Making plans...

[balzaccom]

Just got a call from the SEKI wilderness office--our reservation is confirmed...

We have plans for a shorter few trips this summer, but we also have two longer ones in mind.

>  One is a hike up into the upper reaches of the Lyell Fork of the Merced River in Yosemite, looking for bighorn sheep (recently introduced in that range) and spending about half the time off trail.  The trailhead for that one is the popular Rafferty Creek.

>  One is a hike in SEKI into the canyons above the Roaring River--Cloud and Deadman--that I haven't visited since I was there forty years ago.  That one uses the also sometimes popular Sugarloaf Trailhead. 

We don't plan all of our trips so far in advance, but we did take the time to make reservations for these.  And the good news is that we got both trips approved.

Now where else can we go that won't need a reservation?  Lots and lots of places.

[toejam]

It makes me mad to have to make reservations. I'm an emigrant to CA and learned to backpack in the Rockies - I'm still unable to accept the concept that reservations are good and necessary because it causes a rebellion deep within my being. I usually go where I won't need them.

But good for you guys. I know you'll have fun.

[balzaccom]

I'll bet you're an immigrant, not an emigrant.

But if you ARE an Emigrant, you might enjoy Emigrant Wilderness....which only requires a self-register permit at the trailhead for any trips on the east side.  grin

Edited March 17, 2016 by balzaccom

[toejam]

Technically, I'm both, but the spelling was intentional. I love the Emigrant Wilderness. It has Toejam Lake.

[lonerock]

5 hours ago, toejam said:

Technically, I'm both, but the spelling was intentional. I love the Emigrant Wilderness. It has Toejam Lake.

So did you get your name from the lake or was the lake named after you? It would be really cool if it was the later.

I once backpacked to a fairly remote lake called Bert Lake and while bushwhacking nearby discovered an unnamed lake which I  officially named Ernie Lake but unfortunately they haven't changed it on the maps yet

[toejam]

It's the latter in my mind. I was toejam before I knew about the lake.

[ppine]

Stay away from Nat Parks and popular wilderness areas, and permits are not needed.  Or at least you can just register at the trailhead.

[shotgunpapa]

I hope you have fun and am happy for you.