“How do I convince my parent(s)/guardian
that I can go on the Outdoor Club winter Yosemite trip?”
or “How do I convince them to pay for some gear for the trip?”
Read all the pages at all the links from the Snow Camp page carefully and make plans you can explain for where you will borrow or rent the right gear.
Do some comparison shopping. But don’t skimp on quality. Don’t, for example, buy long underwear with any percentage of cotton in it, even though it’s much cheaper. Snow or rain camp must-haves has a dozen ideas for people on a budget, including any rentals for snow boots or parkas that we know of.
Explain to the person funding the trip for you that this gear will be used for years for camping and outdoors adventures all year long.
Once you know how to deal with winter weather, you’ll probably never camp again without proper rain/cold gear, an insulating sleeping pad, or a decent tent with a full rain fly. Then when Mom Nature sneaks up on you with an unexpected spring or fall storm, you’ll be able to not only survive, but even enjoy it.
How do I convince my parent(s)/guardian that I will be safe on this trip so I can go?”
Tell them
the club advisor (a member of the De Anza faculty) and her husband, who are leading this trip, have done it with the club for thirty plus years.
They are Red Cross first aid and CPR instructors
and were volunteers with Yosemite National Park Preventative Search and Rescue for the five years it was first fully funded in Yosemite.
They are both fully vaccinated for COVID and keep up on all the boosters.
We always have return trip members with experience doing the major hike on the trip
and often have people who have never have been to Yosemite,
never done a long hike and/or have never been in the snow,
so beginners are welcome and planned for.
Occasionally (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020) we have had a student who was an EMT on the trip.
There are security people at the various hotel complexes.
The Rangers and/or campground hosts go through the campground and check up on people regularly.
We choose Yosemite not only because it is gorgeous and has many recreation choices, but also because
the campground has heated restrooms and purified tap water
there are heated (or not) canvas tent cabins and hotel rooms
for people to rent who do not want to sleep out in the weather.
there are
(in case the weather is bad or just for convenience),
and a medical clinic with 24 hour emergency service/ 24 hour ambulance service a mile from the campsites/tent cabins area, and almost that close to the hotels.
The roads are patrolled by Rangers. If it snows much, the roads are plowed frequently. The park provides a free Greyhound type bus to the ski area, and different free shuttle buses to the stores, visitor center, restaurants, ice rink, and trail heads. Therefore very little, if any, driving in snow is needed. Give them a full report of the info you learned by reading Safe driving in rain and fog and Prepare for winter driving
For people driving who are not used to putting on chains, a passenger can usually be found who knows how to do it. Or even better, more than one carpool can leave at the same time, and caravan together. This can be great if someone has car trouble, and fun to change passengers around as you go and get to know more new people.
The trip is oriented towards first-time people, but experienced people also sign up.
Alcohol consumption (and any other mind altering substances) is not allowed. This is not just enforced by the club advisor, the returning trip goers and club officers truly know how important it is, and there is considerable peer pressure to not break this rule.
If there were an emergency at home, and someone really needed to talk to you, but could not get through to your cell phone, (double check these numbers before you go on the trip) the phone number for the Yosemite 911 dispatcher is: 1(209) 379-1992. In a non-emergency, the nearby Ranger office is (209) 372-0300, and they will get a message to call home to your campsite when they have the time. If you stay in a hotel or tent cabin the front desk can take a message for you. There is a cell-phone transmission tower in Yosemite Valley, so you can bring a phone and keep in touch, (but cell phones only function in part of Yosemite valley, and some kinds of cell phones do not function at all) and there are pay phones in the campground and elsewhere in the park.
You don’t have to camp, see accommodations choices. (Not all of these are available every winter.)
wood-floored, canvas roofed/sided tent cabin
wood-walled cabin without a bath
Cabin with a bath
Hotel room with a bath
– – – those without cold weather camping gear (or who just want to be more comfortable) spend a bit more on a wood-floored, canvas roofed/sided tent cabin, (optionally heated, but bring a reeeealy good sleeping bag or even two) with various double bed and single bed combinations, electric lighting, restroom/showers nearby, lounge with free guest WiFi, walking distance (or a free daytime shuttle bus ride) from the campground. (Renting a tent cabin ( or a wood-walled cabin without a bath) could be less expensive than renting proper winter camping gear / tent. AND it will not matter how late you leave town, as you will not need to pitch a tent out in the potential weather, you just move right into your tent cabin.)
If you camp and the weather gets too interesting for you, heated wood-walled cabins or canvas tent cabins (a few of which have heaters) are within walking distance of where people will be camping, or if they are sold out (not often in the winter), the Yosemite Lodge (just two miles away), has nice rooms. On previous trips some people who initially planned to camp have borrowed a parent’s credit card in case they wanted to bail from the trip. (A couple of years some people camping did rent cheap tent cabins the last night.)
We have a long webpage of tips and tricks for enjoying the tent cabins.
Fully educate them. Have your parent(s)/guardian read all the pages at all the links from the Snow Camp page and the trip agreement and go over it with them.
A parent or guardian who is having last minute second thoughts about allowing a De Anza student to go on this event can come to the mandatory pre-trip meeting and check out the group going, and get questions answered. (An occasional parent or older sibling has done this before.)
,photos by Quang-Tuan Luong/terragalleria.com, all rights reserved.