De Anza College Outdoor Club winter Yosemite trip 2011

Half Dome from near campsite winter 2011: Half Dome with alpenglow and low clouds upper Yosemite falls winter 2011: upper Yosemite falls, snow ocvered cliffs and low clouds

Late arrivals Friday evening had help from others pitching their tent:

group pitching tent snow camp 2011: group of people pitching tent after darkpitching tent at night 2011 winter trip: pitching a tent at night

setting up rain fly 2011 winter trip: setting up rain fly for a tent after dark

Pitch your tent by yourself when you arrive well after dark and you might discover in the morning that you put the rain fly on upside down:

Jonathan with rain fly on upside down: guy stnading next to two tents of the same model, one with the rain fly on upside down

Saturday morning:

Alex gives Alanna a backrub: giving a backrub in a tent 3 girls in tent 2011 winter: 3 girls in a tent in their sleeping bags, wearing knit hats

Saturday was spent in general sightseeing, or a hike to at least the base of upper Yosemite Falls or a ranger naturalist guided snow shoe walk.

At different times of the day and night people saw raccoons, a coyote and ravens in the campsites. We also found tracks in the snow, below raven, raccoon and steel belted radials:

raven footprints in snow: raven footprints in snow with a human hand for size comparison raccoon footprints in snow: raccoon footprints in snow with human hand for size comparison tire tracks in snow: tire tracks in snow

Dinner Saturday evening:

warming a tortilla at a campfire: People at picnic tables and around campfire. One is roasting a marshmallow, another is holding a tortilla over the flames. Jonathan Mai studies while camping 225 pixels: sitting at a picnic table reading by lantern light Tracey, Kritti and Kelly making dinner: three girls making dinner on a camping trip

Tracey tucked into sleeping bag: Tracey tucked into sleeping bag, only part of her face showing under blanketsHours after Saturday dinner, a night hike and ice skating, when everyone was tucked into bed, it started raining, heavy at times.

At a little after 4:30 a.m. Sunday the noise of rain ceased on the tent fabric. It had not stopped raining, it had just gotten colder and the rain turned into snow. Huge snowflakes, many bigger than fifty cent pieces, fell on and off all morning.

430 a.m. snowfall 2011: big snowflakes are seen falling, lit up by camera flash in front of tent

One woman sleeping in the tent above had never been camping before. Another on the trip had never seen snow fall.

Two snow covered tents Sunday morning 2011 trip: Two snow covered tents Cabella tent after snowfall winter 2011: snow covered tent and picnic table

Outdoor club campsite last morning 2011 winter trip: snow covered cars, tents, picnic tables

Eric and Alex breakfast 2011 winter trip: snow covered picnic table with stove, two guys holding mugs Quang packing up at end of winter 2011 trip: guy with gear on snow covered picnic table

Two group photos the last morning, one group at the campsite and one at the Ahwahnee hotel brunch, and we still didn’t get everyone in at least one of the photos:

2011 snow camp group photo in campsite: nine people posing for a gorup photo during a heavy snow fall

2011 winter group photo at campsite.: group photo at snowcovered campsite

at brunch 2011 winter trip: group around table at brunch in the Ahwahnee hotel dining room

Trip info starts at: Snow Camp