Yosemite and the Eastern Sierras
Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2011 3:07 pmTook an anniversary trip to Yosemite and the Eastern Sierras a couple weeks back...had a great time!! We've been trying to pull off a trip like this for a couple years; rain, snow or conflicting schedules kept getting in our way, but this year we pulled it off! We caught some peak fall colors along 395, visited Bodie (a Gold Rush ghost town), Mono Lake, and hit Yosemite coming and going.
Yosemite is 5 1/2-6hrs from us...we drove part way after work on Weds and stayed at a Walmart in Manteca. Used an app on my phone to find out where camping was ok. First time we've done that, made for a quick trip into the valley the next morning. We'll probably do it again, if we're traveling by ourselves and want a headstart. (Note: traffic was a tad noisy; earplugs would help)
Spent the first night in Yosemite, then headed over Tioga Rd to Lee Vining.
Mono Lake was spectacular
shot some star trails...
Nearby Forest Svc campgrounds closed mid-October...so made reservations at Pine Cliff Resort on June Lake. Nice little Campground/ RV park. Nice facilities. We were one of 3 or 4 campers as this was their last open week for the season. When we arrived, the owner told us there used to a group of teardrops who took over one area of the campground every year. Sounds like a "lost" gathering!
The fall colors along Tioga Road and Hwy 395 were incredible.
In anticipation of the high elevation at Lee Vining, we installed a direct-wire Roadmaster 300 watt 12-volt heater. We were pleased with the results. We spent two separate nights boon docking and ran heater for an hour or so with no battery issues. Raised the temp to a comfortable level that was easily maintained by our body heat for the duration even with vent open. Charged the battery using the t-v on the road the next day. Wouldn't say it cooked you out but our tear is not insulated on the sides and it got down to mid 30's and we were comfy.
Might be our last trip for the year...had a great time!
Yosemite is 5 1/2-6hrs from us...we drove part way after work on Weds and stayed at a Walmart in Manteca. Used an app on my phone to find out where camping was ok. First time we've done that, made for a quick trip into the valley the next morning. We'll probably do it again, if we're traveling by ourselves and want a headstart. (Note: traffic was a tad noisy; earplugs would help)
Spent the first night in Yosemite, then headed over Tioga Rd to Lee Vining.
Mono Lake was spectacular
shot some star trails...
Nearby Forest Svc campgrounds closed mid-October...so made reservations at Pine Cliff Resort on June Lake. Nice little Campground/ RV park. Nice facilities. We were one of 3 or 4 campers as this was their last open week for the season. When we arrived, the owner told us there used to a group of teardrops who took over one area of the campground every year. Sounds like a "lost" gathering!
The fall colors along Tioga Road and Hwy 395 were incredible.
In anticipation of the high elevation at Lee Vining, we installed a direct-wire Roadmaster 300 watt 12-volt heater. We were pleased with the results. We spent two separate nights boon docking and ran heater for an hour or so with no battery issues. Raised the temp to a comfortable level that was easily maintained by our body heat for the duration even with vent open. Charged the battery using the t-v on the road the next day. Wouldn't say it cooked you out but our tear is not insulated on the sides and it got down to mid 30's and we were comfy.
Might be our last trip for the year...had a great time!
I think I just might know who that group was. 
We did what we called 'The Mother Load Tour'. We'd go up hwy 49 on the western side and cross over thru Yosemite to the eastern side and down to Bishop for the Fall Colors Car Show and show off out trailers. We would stop over one night at Pine Cliff and like that, take over one whole area. Did that for about 4 years.
For this Easterner who's used to having guard rails if there's 2' deep ditch, found Tioga Road "white knuckle" driving with the 2000 foot drop off's, no shoulder or guard rails!!
Danny