've had in Kings Canyon as well. So, I'm thinking it's a pretty good chance for us to take.

Now, if I'm wrong and you all throw me in the rushing Kings river, you will be charged with murder.

Only if they find the body ;)

Maybe they're find a portion of my left elbow. (Sorry, obscure Lovely Bones reference.)

In an effort to start narrowing it down, I think we have tentatively decided on the first full weekend in June. I may be guilty of confusing things a bit as I have used both the two days worth of weekend (which is June 7-8) AND the "extended" version (Wed., June 4 - Tuesday, June 10).

Are we in agreement on the date? (If not, no biggy: I am just try to get this narrowed down.)

And as of right now, I think the leaning is towards Sheep Creek?
Is that a group or individuals site?
Is there another site that is still in contention?

And I like Alex's idea of planning NOW for 2009. It sounds like we can push it towards a lodge or something similar in Yosemite.

I agree on the extended dates. my personal plan is to try and stay for the whole time.

the site I'll defer to those in the know as Im not familiar enough with them to yay or nay.

Im also in agreement with a lodge stay for Yoze next year and planning for it now.

Weekend of June 7 and 8, and days surrounding ... going once, going twice .... hearing no objection by the end of the day, I think we should declare those the dates.

Whether to shoot for a Thursday arrival for those who can, or a safer Wednesday arrival, can be decided later. We need as many "early arrivers" as we want campsites. Once those are claimed, others can arrive at will, and depart when they want. BUT ... to make things easier, everyone participating will pay their equal pro-rata share of the entire campsite costs. Heheh, we don't need the money to be any more difficult than it was last time (i.e., someone please bring a laptop to camp!)

There's no harm in seeing if a group camp reservation could be made for those dates (if we have a reservation, the dates could even start on Friday). But I'm leaning heavily toward Sheep Creek, with no reservations, and we should put that to a vote.


* * * * *

We would have to plan a Yosemite Lodge Trip 13 months in advance. Bookings are available either one year or 13 months prior to arrival.

If we are lodging it, I wonder if we all need to stay at the same lodge. Of the three, only one has any kind of common area where we might hang out before retiring to our separate sleeping places. That lodge is the, ahem, Ahwanee. And I'm thinking not everyone would want to spring for that.

I am, however, thinking of springing for a bungalow at the Ahwanee. I've always wanted to stay there, and I'm not getting any younger. It's quite a wad of cash though, so I'm on the fence about it.

The other two facilities are: Curry Village, which has rustic cabins; and Yosemite Lodge, which has modern motel rooms.

This would be early June 2009. It would not be cheap like camping. Camping may not be as cheap as simply figuring the inexpensive costs of campsites, but it is a lot cheaper than lodging. Of course, if time and effort are money, then simply shelling out dollars for rooms and meals can be viewed as a big savings over camping.

BUT: The big elephant in the room is the April 2009 Japan Swanking, which is going to break the bank and the vacation time for many of us. Would a Yosemite Lodge trip two months later be remotely possible?

I have my doubts.

ooh, good point. But I must say "rustic cabins" is appealing. As long as they're more "rustic" and less "refugee camp"

They are (in my opinion) very refugee camp. Crammed in tight. But a lot of people like them.

And if you aren't all trying to be in one spot then anybody who wants to, and gets lucky, can still camp as well.

^ That's all true.

Um, there's a variety of lodging types available at Curry Village. Top of the line are the rustic cabins with bath. They are close together, but they are charming and lend you the feeling of National Parkness without being ...well, like the other offerings at Curry Village ... namely, rustic cabins with no bath (closer together, also) and -shudder- tents with cots that are one on top of the other and, imo, not a reasonable option.


BUT ... the more I think about it, the more I realize a Lodging Trip to Yosemite two months after a Japan trip is likely not feasable.

We stayed in those during Outdoor-Ed in the 8th grade. Much fun in the 8th grade. Probably not as much fun now. But this has promted me to go find the pictures from then.


I would agree with this statement.

Yosemite Lodging in 2010

I'm in for those dates.
I am willing to handle the money. I'm a numbers guy, so it is a breeze for me (and I don't no stinkin' laptop - I have my abacus).

Just for the record, since we're back (somewhat) to talking about this year's Camp Swank... I have a ginormous tent. Thus far it's Sohrshah and myself in there, but there'd be room for a third comfortably if anyone needs to.

And I probably wanna be on a dinner team, if we can lay claim to that this early.

Hey, why don't we start using the Wiki again?

Weekend of June 7 and 8 would work for me. As for lodgings, if the weather permits, I'll likely sleep beneath a canopy of stars.

Those dates are fine with me.

I did hear back from Kings Canyon. All campgrounds open for Memorial Day then they close some based on "what maintenance wants to do". In my experience, Sheep Creek and Sentinel are the ones that stay open. Of course, if they have a freak snow storm, the entire canyon would be closed since the road will be closed, but that's unlikely. They suggested we call the week before to double check on Sheep Creek.

I also talked about the group sites. "D" in Canyon View is on the river, but we'd have to have a group of 20 or more to reserve and the mid-size group sites are on a first-come, first-served basis. So, either way, we're winging it.

Good. The bears will sniff you out first. ;)

I didn't know Lashie was coming!

Won't we have 20?

Last year we had 16.

Oh.

so, tell em 20 and "two dropped out at the last second"


:evil:

Oh look a plan!

Hi. We might go.

Tentative "who's going" list: (edited)

Kevy
Susan
Not Afraid
Euro
Audra
Nirvanaman
Capt Jack
Morrigoon
Sohrshah
Ghoulish Delight
Cadaverous Pallor
innerSpaceman
BTD
Disneyphile
FrodoPotter
Daddyphile
KatieSue
Borneio
Alex?
LSPE?
Tom?

Katie Sue

If I'm the Alex in that list then I'd have to say unlikely but can't say for certain yet. France in the fall is probably going to eat up all my vacation this year and Kings Canyon is too far away for a standard weekend camping.

But we'll be booking France in the next couple weeks so I would know for certain then.

Kevy
Susan
Not Afraid
Euro
Audra
Nirvanaman
Capt Jack
Morrigoon
Sohrshah
Ghoulish Delight
Cadaverous Pallor
innerSpaceman
BTD + 1
Disneyphile
FrodoPotter
Daddyphile
KatieSue
Borneio
Alex?
LSPE?
Tom?

So... with even one of our question marks erased, we'll have 20.

Me and my +1 are a maybe depending on a software release that is hindering any and all vacation time approvals for the summer. This includes, but is not limited to a half-day on Friday. Which if we do go, it will be a weekend trip.

Yeah, S. and I are almost definitely weekenders only because of our work schedules. I could only afford to take an extra day, at most.

I suspect that most people will just be weekenders, as it was last year. I plan to NOT be a weekender as this will probably be my vacation for the year.

We'll probably be Thurs-Monday, depending on if Ken can get the time off.

AND ... being that I'm not willing to wait till 2010 to take the virgins to Yosemite ... I may be organizing a side trip for a glorious day (or perhaps two) in Yosemite Valley. I hope any Yosemite virgins coming camping might be able to go ... and spend a day or 2 there as opposed to another day or 2 in Kings Canyon (which, frankly, has barely 2 days of things to see/do ... less if we don't repeat what we did/saw last year ... but of course we will, since those were sweet ... and none of the Yosemite virgins were there last year anyway).


So... would that be of any interest to Yosemite Virgins who might have been thinking of spending more than just the strict weekend at Kings Canyon???

Wouldn't you know it. The minute we seem to have things nail down, SOMEONE has to come up with something else to think about.

An interesting note I found about Canyon View:

This is true, it is much smaller and, frankly, not as nice as Sheep Creek. If I remember correctly, there are fewer trees ie: less shade.

If we get the spots I would like to get at Sheep Creek, they are bordered on the far right by a creek and no other campsites and the river on the "front". The spots are also HUGE! But, Ive never actually stayed at Canyon View, only driven through.

The other info I got in my phone call today was that Canyon View is the first campground they close when it isn't busy. I thought that was odd, of that's where the group sites are.

I actually like that idea, iSm... if the people who wanna start super early go do Yosemite for a couple days first, then the group doesn't need to take as many days worth of Kings Canyon sites.

(budget is a serious consideration for me this year, not that it wasn't last year, but more so)

Well, when everyone decided on what is actually going to happen, will someone let me know? I am not going to drive from Kings Canyon to Yosemite (about a 3 1/2 to 4 hour drive) and back again.

Well, it's not exactly like that, N.A.

Here's how it works.

The people who want to participate in the Yosemite Valley Adventure add-on drive up to Yosemite (very) early on Wednesday, June 4. (This may or may not be the same day that early arrivers plan to arrive in Kings Canyon ... most likely that will rather be Thursday, the 5th)

Wednesday will be a day of generally exploring the Valley, a visit to Bridalveil Fall, where Gemini Cricket helped save the a young life of a foolhardy boy (and then went no further in the Valley) ... then some rock-scrambling to the base of Lower Yosemite Fall (much safer than the scrambling at Bridalveil) and, lastly ... purely optional because it's strenuous ... an expedition to the base of Upper Yosemite Fall (aka Death Falls) where I witnessed a man fall to his doom from the top of the world's 2nd tallest waterfall.

Thursday the 5th will feature 2 of the most rewarding hikes on the planet. Early in the morning (before the hoards invade this incredibly popular nature area, rendering it un-nature-like) a hike up the Mist Trail, climbing beautiful Vernal Fall, then on up to the top of magnificent Nevada Fall, returning to Happy Isles in the Valley via the Horse Trail, with great views of the waterfalls just climbed.

That afternoon, a drive up the Glacier Point road for the fantastic (less strenuous) hike out to Taft Point with its grand views of El Capitan, and staggering view of the Valley below through the Five Fissures ... then through beautiful forest out along the edge of the Valley to the top of Sentinal Dome for a stunning sunset and a some stargazing.

Friday, June 6, we'd make the four-hour car journey via Fresno to Kings Canyon - - and join the majority of other Swank Campers arriving that day for a long weekend of fantastic group fun.


* * * *

The Yosemite Valley Adventure will be limited to a much smaller group.

I grabbed everything available in the Valley for the nights of the 4th and 5th of June, and it wasn't much. There was no room at the Yosemite Lodge. No cabins with bath at Curry Village. Though cancellations may lead to upgrades between now and June, what we have so far is this:

3 cabins w/o bath at Curry Village for the night of Thursday, June 5. And 3 tent cabins at Curry Village for the night of Wednesday, June 4.

I'm kidnapping Gemini Cricket to share accomodations with me. That leaves room for 4 on the Yosemite add-on. I'm giving first opportunity to Yosemite Valley virgins (as far as I know, that's just Cadaverous Pallor .. and she's free to bring a guest, which I assume would be her husband, Ghoulish Delight). So I'm giving first dibs to them. 2 other spots are available. If the Cadaverous Delights decline, then 4 spots will be available.


Sorry, but I can't wait until 2010. Pfft, Gemini Cricket is freaking about turning 37 in a few days. But I'll be turning FIFTY in 2010. Pardon me if I want to get some mountain climbing in before then. *




* 2 of the 3 hikes in Yosemite, though not really moutain climbing, are considered fairly strenous for their elevation gain. While the hike to Death Falls will be optional, the Mist Trail hike is de rigeur. Yosemite Valley Adventurers should be in good health, free from neck, back and heart conditions, and not pregnant.

I love that no matter how many times I point it out, iSm still can't remember that I haven't been to Yosemite since I was an infant, and am therefore a Yosemite virgin. :P

In other news, I'd love to go, but probably can't afford it :(

Whatever. (It's actually a 5 hour drive between Valley and Canyon)

I think I'm done. There gets to be a point when too much discussion and changes take all of the joy out of a trip before it even happens.

If you want to do a group thing, do a group thing, otherwise take your vacations on your own. Don't take the helm of a group plan then bow out and fu<k thening up for everyone else.

So, um, how about us non-Yosemite folks plan on Thursday through Monday nights at the reserved group site or the Sheep Creek sites that NA mentioned?

We'll try to save room for the latecomers. I know I'll be taking up a nice shady spot. ;) :p

Alas, the LSPoors don't do the tent thing (sleep apnea) and we'll be celebrating our first anniversary that weekend, so maybe we can join a lodge swanking another year. I know you'll all have a wonderful time!

Huh? What are you talking about? It's an add-on. Subtracting one day that I (and very few others) would have been at Kings Canyon for 2 days at Yosemite. Arriving at Kings Canyon on the very same day that the vast majority do, and staying at Kings Canyon with the big group till just about everyone goes home.


How is that messing things up for everyone else? Because there weren't enough accomodations during that weekday period in Yosemite Valley for 20 people?


I was fine with waiting till 2009 for a big lodge swanking. It's not going to happen that year for me. I AM going to Japan. My entire vacation budget and time for the year will be blown (the budget more than blown).


So instead of waiting till everyone can go in 2010, when I might be in a wheelchair for all I know ;) , I'm going to tack 2 measley days onto the camping trip in another part of the Sierras.


It's just a great opportunity for folks, especially Yosemite virgins, to go with some friends* this year, instead of 2 years later. Lord knows, I tried to swing this year's Swank Camp to Yosemite ... and that just wasn't in the cards.




* And yes, this is for some friends, not a ton of friends. Frankly, the activities and explorations on a limited time scale are not condusive to very large groups. I grabbed every non-Ahwahnee accomodation available ... BUT anyone who wants to try for cancellations OR grab a non-reserved campsite at White Wolf is free to join in. If you recall, the problem with White Wolf was getting 4 adjacent sites. Getting one or 2 on a Wednesday should pose no problem whatsoever.



Again, I don't mean to offend anyone. I just have a yearning to take my younger friends who've never seen Yosemite to explore the Incomparable Valley while I'm still young enough to explore it with them. Tick, tick, and all that. No Time Like The Present.

Then find another weekend and get a group together and go to Yosemite! There are many weekends between now and June and after. This weekend was planned for Camp Swank and YOU were at the helm of planning. You just bow out and make other plans? That's really not cool.

I'm confused, and I know its not just me. I'm confused that the King's Canyon and Yosemite trips seems have merged into one trip.

Could you possiblly speak of them as two separate trips,
so that we could truly see what you're talking about, and them we could have the choice of combining them?

Or the choice of combining them could be a group decision?

I know that I'm late to the group, but being told that someone would like me to consider it, and suddenly have it seem like an even larger trip than I had been talked into, is very intimidating.

This sounds like a plan. I'm with NA that we take our chances getting Sheep Creek sites.

How close to use do we have to cancel the sites? Because we could always book the group one as a backup, then have the first-comers see if they can land the FCFS sites, and if they can, cancel the group reservation - I mean, assuming that the group one is cancelable... But that way we have a shot at the preferred camp spots with a solid backup plan.

There is no deposit or anything for the group sites and they don't take a credit card or anything to hold. I guess it's possible to cancel at the last day but that's kind of suckish if another group had wanted that date and couldn't go and then we bag at the last day.

There are also medium group sites (which we technically probably would be) but they are first come first serve as well. Those could be scouted by the first comers as well.

That's a good idea.

Hmm... yeah okay, sounds like there's a lot of backup there.

Is it June yet?

3 months is a long time to wait.... I need a vacation!

But, if you wait, then you can lead iSm's Geriatric Tours, and the participants can carry you on their backs like Yoda! ;)

Why can I suddenly picture iSm on someone's shoulders, bopping them on the head with his walking stick?

OMG Lisa, Please READ.

I AM NOT BOWING OUT.

I will be at Swank Camp in Kings Canyon. I will arrive on the same day that MOST PEOPLE ARRIVE. And I will be among the last to leave.

This is not in any way bowing out. This is PURELY AND TOTALLY ADDITIONAL for anyone who also wants to spend a couple of COMPLETELY EXTRA days in Yosemite. It's a little further north in the Sierras. Yeah, it sucks we can't crow fly, and have to drive thru Fresno.



Let me see if I can read between the lines, here. And correct me if I'm wrong.

Are you upset because this side-trip would prevent me from being one of the campsite Pioneers at Sheep Creek? One less tent to claim 4 adjacent spots with? Yeah, that would be true if this Yosemite thing flies.



But you are mistaken if you think Swank Camp is being spearheaded by me or helmed by me or anything of the sort. I reiterate for the umpteenth time that I am a single voice with a single vote. I have been outvoted on dates and on place. And I am still a participant. But JUST a participant. Like everyone else.

I have already said, some weeks back, that I am not willing to front the camping money this year, and I have said over and over that I am just one among many who will go with the majority decision.

And I will. But I don't feel I have any personal responsibilty to be one of the first people to arrive. I hope that four people/parties will volunteer for that. I just won't be one of them.


It's no secret I have less enthusiasm for Kings Canyon than I do for Yosemite. We were just at Kings Canyon last year. It's beautiful and I want to visit there again. Maybe not so soon, but that's what's happening ... and I look forward to joining in the fun. But I do not have the enthusiasm required to be one of the first four people there, and I resent your implication ... if you are indeed implying ... that I have a responsibility to do that.


I have a responsibility to follow my heart. My heart wants to take some people on a side-trip to Yosemite. If there are any such people who want to do that. I hope there will be a few.

Hmmmm,

I just thought of something.

OFFER No. 1
I will lend my Tent to any one of the three parties who will be leading the Pioneer Effort at Sheeps Creek, if four are not willing to do it. They can set it up as a Dummy Camp. I'll even contribute two blow-up sex dolls to live in the tent until real people can get there.

Yeah, it means you'd have to rig-up the Sydney Opera House tent. But I think what we're really looking for is a Tent to Occupy Space, and not necessarily the people who would sleep in it.



OFFER No. 2
I am extending a 25% discount on the 2 nights of lodging in Yosemite Valley for any Yosemite Virgins who want to add that on to make a Grand Sierra Adventure.

That's retail of approximately $100 per person, which I will discount to wholesale of $75 (approx.) to any Yosemite Virgins.



I hope this demonstrates my good faith effort to contribute to securing adjacent campsites in Kings Canyon, and my can't-help-myself effort to deflower Yosemite Virgins (with the assistance of any others who'd like to join in).




BTW: There will be iSm Geriatric National Park Tours in the Future. First Up: Yellowstone - - a mecca for geriatrics and one of America's Great Treasures.

Uh, hi, Mr. innerSpaceman. I've been doing some thinking, and I've got some ideas to improve the camping trip plans. One, Poochie needs to be louder, angrier, and have access to a time machine. Two, whenever Poochie's not onscreen, all the other characters should be asking "Where's Poochie"? Three--

First, I have to ask Who's Poochie, before I can ask Where's Poochie?



OMG, Time Machine is such a great idea though. We can go back and prevent Stupid Boy from breaking his back at Bridalveil, but pre-arrange to have him put in foster care when he's taken away from his demented parents.

Then we can huff and puff our way to the top of Death Falls, prevent the fall from the top of the falls, and rechristen the place "Upper Yosemite Falls."


We can also bring blankets to the top of Sentinal Dome for the most amazing meteor shower I have ever seen, so we can stay up there all night long.


Oh, and Happy Isles before the fire!


Ooooooh, and the Glacier Point FireFall ... which I've never seen with my own eyes.


OMG, that's just for starters at Yosemite!


What other Time Machine Camping can we do????

Heh, nice Simpson's reference there, GC ;)

Did I mention I wish it was time for the trip already?

D'uh, thanks Morrigoon. I'm lost on Simpsons references without zapppop being my constant companion. (He can spreak for days in Simpsonese, and would be the one to take along on any trip to Springfield.)

UPDATE:
Teresa is updating the Wiki that we used last year with this year's Kings Canyon Swank Camp information. Tonight, when I get home, I will start a new thread to be used specifically for the Kings Canyon Swank Camp trip June 5-9 and include a link to the Wiki. All information, sign-ups, spefcifics etc will be on the Wiki, but we can use the new thread to discuss specifics and answer questions.

I have never been to Yosemite. I won't be going this year. I will be going up to King's Canyon (I think that is what the final decision is) on Thursday, June 5. I believe that I will be seeing NA and € and possibly others on that day.

ok, no 25% discount for you.



Thanks for being one of the Kings Canyon Pioneers. Let me know if you need the blow-up sex dolls. ;)

Wanna share a site again? :)

just be sure to include that 'stuff you need' list again

man, that saved my butt on more things than I can say. without that Id have been butt nekkid and sleeping on dirt

Yes, we do need to pair up on sites. No more than 2 cars will fit at each site. The site can fit more tents, just not cars. I want to be close to CJ so I can wake up to the smell of Chorizo. ;) CJ (and AM - if she's joining us - and KS... wanna share? I don't know how you guys are doing transport this year.

Oh, and I assume we're doing the group meal thing again, since that worked so well last time?

*blush*

awww.

group meal thing...yeah, that was awesome. Im in

So, what's the Wiki access password again?


I believe Gemini Cricket and I will be sharing a vehicle and a tent. We both snore, so should there be a snoring section somewhere near Kevy's tent ... away from the rest of the camp??


As for meal teams ... um, I can't cook worth a damn ... but I'm better at breakfast, being one of the few who are naturally up real early.

We'll be arriving Friday daytime, so breakfast either Saturday or Sunday would be our speciality ... um if anyone wants to join us and plan a menu and help make it taste good.

As for what Gemini Cricket wants, he wants to go to Yosemite and Kings Canyon without missing out on any of the shenanigans at either campsite. Is that possible? Being the gotta have it all kinda girl that I am, well... I wanna have it all. Is there a way to do that?

Oh yeah, and I guess it's too late for me to post my "let's not overplan this" comment.
:D

Hey, cool! I hadn't realized you were a Yosemite virgin, GC!!

Whatever you miss, that will be great talk for around the fire, as well as your stories from Yosemite!!!

My Brother and SIL may be joining us a well. I'm excited.

No password will be needed for the Wiki. I'll include instruction for adding information to the spread sheet.

And, boy, do I have a story to tell about Yosemite already.
I'm sort of a virgin. In '96 (I think) I only got as far as Bridal Veil Falls and then turned around.
:)

Add me to the list.
Me and quite possibly Jake Gyllenhaal.
:D

Well, that was fun.

Tell your pop to bring a bazooka with him in case we need to shoot a mountain lion in the face.

Sometimes, my dad's ass can be more lethal than a bazooka, especially if we feed him garlic. :rolleyes:

Hence why Daddyphile will have his very own tent. ;)

Oooh, I'm so happy Jake will be sleeping in our tent.


If I were to be wearing pants in that tent, those pants would likely tent.

If anyone else wants to make edits to the list, please copy the whole list and edit as needed.

I have added GC and removed the LSPoors. If there is any other modifications needed, please make them. (I did not add Jake until we get a confirmation from him.

I left Alex as he is NOT decided yet (though probably not - too bad :( ). I added Ponine, but I do not know if a "+1" should have been included.

Kevy
Susan
Not Afraid
Euro
Audra
Nirvanaman
Capt Jack
Morrigoon
Sohrshah
Ghoulish Delight
Cadaverous Pallor
innerSpaceman
BTD+ 1
Disneyphile
FrodoPotter
Daddyphile
KatieSue
Borneio
Alex?
Gemini Cricket
Ponine

This puts the total at 22 including all names (and pluses) on the list. This is of course subject to change.

Why does Kevy always put his name first on the list...

So, should I close this thread? Do we still need it?

Close it.
It'll only cause confusion... in me.

No, i think we should leave it open.


i can talk about Yosemite here.

Yosemite? OK. We're going in May. The snow pack is incredible and the waterfalls are amazing (according to my family).

We just canceled our plans for a weekend trip to Spring Training so I'm thinking I might try to sneak in a day trip to Yosemite if Lani is comfortable with the snow.

Yeah, the waterfalls are usually amazing in May. All the little ones that you usually only see on a map are flowing. It's an amazing effect. There is literally nowhere you can go in the Valley where there isn't at least one waterfall in sight. Very beautiful.


You can't leave the Valley floor ... or get remotely close to the base of any of the big falls ... so I found it rather limiting in activities. But beautiful and amazing.


Enjoy!

I've been in May many, many times. But, the last few years haven't been as spectacular as this one already is. It's been warming up quite a bit over the last few weeks and the snow is melting. My Brother has had all of the windows of his house open during the day. Perfect weather.

Surely if you can do a day trip to Yosemite, you can do a weekend of camping in Kings Canyon! It's the same drive time for you.

No its not, Kings Canyon is about another 75-90 minutes each way.

Not that the drive time is the issue. For a turnaround drive out to Yosemite I don't have to plan anything, pack anything, I'm not missing out on anything.

For Kings Canyon I wouldn't get there until noon on Saturday, everybody would probably be off doing some sightseeing until the late afternoon anyway. I'd have to pack food and set up camp. Then I'd have to leave by around noon the next day. A lot of trouble to essentially drop in on a party for 10 minutes.

Because it is all about me :D

Are you saying that we are not worth it?

Yes. But don't take it personally, nobody would be.

But if it looks like I"ll have an extra day of vacation I could use to get out there on Friday or stay until Monday then I'll give it strong consideration.

Alex has a point about arriving on Everyone Gone from Camp Day.

I don't want to be doing that either. Truly, if it looks as though the majority of people will be arriving Thursday, I'll do the same.

My side trip was based on the assumption that most people would be getting there Friday. If that's not the case, I certainly don't want to be encouraging anyone to miss any significant part of the Kings Canyon trip by setting up a side voyage to Yosemite for the same day.

Let's see how the Wiki plays out over the next few.

FWIW (and maybe I should post this in the other thread), but I am of the ilk that has no objection to just hanging around in the camp if I know someone is coming.

Oh believe me, there will always be some people hanging around camp. But it's one thing to have a day when not much is happening because most people will be arriving and setting up camp, and another to arrive on a day when you are practically the only one setting up camp and everyone else is off doing something fun.


If it turns out that both Thursday and Friday are going to be days when a whole bunch of people are setting up camp ... I'd just as soon miss one of those days.

In other words, if there will be 2 pitching camp days, I'll miss one. If only one such day (and that turns out to be Thursday), I'll be there for that.



It's not my intention to be a "spoiler." I just assumed that most people will be getting there Friday. If that's not the case, I'm open to changing my plans to adapt to that.

So, Kevy, donning the hat of Mr. Woodwork, can you whip us up a wooden sign that says Camp Swank?

I'm happy that we'll be at a significantly lower elevation than last year. I shouldn't have a problem with light-headedness at all this time.

As for someone being around camp, my dad will probably be at camp most of the time. He has some leg swelling issues, so he's usually pretty wiped out after a few hours of standing or walking in a day.

I haven't done a sign before, not really what I do. But if I have the time, I may (I am supposed to be building a portable shower before Memorial Day and that project has been on my plate for about a year and a half).

Kevy: got a router? It's very easy.

Got two (recently purchased a Porter Cable 690). But it is the hand-eye coordination thing that is the problem.