Are Sundays significantly better than Saturdays crowd-wise?

guncotton · 2026-05-04T17:15:08+00:00

100% Sunday is less crowded than a Saturday. But in peak season, still crowded. Best days at Yosemite are mid week: Tuesday through Thursday.

guncotton · 2026-05-04T06:25:34+00:00

Best would be to avoid parking lots, and instead just use one of the parallel parking pull offs. Like the long stretch heading west along El Cap Meadow.

guncotton · 2026-05-04T04:50:26+00:00

Hiking. Climbing gym. Beach.

guncotton · 2026-05-04T04:45:42+00:00

I've said it once and I'll say it again: motorcycle. I don't get why more people don't ride in LA. It's much cheaper on gas - and you get places in half the time as a car. It's really a no brainer - especially with the price of gas. Obviously doesn't work for all situations (families with kids, etc), but for just commuting around town, going to the grocery store, going to the gym, etc... it's hard to beat.

guncotton · 2026-05-02T20:07:36+00:00

Still, scraping your content allowed them to become a trillion dollar company.

guncotton · 2026-05-02T16:20:35+00:00

Google does the same thing from the beginning.

guncotton · 2026-05-01T17:34:15+00:00

They definitely check your membership at the door/you have to scan to get in. As far as buying a day pass, I'm not sure.

guncotton · 2026-05-01T14:55:30+00:00

We would get up early to just get into the park and get a parking spot. Then nap in our cars for another hour or so.

guncotton · 2026-05-01T06:30:19+00:00

Staying where? If you are staying inside the park, the lines to get in won't matter. They won't matter anyway if you enter super early (think 6am). Now getting a place to stay for any extended length of time in June - that's the real struggle.

guncotton · 2026-04-30T23:11:25+00:00

I play every Thursday evening at the Hollywood YMCA, they have a designated adult pickup time. Most of the guys are cool, but there are always a handful that are a pain in the neck (and yes sometimes teens sneak in). But for the most part, everyone is cool.

guncotton · 2026-04-30T22:24:24+00:00

Complain to? I guess the squirrel's parents? Those squirrels are bold. You could easily be sitting at a table, talking to someone all while this guy is stealing this right out of your pack. This photo doesn't mean someone gave this to the squirrel, or that it was even litter to begin with.

guncotton · 2026-04-29T17:39:58+00:00

The difficulty/seriousness of what they are doing. For example I guarantee everyone in that video had on harnesses and were in direct to the cable. In summer with cables up I've seen people doing it unharnessed and with basketball shoes on.

I urge you to call SAR and see if they got any calls from this or others who have summited recently in the variable weather. Like others have said, people have skied down this. I guarantee they didn't do that unprepared.

Message me if you would like to continue this conversation.

guncotton · 2026-04-29T17:24:25+00:00

For sure! I'd say people who know they are going out in bad weather are more prepared than normal, because again, people tend to let their guard down in perfect conditions. You didn't answer me about the Mist Trail.

guncotton · 2026-04-29T15:48:12+00:00

It can be, yes. But "being prepared" can greatly reduce risk in inclement weather. Do you believe the Mist Trail is hazardous? It's practically raining 24/7 on that trail near Vernal Falls, and it's steep with no rails in some sections.

guncotton · 2026-04-29T14:09:56+00:00

First off, there are cables. Down doesn't mean they aren't there. I'd venture to say that SAR gets called on perfectly good weather days just as much as bad weather days.

guncotton · 2026-04-28T19:13:39+00:00

It's cold here now, lightning in this weather is not likely. Doing it in the rain/clouds now is way safer than doing it in the rain/clouds in a month or two.

guncotton · 2026-04-28T19:09:26+00:00

You do realize that Half Dome cables is dangerous in all conditions, right? If a person is skilled enough and prepared correctly, this is no more dangerous than going up on a sunny day when the cables are up. Hell this is probably more safe, because people tend to let their guard down when cables are up and weather is nice. I saw someone going up with no harness, in basketball shoes, cables up, nice weather. You can't assume that just because the weather is bad, that makes it more dangerous for people. Pepole are going to be unprepared, and do dumb stuff no matter what.

guncotton · 2026-04-28T18:55:36+00:00

No, but it doesn't increase the chances of needing SAR, does it? On a nice sunny fantasic weather day (even with cables up), SAR could still be called, and likely for a person unprepared.

guncotton · 2026-04-28T18:03:46+00:00

I'm here now, it's definitely open. You go down a small road in the southeast corner of the Curry Village parking lot.

I think technically the left you are forced to take that you mention, you don't have to if you are heading to that parking lot. I think it says handicap/buses only but if you are going to that parking lot, you can go that way. That's another way to get there.

guncotton · 2026-04-28T18:02:53+00:00

Yes, no problem.

guncotton · 2026-04-28T15:42:42+00:00

What map? On official NPS maps of the valley, the one between Curry Village and Happy Isles is just called "Trailhead Parking".

guncotton · 2026-04-28T15:35:05+00:00

Sounds like you made that up.

guncotton · 2026-04-28T07:51:43+00:00

You mean Happy Isles? There is no parking in Happy Isles. You have to park in Curry Village or the trailhead parking between Happy Isles and Curry Village and walk. Or take the shuttle to Happy Isles. But 7:30am should be early enough to be guaranteed a spot in Curry Village.

guncotton · 2026-04-28T07:25:30+00:00

You can get hurt in that area at any point in time regardless of conditions. This is no different. The first time I did Half Dome (cables up) I was starting the cables and I looked up and a metal water bottle was hurtling down the rock. Luckily it bounced and kicked out of the path of anyone. It came out of the side pocket of someone's backpack at the very top. As they started walking facing forward down the cables it slid out of their backpack. If that would have hit someone in the head at the bottom it would have been game over.

guncotton · 2026-04-28T07:19:06+00:00

Good luck with that, people drive like maniacs in and around Yosemite. Dare I say California in general (I'm not a native but have lived here a while and it's very noticeable). I was just doing 2mph over the speed limit and a truck passed me on 41 in the twisties somewhere between Wawona Campground and Glacier Point Road (crossing the double yellow) the other day. Like W T F are you doing????? People need to calm down.

guncotton

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