Posted by Bret Edge on December 14, 2014 at 2:20 PM
We're headed out on Dec. 26 for a 3 week road trip. Originally we planned on a desert tour through central and southern AZ, then onto the Vegas area and then up to St. George before heading home. If we do this trip, I'd love to hear some suggestions for great hikes, campgrounds, photography locations in southern AZ.
Now I'm considering a winter trip to Yosemite. We've never been to Yosemite and aren't sure what to expect there at this time of year. Is there any hiking or will it all be snowshoeing? Camping? What else is within striking distance of Yosemite that we could visit while there?
All ideas for either trip are welcome. Thanks!
Posted by Bill Pelzmann on December 14, 2014 at 5:21 PM
Bret, I just returned from a 3 month trip through Oregon and CA. Spent 4 days in the Tucson area on the return. My first time there. We stayed in the Lost Dutchman SP campground. Some great evening photos of the Superstition Mtns. from short trails right out of the campground. The weather was delightful.
While there I'd suggest a tour of Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West, in Scottsdale. Very educational. It's open year round and the tour guides are great.
If you are driving to Yosemite via the southern route, I'd suggest planning a stop at Joshua Tree.
For Yosemite, in the valley you will most likely not need snowshoes to get around. Elsewhere all bets are off after the current set of storms.
Posted by Monika Chace on December 14, 2014 at 5:52 PM
Bret, I'd keep an eye on Michael Frye's blog for Yosemite conditions http://www.michaelfrye.com/landscape-photography-blog/
You could also go to Kings Canyon/Sequoia. Since you'll be coming from the east, you'll be coming through Death Valley, could make a detour to the Eastern Sierras :Bodie if the road is open, ditto the Ancient Bristlecone Forest (there is camping year round at the Grandview campground which is known for being a dark sky place, Mono Lake, petroglyphs around Bishop as well as Galen Rowell's gallery, Owens River Gorge, Buttermilk boulders if you want to photograph climbers (the glacial polish on the boulders is a nice gold color), the Alabama Hills. The snow line stops somewhere north of Bishop & south of Mammoth Lakes. If the storms continue, you won't be able to go over Tioga Pass to the Valley, but if it reverts to a drought pattern, you may be able to, but you'll have to keep an eye on closures at it can change quickly. If it's snowy, you can ski or snowshoe (you can rent gear if you don't want to pack it) from Badger Pass Ski Area. There are also condos around there available to rent on sites like airbnb. Michael has an excellent app for photo locations -- you can filter by month. There are regular NPS campgrounds (the bears are notoriously aggressive, but should be hibernating unless they've become so dependent on garbage that they don't do that anymore) in the park as well as unheated cabins that I hear are really cheap in winter, NFS campgrounds towards Merced, right on the river. There won't be a whole lot of daylight in the Valley at that time of year.
Posted by Doug Koepsel on December 14, 2014 at 6:29 PM
Bret, in S AZ, considerations may be the Kofa Mtns, Organ Pipe NP, Chiricahua Mtns, Aravaipa Canyon. Plenty of trails in the Superstition Mtns just east of Phoenix.
Posted by Bret Edge on December 15, 2014 at 12:56 AM
Wow, these are fantastic suggestions. Thank you, everyone!
Discussion
4 repliesNow I'm considering a winter trip to Yosemite. We've never been to Yosemite and aren't sure what to expect there at this time of year. Is there any hiking or will it all be snowshoeing? Camping? What else is within striking distance of Yosemite that we could visit while there?
All ideas for either trip are welcome. Thanks!
While there I'd suggest a tour of Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West, in Scottsdale. Very educational. It's open year round and the tour guides are great.
If you are driving to Yosemite via the southern route, I'd suggest planning a stop at Joshua Tree.
For Yosemite, in the valley you will most likely not need snowshoes to get around. Elsewhere all bets are off after the current set of storms.
You could also go to Kings Canyon/Sequoia. Since you'll be coming from the east, you'll be coming through Death Valley, could make a detour to the Eastern Sierras :Bodie if the road is open, ditto the Ancient Bristlecone Forest (there is camping year round at the Grandview campground which is known for being a dark sky place, Mono Lake, petroglyphs around Bishop as well as Galen Rowell's gallery, Owens River Gorge, Buttermilk boulders if you want to photograph climbers (the glacial polish on the boulders is a nice gold color), the Alabama Hills. The snow line stops somewhere north of Bishop & south of Mammoth Lakes. If the storms continue, you won't be able to go over Tioga Pass to the Valley, but if it reverts to a drought pattern, you may be able to, but you'll have to keep an eye on closures at it can change quickly. If it's snowy, you can ski or snowshoe (you can rent gear if you don't want to pack it) from Badger Pass Ski Area. There are also condos around there available to rent on sites like airbnb. Michael has an excellent app for photo locations -- you can filter by month. There are regular NPS campgrounds (the bears are notoriously aggressive, but should be hibernating unless they've become so dependent on garbage that they don't do that anymore) in the park as well as unheated cabins that I hear are really cheap in winter, NFS campgrounds towards Merced, right on the river. There won't be a whole lot of daylight in the Valley at that time of year.