Camping – Page 3 – travellingzombie.com

When the place you discover by accident becomes one of the most beautiful places you have visited: Tioga Pass / Tenaya Lake

Most of you know by now that Yosemite is my favourite place in the world (so far!). You can read our posts on Mirror Lake and Camping for some background on our trips. I’m working my way up to a big post on the Half Dome hike – there is so much to share on this topic that it has been in progress for a while!

Around every corner is a stunning new view and the way the park has retained its ‘wildness’ just adds to its allure. Even after a couple of visits to the park, we have still found something new each time.

On our last trip, we were leaving Yosemite by a different exit, crossing Tioga Pass to make our way towards Death Valley. We had passed over Tioga Pass before, but we had done it at 2am in the thickness of night and therefore missed the views. This time, we were leaving Yosemite in the early morning and had enough light to see all of the sights on offer.

Tioga Pass is the highest highway pass in California and the Sierra Nevada. Due to its height, it’s usually the last road to open in summer and the first road to close in winter due to the ice and snow. On the journey, our ears were soon popping and the first time we made the trip, our bag of crisps burst open due to the altitude pressure: making us pull the car over, half in shock, half grateful that it wasn’t the gas canister for the camping stove!

On this trip in the daylight, the trip probably took us twice as long as we stopped every ten minutes or so to pull over and admire the surroundings.

One place in particular really captured our attention: Tenaya Lake. Located at an elevation of 8,150 feet, this alpine lake is incredible. As we drove towards it in the car, both Wandering Beeb and I were lost for words, with “wow” being the only thing we had to say.

Set back from the road, the little sandy beach and picnic table framed the water perfectly. The lake was formed by a glacier and the cliffs in the background stood out against the blue of the waters.

We didn’t know the lake was there, we hadn’t read any reviews and we certainly hadn’t built our route around visiting the lake. This was one of those occasions where going with the flow and meandering to our next destination had paid off, revealing a view we’d never intended to see and one that never left our minds.

I’d Rather Be….

That little bridge in Yosemite is my gateway to relaxation

This week’s photoblog prompt is, as the title suggests, about something that I’d rather be doing.

When I saw the prompt, initially I was thinking about being on a road trip. Many of the trips we’ve done have included a road trip, travelling from one place to another with a list of places to visit. There’s something about the open road and the promise of somewhere new.

As I was thinking about what to write, I realised that actually, where I’d rather be is by the little bridge.

Stoneman Bridge offers some great views of Half Dome and is the gateway to Sentinel Beach.

The little bridge in question is in Yosemite National Park. Spanning the Merced River that runs through Yosemite, Stoneman Bridge is the gateway to the stunning Sentinel Beach, which offers a secluded little rest stop. It’s perfect for swimming and gazing up at the views of Half Dome. To get to the beach area, hang a left after crossing the bridge, taking the unassuming dirt pathway through the trees until you reach the stony beach.

The pathway through the trees doesn’t look that promising at first but it soon opens out onto the Merced river

This little bridge has become a bit of a symbol for me. The first time we visited Yosemite, we’d spotted the area the day before heading up Half Dome. Seeing that it was a fairly secluded spot, we planned to come back the day after our big hike to rest and swim in the water. It became cemented in my mind as a place to relax and now every time I visit, it’s on my ‘must do’ list.

Surrounded by huge granite cliffs, Sentinel Beach is the perfect place to relax.

Usually, when people say places are ‘magical’ I start to think that they are exaggerating, or at least prone to being a bit dramatic, however, for this location, I think that the word fits. Particularly as this was the setting for our closest encounter yet with a deer.

We backed off slowly, giving it lots of space but still managed to grab a couple of photos.

We were playing frisbee on the beach. It was later on in the day and there were very few people around. I could hear some voices on the other side of the banking and looking up, I realised that they were all pointing over to our group with their cameras in hand. Not one to think that I’m ever good photo material, I immediately looked behind me to see a deer silently wandering out of the tree line on to the shore. I let the others in our group know *quietly* and we slowly moved back, keeping a respectful distance from this beautiful animal. It stood fairly still, exploring the ground and the water for, what felt like, five minutes, while we gaped open-mouthed at the opportunity to be so close up to something this stunning in the wild. After a few minutes, it wandered away, returning into the trees as stealthy as it arrived.

Like a ninja, this one sneaked up on us, wandering really close to us as we sunbathed.

We spent the rest of the afternoon floating in the river and soaking up the last of the day’s light. Freezing cold at first, the water soon warmed up and it was so peaceful to hear the sounds of the water in such a beautiful setting. Yosemite’s granite cliffs surrounded the river and it was such a stunning view from the middle of the lake.

Housekeeping Camp can be seen just through the trees on the bank of the Merced river.

Stoneman Bridge is my gateway to that relaxation spot in Yosemite. I know that as soon as we reach the bridge, the little pathway will lead us through to the river and the small stony beach. On any given day, that is where I’d rather be.

Where would you rather be? Let us know your favourite places in the comments 🙂

Travel Tip: Get the Tent Out!

Travel tips from http://www.travellingzombie.com

When we first started to travel, I was not a camping fan. I dislike bugs, being cold and mud – so it was no surprise that I’d rather stay in a comfy, warm hotel. However, on our first trip to a National Park in the USA, I was persuaded to give it a go. I’m so glad that I did! It was the best part of our trip, with nights around the campfire firmly cemented in my memory.

One of the main reasons I was happy to give it a go was for the cost. Accommodation is one of the most expensive elements of travelling. Camping can help with that. With pitch costs of around $26 per night in Wawona, Yosemite, camping can cut your accommodation costs in half.

When we first travelled to Yosemite and Tahoe, we had no clue about what tent to get and we didn’t want to have to pay extra to fly the tent over to our destination. This meant that we visited Kmart on our first day in the USA and, after much deliberation, we ended up buying a tent that was probably more suited to a backyard sleep over than a week or so in a couple of National Parks. Our main selection criteria was that it was big enough for three of us and had a sewn-in ground sheet (I refused to camp of there was a chance that spiders could crawl into my bed – ugh). We also ended up with sleeping bags that were fairly thin, and in one person’s case – didn’t come up past their chest! To be fair, the tent and the sleeping bags did their job – they were cheep and cheerful (we were not going to pay to fly them back to England and so they would be given away at the end of our trip) and they kept us clean and dry, however, they weren’t really designed for the cold nights of Yosemite.

Learning from our first experience, the next time we camped, we purchased a huge four-man tent in the UK and counted this as one of our bags, splitting the rest of our gear between the baggage allowance for the remaining three people in our party. This actually worked out far cheaper and meant that we had a sturdy, well-made tent for our adventures. Although there was lots of room in this tent (we could fit in four large airbeds!), it took four people, a good thirty minutes and the tips of one of my fingers to put up.

The big tent is great, particularly for camping trips on the UK but it only works out cheaper to take abroad if there are a few of you with whom you can split the luggage. So what do we do if it’s just me and Wandering Beeb? We did a huge amount of research and purchased a much smaller tent. We ended up with a MSR Elixir 3 tent.

This little tent is a beauty! Firstly, it looks the business – it’s fairly low to the ground and has a curved design, giving you lots of head room whilst feeling really airy. The ground sheet is sewn-in and the two doors are well-sealed to prevent any unwanted visitors or rain getting in. Although there is a two-man version of the tent, we were sensible to go for the three-man option to get a little extra room as it’s a very snug inside. It’s small, geometric design made it really sturdy and it was unbelievably easy to put up. Usually there is a lot of swearing and sore fingers when we camp – not in this case as it’s easy enough for one person to put it up in about 10 minutes – winner!! Even better, as it’s so lightweight and can be split up into two small bags, we were able to fit it in with our usual luggage allowance, meaning that we didn’t incur any extra charges.

One of the best things about this tent had to be the option to remove the outer layer and look up through the mesh panels at the stars. The Yosemite night sky is one of the most beautiful sights we have ever seen and to be able to look up at the stars from the comfort of our sleeping bags was incredible – something you would absolutely miss out on in a hotel.

As well as incredible sights, camping brings you together as travellers like nothing else. There is something about a good campfire and nights huddled round a torch that bond you in a way nothing else can.

What tent do you use? Any good recommendations? Tell us in the comments!

We Found Water in a Deserted Place

The drive into Zion had been beauty of a different kind compared to our other stops. Twisting roads and reddish rock encased us as we wound our way into the canyon.

Our first stop in Zion was to the Watchman Campground to set up our gear. That was easier said than done. You’d think that as seasoned campers, we would know how it’s done and have everything we need. Nope! What we hadn’t realised was that the campsites in Zion are on a rocky surface, not flat forest ground. This is probably to try and deter critters and ants from seeing the tent as a new home, however it also meant that we had no place to secure our tent pegs. This was our first obstacle, but certainly not our last. Having secured the tent as best we could (think bags and rocks weighing down the corners), two of us set off for the local shop for supplies whilst two stayed behind to work on the tent.

Arriving at the shop, we found it mostly empty. The shopkeeper (almost certainly an extra from some B movie horror) told us ominously that a storm was coming and that we should make sure that we were safely under shelter when it hit. We were a little naive at this point – the skies were still blue and not a drop of rain in sight! We meandered around the shop, picking up supplies and slowly but surely the day started to darken. By the time we left the shop, we were sprinting to the car, soaked through as the rain ran in rivers down the road, filling the storm gulley to the brim.

Meanwhile, back in the tent, the rain was battering the sides, making our temporary home even more precariously weighted down than it was to start with! These floods and high winds hit sporadically throughout the time we were there, often in the middle of the night, leaving us holding on to the tent poles to make sure that we didn’t blow away! They often lasted little more than an hour or so and were in massive contrast to the scorching sunshine we experienced throughout the day. It was actually that hot that our air beds curved with the heat!

One of our day hikes took us out to the Emerald Pools and waterfalls. You’d think that somewhere like Zion, full of rock and dust, wouldn’t be the best place for waterfalls but you’d be wrong! Upper, Middle and Lower Emerald Pools are all accessible from near the Grotto Picnic area. It was a boiling hot day and although the hike was very warm, it was well worth it for the sights – although the water wasn’t very Emerald in colour on our visit, instead it was coloured a reddish brown from the rock.

The most exciting part of the hike for me was the trail around Lower Pools which actually lets you walk underneath the waterfall. We went in late summer and so the flow wasn’t too strong, more of a light mist pouring over the ledge above us, dusting us with cool water that was refreshing against the relentless hot sun. I’d imagine that in winter this would be a very different experience! We spent quite a bit of time here, taking in the sights and snapping photos under the waterfall in an awe-filled silence. The various colours of the rock provided an stunning backdrop and there was something otherworldly about being behind the fall of the waterfall.

The pathway past the lower falls curved back on itself, winding upwards towards the Middle Pools which provided a good view of the path of the water as it fell down to the ledge below. The source of the water, Upper Falls, opened out to a huge pool, surrounded by some shady spots – a beautiful place to stop for lunch! The views looking out over the valley are amazing, made all the more picturesque by the mix of colours in the red rock, deep water pools and patches of green trees.

This was a fairly easy hike. It’s always useful to have good sturdy shoes for hiking rocky pathways (particularly with good ankle support) to avoid twists and sprains. We also saw a couple of snakes and lizards on the pathways and so the extra height on my shoes made me feel a bit more able to avoid them as I walked!

Another one of our hikes took us out to the Narrows. This is the narrowest part of Zion Canyon and offers a few different options for hikers. The start of the Narrows is accessible from a fairly smooth hiking path – the Riverside Walk. This takes you as far as the river, which more adventurous hikers might want to follow to travel further into the Narrows, although permits are needed for progressing past certain parts of the route. If you want to walk further than the paved section of the hike, you need to wade through the flow of the river – so good sturdy shoes, hiking poles and some dry socks for the way down are a must. It’s also really important to be good at navigating and reading weather conditions to make sure you are safe in the Narrows – many people have found themselves in difficulties in this area after experiencing flash floods, strong currents or getting lost.

When we arrived at this point, the water was up to our shins and fairly fast moving. Given that there was a very high risk of flash floods that day (and we’d already seen first hand how quickly a huge amount of rain could come down) and that we weren’t really prepped for hiking in water, we decided to not go much further than this, content with seeing the start of the winding caverns of the Narrows.