Clouds Rest......

[SSSdave]

Back in the 70s backpackers regularly tossed their bags down at trailheads in Yosemite but when too many of those in RV's and car campers joined us in such parking lots, the park service clamped down on that. The Lembert Dome parking lot was most popular. The last couple decades I've always bothered to check on the latest national forest dispersed camping policies and where their maps say one can so camp. Especially in the Inyo NF areas of the eastside where I almost never camp in the public campgrounds. For years the whole Tioga Pass highway area has been in an Inyo no dispersed camping zone but unofficially they allowed people to overnight where the road crosses the Warren Fork at the 9000 foot bend. That had been the case for two decades until this year when suddenly they pushed boulders in front of where 2/3 of the camping space is in that area along with NO CAMPING signs. Still enough room for maybe ten vehicles to park in front of the boulders and people like me have been doing so. I've also noticed quite a lot more cars parked overnight illegally near both Elery Lake on the old loop road near the creek and above Tioga Lake all the way to the pass. Not something I used to see. In some national forest areas they do sometimes crack down on illegal roadside camping in the no dispersed camping zones but generally there is too little manpower to bother. I suspect some public campground owners, hosts, and motel owners complain at times that people are camping for free just up the road from their campgrounds and motels instead of paying to use their sites. I'm not at all sympathetic. A majority of ordinary folks and families will always require and insist on the full public campground fascillities or motels. However a lot of frequent dirtbag and savvy mountain lovers don't need that stuff. In fact I hate the noise at such places in the evening since I usually am ready to sleep when the dusk wanes and rise at dawn. Nothing like trying to jam earplugs in my ears further for three hours while some obnoxious music is blaring until midnight and smoky air is annoying my breathing. Of course I just paid $17 for that entertainment. ...David

[fedak]

Re: Clouds Rest
Looks like I was up there the day after you

Almost the same shot:

http://www.fedak.net/albums/CloudsRest.html

Re: Sleeping in your car

If I can't find a campsite in Tuolumne, I'll usually head back to Saddlebag Lake road in Inyo. Never had any Ranger/CHP issues back there.
Been rousted by rangers in Yosemite a couple of times- They check all the TM area parking lots with their first rounds in the morning. (I've also had them shine the light on my car and not notice me- they don't look too hard)