This is an index to pages describing Yosemite National Park for De Anza College Outdoor Club trips to Yosemite National Park.
The club usually goes on one trip to Yosemite Valley each winter and occasionally a spring moonbow trip or one to Tuolumne Meadows in the summer, with occasional other trips.
This index is sorted into four sections,
- 1) Yosemite in general,
2) specific to the winter trip YOSEMITE VALLEY WINTER CAMPING
3) specific to the Tuolumne trip TUOLUMNE MEADOWS SUMMER CAMPING
4) Outdoor Club info, including membership advantages OUTDOOR CLUB
Bears how bears break into cars, what to do if you see a bear
A free shuttle bus goes to over 20 stops in Yosemite Valley from morning to night at 20 to 30 minute intervals. The route, stops and how to find the store, shower house, etc. are at: Yosemite Valley free shuttle bus
Yosemite Valley Rafting Advice includes rentals info and do-it-yourself
swimming in Yosemite, including pools and favorite swimming holes
Backpacking Advice has these sections: Must bring for each large group (or perhaps for each couple or person), Must bring backpacking for each person, Some (crazy?) people think these are optional for backpacking, Backpacking luxuries(?), Do not bring these backpacking, To keep down on weight backpacking, Don’t rush out and buy, BACKBACKING FOOD, Low-cook backpacking foods, Yosemite National Park WILDERNESS PERMITS, Leave no trace camping has these basic principles.
How much water will there be in the Yosemite waterfalls?
Yosemite Valley is an attempt to show the grandeur of the depth and width of the valley through photos of Yosemite Falls. It has a map of the Yosemite Lodge at the Falls area.
Yosemite Camp 4 Map
map of Yosemite Village day use parking and round-about
Ahwahnee Hotel map
map of Yosemite day use parking lot at Curry Village (briefly named Half Dome Village)
Parking and traffic jams in Yosemite valley tips and tricks
Yosemite National Park regulations, policies and rules links. Dogs and all other pets “must be restrained on a leash not more than six feet long or otherwise physically restrained.” https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/pets.htm
Yosemite nature and photography links has links for wildflower, mammal, bird, geology, star guides and more
You have a number of lodging choices of where to stay overnight in Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park, including campsites or
wood-walled cabin without a bath; heated or unheated wood floored, canvas sided and roofed tent cabin; wood walled cabin with a bath
luxury or generic hotel rooms, suites with a bath
Tent cabins tips has lots of info about making your Curry Village tent cabin experience much nicer.
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casual, fast (grab and go)
or with table-side service,
indoor and outdoor food service
Details about 24 hour towing within the park, propane service, emergency repairs, how to use your Auto Association card to get the help of the people at the small Yosemite Village garage, electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and more are at Yosemite garage, car repairs and towing.
Yosemite Valley spring runoff and flooding / Yosemite snow pack has statistics and links about Yosemite valley flooding, spring runoff and snow pack/ snow water content for various years.
Yosemite rock falls has year-in-review reports
How to find the location of John Muir’s cabin (hang nest) in Yosemite Valley is also is also a description of various short walkways/trails to the base of Lower Yosemite Fall. And see: Upper Yosemite Fall held stationary in mid-air
Using a campsite food storage locker gives you ideas on how to use one, including some logistics on sharing one in a large group.
Where were they when they got that great picture in Yosemite?
Where can I take a photo that looks like the one on a Yosemite postcard I just bought?
Places to take photos of Half Dome, Bridalveil Fall, El Capitan, Yosemite Falls and Staircase Falls.
People climb over barriers meant to protect them and as a result slide over waterfalls in Yosemite. fatal, near fatal or close call incidents/accidents in camping, backpacking, climbing and mountaineering has press releases about them.
Hiking Advice has hot weather hiking advice, hiking logistics and the answer to the question: When is the best time of day to cross a mountain stream?
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main trip pages:
Snow Camp (with links to info/prices for Badger pass downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding and tubing, the Ranger-led snowshoe walk, Ansel Adams gallery photo walks, ice skating)
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The club will not make reservations for any overnight accommodations, individual students do that. You have a number of choices of where you stay overnight (campground, tent cabin, cabin or hotel room) and who you share a campsite with / have as a roommate (or you could come up just for the day Saturday – but people rarely do).
Yosemite Valley free shuttle bus has hints for saving time using the free bus by better understanding the route
For info on the logistics of where to pitch your tent, dealing with iced car door locks, staying warm and comfy overnight while winter camping and more, go to: First-timer’s instructions.
Snow or rain camp must-haves is the list of equipment YOU MUST HAVE (followed by the list of things YOU WILL WISH YOU HAD) to go on the Outdoor Club annual Yosemite snow camp trip, or even on our summer trips. For a checklist of all of the gear (but without all the reasons and descriptions) go to Snow camp equipment checklist .
Using a campsite food storage locker gives you ideas on how to use one, including some logistics on sharing one in a large group.
When any De Anza club camps as a group we face this problem: Someone in a nearby campsite will expect the worst (noise, etc.) from an obviously college-age group. And they will be quick to complain about any rule infraction (some of which carry heavy fines). The club really needs each winter trip member to read A problem and its solution and help us enforce rules during the trip.
Snow camp weather, hike safety and first aid considerations includes trail safety notes, and info about mountain lions
What if it storms so much on the winter trip they close the road to the ski resort? We won’t be able to ski or take one of the long hikes. Will there be anything to do except hide in the car, play cards at the laundromat or go online at the Lodge? The answers are at: Things to do during a Yosemite snow storm besides hiding in your tent
Most people will take four, 4 1/2 or maybe five hours to drive to Yosemite. If you don’t want to set a new record for taking too much time to get to Yosemite (currently the De Anza College winter trip record is 13 hours by a guy who didn’t use our directions and drove around the mountains all night), then read
Snow camp carpools and driving directions.
Prepare for winter driving has a link to bad weather driving tips, tips for using tire chains, tricks for dealing with frozen car locks, how to prepare your vehicle for winter driving, a winter survival kit for your car, what to do if you get stranded, how to keep windows from fogging up and tips for driving in snow and ice.
Safe driving in rain and fog includes info about driving in fog, on black ice, driving in rain, floods (don’t) and chain requirements
Snow chain rentals is advice about buying snow chains with the intention of possibly returning without use or renting snow chains.
How to not collide with a deer
For the answer to the question: How do I convince my parent(s)/guardian that I can go on this trip? or How do I convince them to pay for some gear for the trip? Go to: Snow camp FAQs
You need to take a written test before you can sign up for the trip. Sample test questions and a few of the answers are at: Snow camp pre-test sample questions
There’s easy camping info at: Have more fun camping including how to build campfires that don’t smoke too much, how to pack an ice chest, do dishes in camp and lots more.
Hiking Advice has advice, hiking logistics and the answer to the question: When is the best time of day to cross a mountain stream?
Cell phones in the wilderness has advice on how/when to use a cell phone to contact 911 in the wilderness and a warning about interference between cell phones, iPods and avalanche beacons.
How to find the location of John Muir’s cabin (hang nest) in Yosemite Valley
Mostly pictures:
Outdoor Club winter campers at brunch
Yosemite Falls view in February snow and other seasons
Yosemite winter 2004 camping trip
February 2005 Yosemite camping
De Anza College Outdoor Club Yosemite winter trip 2006
De Anza Outdoor Club Yosemite snow camp 2008
De Anza winter Yosemite trip 2009
2010 Yosemite winter trip 2010
2011: De Anza College Outdoor Club winter Yosemite trip 2011
2014: 2014 Yosemite winter trip
2015: Yosemite winter camping trip 2015
2016: Yosemite winter camping trip 2016
2017 photos, with the hot tub in the snow, are at snow camp 2017
2018: Yosemite winter trip 2018
2019: Yosemite winter trip 2019
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photo below by Quang-Tuan Luong/terragalleria.com, all rights reserved.
San Jose area to Yosemite via 120
World’s greatest swimming hole
Using a campsite food storage locker gives you ideas on how to use one, including some logistics on sharing one in a large group.
Cow Parsnip, Coneflower, Pussypaws, Penstemon, Phlox, Columbine, Monkeyflower, Sulphur Flower, Iris, Groundsel and LupineTuolumne trip wildflowers
Bears how bears break into cars, what to do if you see a bear
Thunderstorm and lightning safety
Improve your inexpensive rain gear
At Have more fun camping you can learn how to build campfires that don’t smoke too much, how to pack an ice chest, do dishes in camp and lots more.
If you have decided you are going on a trip with kayaking, reading a step by step description of loading kayaks on the De Anza trailer will make the job go easier.
You can find lists of gear to bring for winter camping that have things that apply to this trip at Snow or rain camp must-haves. If you don’t have gear for or have never been rainy/cold camping OR have never been happy while rainy/cold camping we really recommend you read the lists.
Hiking Advice has hot weather hiking advice, hiking logistics and the answer to the question: When is the best time of day to cross a mountain stream?
Check out the day hike gear section at Camping equipment checklist
Thunderstorm and lightning safety includes the answer to the question: Why can’t you swim during a lightning storm? A strike on a lake doesn’t kill all the fish in the lake.
At Tuolumne we camp at 8,600 plus feet elevation. You will probably feel out of breath at first and may even get a headache and lose appetite. You can get more sunburned. Read At altitude for advice. It includes why your tent mate might seem to stop breathing.
see also: Cell phones in the wilderness which has advice on how/when to use a cell phone to contact 911 in the wilderness and a warning about interference between cell phones, iPods and avalanche beacons.
You can’t always expect a helicopter rescue
Can a person who is prescribed an epi-pen risk going into the wilderness? and some sting prevention notes are at: Anaphylaxis quick facts
How to not collide with a deer
For a laugh, go to: Camping Blunders
Yosemite nature and photography links has links for wildflower, mammal, bird, geology, star guides and more
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For details about club events and on how to find us to pay for a membership, sign up for events or volunteer, go to: Outdoor Club Coming Attractions
Carpools are arranged among the students going on the trips, not by the club or the college. For info on how to get/give a ride go to Carpool FAQs
Answers to most questions about how the club works are at: Outdoor Club Basic Info
The main rules common to most of our trips, including who is eligible to go, are at: Outdoor Club trip rules.
Club Trip Leader Job Description
for fun: an eight person tent holds this many campers