2008 Camp Swank

innerSpaceman · 02-11-2008, 06:21 PM

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).

innerSpaceman · 02-13-2008, 01:19 PM

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.

innerSpaceman · 02-15-2008, 10:59 AM

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??

02-11-2008, 06:21 PM	#1
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	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). Last edited by innerSpaceman : 02-11-2008 at 06:28 PM.
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02-13-2008, 01:19 PM	#2
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	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.
	Submit to Quotes

02-15-2008, 10:59 AM	#3
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	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??
	Submit to Quotes