North Dome Camping?

[FeetFirst]

I was initially thinking of the trailhead on the road up to Crane Flat, which would be less work than Rockslides. I use that one to day hike the top of Devil's Dance Floor when we can't access tamarack flat. Tho one must be able to float across white thorn these days....

Gotcha. I've only taken Rockslides to the rim, but Tamarack Flat seems like the smart way to go.

[Kris]

The camp along snow creek was once lightly traveled not that many years ago. It ended up on the cover of backpacker magazine some 7-8 years ago or so. A yoga guiding company has now made that their go to location for 'retreats'. It is a special place and snow creek itself near that site shown in one of the above pictures has its own special appeal for the hot hiker. There are many grinding holes and the spot was likely very special to the miwoks and pauites that visited. I have found an obsidian axhead there. I reburied it. Please tread lightly. I wince a bit to discuss this area as its an incredible spot thats not hard to get too. It is offtrail, however, and you have to know where to exit the trail.

[InsaneBoost]

Got a couple extra questions.

Is using vestibules pretty much impossible there? I assume there's nowhere to stake it in?

Where do you put your bear cans if camping ontop of the dome itself? I'm guessing there's nowhere to put it?

Never camped on a rock/granite before so this is kind of new to me. I know I can use rocks to guy the tent out if needed, but if it's not going to be terribly cold or rainy (I'll watch weather), I probably won't even use the fly, unless you all suggest otherwise?

[AlmostThere]

Use huge piles of rocks - a long sturdy stick through the stake loop can be a good deadman anchor. Or, bring extra lengths of cord and loop through the stake loop, and tie off to boulders. NEVER just plop a "freestanding" tent anywhere especially if there are no trees WHEN the wind comes up and turns it into a box kite. The weight of your gear is not enough to keep it on the ground!

I put my bear can in a tree well, and if that is not available I pile as many flakes or boulders of granite on it as I can to be an early warning system, so I can get up and chase the bear away. I never assume that a bear can will ever be bear PROOF - they are bear resistant, and rumor has it a few elite bear ninjas in Yosemite have successfully breached a can by rolling it off onto granite. And if the bear has learned to play soccer with it, it doesn't matter whether they ever get in, it'll be out of your reach anyway. We have chased away bears many, many times in Yosemite.

[markskor]

To add, yes, a few years back, there was an educated Yosemite bear that hung around the Snow Creek ledge campground. The bear's notable trick was to collect the stashed bear cans at night, roll them over to the ledge, and subsequently toss them over the cliff - then go down below (a few thousand foot drop) and collect the food spoils. This has been verified by the Tuolumne Rangers but thankfully, they also mentioned that last season that particular bear had moved on elsewhere - gone for now. ...could return again anytime though.

While camping there, I always keep my night bear can stashed tent close/ very close...signal pots and rocks left atop the can, hopefully any noise will wake me up.

On another note, have been North Dome more than a few times now, and while there always looking for that aforementioned hidden springs location...was told it was close by...however, never have discovered it. Anybody ever found it? - if so, please help an old hiker out and put a map cursor (a big X) on the approximate location for me - post here using the HST TOPO.
Thanks

[InsaneBoost]

Use huge piles of rocks - a long sturdy stick through the stake loop can be a good deadman anchor. Or, bring extra lengths of cord and loop through the stake loop, and tie off to boulders. NEVER just plop a "freestanding" tent anywhere especially if there are no trees WHEN the wind comes up and turns it into a box kite. The weight of your gear is not enough to keep it on the ground!

Okay I'll tie it off to rocks then like I would have done with the rain fly.

Interesting about this bear you all speak of, but then again they aren't stupid right? Still trying to decide where to camp. Guess it will depend on if we're tired or not. If we have a lot of energy I'm hoping somewhere NEAR/ON North Dome, if not we'll stay up around the Snow Creek area like you all had suggested (that is the granite area above North Dome correct?).

If we stay up there I'm sure we'll have much better areas to store the bear canister. Otherwise I'll try to rig it as you all said so noise is made. I swore I read you need to keep the can 100ft away from your site, but I guess I'm thinking of camping 100ft off the trail and from water. Is there a true rule as to how far you need to keep it away from your tent?

I obviously know not to keep it in your tent, vestibule, etc.

[markskor]

I swore I read you need to keep the can 100 ft away from your site, but I guess I'm thinking of camping 100 ft off the trail and from water. Is there a true rule as to how far you need to keep it away from your tent?

I obviously know not to keep it in your tent, vestibule, etc.

Not sure about any official rules - bearcan from tent distance-wise - but when solo (often), and in a bear zone, I regularly keep my Bearikade (outside) right next to my tent, using it as a convenient bench for putting on boots. Never had any problem - that I know of.
YMMV.

[InsaneBoost]

Okay. I noticed in a lot of camping videos they keep them pretty close too so I guess that's not uncommon.

Good to know, thanks.

[rpb]

I swore I read you need to keep the can 100ft away from your site, but I guess I'm thinking of camping 100ft off the trail and from water. Is there a true rule as to how far you need to keep it away from your tent?

I obviously know not to keep it in your tent, vestibule, etc.

I was taught the '100 ft triangle rule'. Store your food at least 100 ft away in one direction, cook and eat at least 100 ft away in another direction and use the 'toilet' at least 100 ft away in a third direction forming a triangle with your tent/camp as the center point.

[maverick]

http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/bearcans.htm

[Wandering Daisy]

You need to depend less on "rules" and simply use common sense. You neither want Mr. Bear to roll your can off the cliff or to come into the tent to join you. The bear smells you no matter where you put the can. He knows you are camping nearby. He knows the location of the bear can. He is after the can, not you. I really see no need to keep it 100 feet away. I keep it within sight and throwing distance, pile up throwing rocks by the tent door, and if Mr. Bear visits, I throw rocks at him, yell and bang pots and pans.

I also have never found the "spring" on North Dome. One of my most thirsty moments of my life was on North Dome. Early season, we walked in from Tioga Road, anticipating filling up again at the "spring" and never found it, and not a bit of snow either. We dropped to the base of North Dome, with little water remaining and figured it was easier to climb the rock than bushwhack back up that gully! It was 90 degrees, with the sun baking us all the way up the climb. I gave all my remaining water to my climbing partner figuring that if I was in trouble, he could haul me out, but no way, could I carry out a 6-foot big guy. Heading back on the trail I had such bad cramps due to dehydration that I literally crawled up the trail in agony. We came to the first creek, filled bottles, then lay directly on the snow and sipped water for an hour. As early in the season as it was, and with as much snow along the trail as we walked from Tioga, we never thought that it would be bone dry once at the dome.

[rlown]

You need to depend less on "rules" and simply use common sense. You neither want Mr. Bear to roll your can off the cliff or to come into the tent to join you. The bear smells you no matter where you put the can. He knows you are camping nearby. He knows the location of the bear can. He is after the can, not you. I really see no need to keep it 100 feet away. I keep it within sight and throwing distance, pile up throwing rocks by the tent door, and if Mr. Bear visits, I throw rocks at him, yell and bang pots and pans.

Completely agree with that approach, WD. It's worked thrice for me. I love my pile of rocks.