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The Big Oak Flat Road near the junction of 140 close to the valley will reopen Saturday morning, January 28, at 8:00 a.m. All is well, keep moving – there’s nothing to see here. Good job Road Crew. But I’d still put on a helmet!

Ah, summer is on the way. I was at Costco and they have the swimsuits, sunscreen and goggles out. YES!  Have you noticed that the days are getting longer. March 11 is daylight savings change over.

Just FYI – Survivor’s next season begins Feb 15. That’s the only show I watch on TV. I’ve seen every episode since the first.

Temps in the high 60’s in the SF Bay area this weekend– get out and hike!

Unrelated thought worth quoting: “Wake up, little Susie, wake up. Wake up, little Susie, wake up. We’ve both been sound asleep, wake up, little Susie, and weep. The movie’s over, it’s four o’clock, and we’re in trouble deep. Wake up little Susie.” – The Everly Brothers 

*MrHalfDome™ – Rick Deutsch – www.HikeHalfDome.com

One Best Hike: Yosemite’s Half Dome…

http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2012/01/25/2205883/half-dome-hikers-need-to-win-permit.html

JOSHUA EMERSON SMITH is the reporter. I’ve talked with him and he is picking up the Half Dome cables as a focus. This is good. Other papers are picking up his article. Also look for an AP article coming out by Monday on the cables, 2012 process and the Stewardship Plan.

Unrelated thought worth quoting: “Who wants yesterday’s papers? Who wants yesterday’s girl? Who wants yesterday’s papers? Nobody in the world.” - Rolling Stones

*MrHalfDome™ – Rick Deutsch – www.HikeHalfDome.com

One Best Hike: Yosemite’s Half Dome…

Blog Readers: Many of you know I get to travel for free on cruise ships. I just got back from the Panama Canal. If you can put together 4 talks on 1 genre – you may be able to get a free cruise for 2.

I teach how to do it at local colleges near San Jose. I am creating a webinar based program that I will launch soon and let you know. On Tuesday I’ll be at Foothill College in Los Altos.  6:30 – 8:30. Sign up for $39 with DeAnza College – call them at 408-864-8817

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On February 10, 1 pm PST the park will host a webinar on with a presentation on The Half Dome Trail Stewardship Plan Environmental Assessment. There will also be opportunities to ask our Wilderness Manager and project managers questions about the plan and the 2012 interim permit system.

To register for the webinar visit yose.webex.com. They  will also have an Open House on Feb 29 to rehash the same.

Unrelated thought worth quoting: “There’s an old piano and they play it hot, behind the green door. Don’t know what they’re doin’, but they laugh a lot, behind the green door. Wish they’d let me in so I could find out what’s behind the green door.” – Jim Lowe 

*MrHalfDome™ – Rick Deutsch – www.HikeHalfDome.com

One Best Hike: Yosemite’s Half Dome…

As you can see from these photos, the NPS road crew was Johnny–on-the-spot in hauling the debris out and replacing the damaged roadbed on the lower Big Oak Flat Road. Looks like things will be back to normal soon. No formal announcement from the park yet.

Unrelated thought worth quoting: “It’s like thunder and lightning, the way you love me is frightening. You better knock, knock on wood.” – Eddie Floyd 

*MrHalfDome™ – Rick Deutsch – www.HikeHalfDome.com

One Best Hike: Yosemite’s Half Dome…

I did a little probing and it looks like ONLY the TRIP LEADER permits are non-transferable. So if you win the lottery you could actually bring 5 total strangers or give them away (selling is taboo). The name down as the Trip Leader or alternate must go see the ranger at Sub Dome. I assume the trip leader will download a piece of paper that will serve as the “permit” then make copies for the rest. So try to get 6 permits and give them to fellow blog readers. You can even just put a sign on your back and do the hike…sooner or later a nice person will give you an extra permit.

There is some confusion if all in the party have to arrive at the Ranger at Sub Dome at the same time. That was not the case in the past.

The Jan – Mar Yosemite Gazette is out. They are available around the Tahoe-Yosem area. I also get a couple boxes znd put them at South Bay REI’s and coffee shops. If you want one, email me and send a buck for postage. I wrote a piece on the deaths in 2011 at the park. …

The Half Dome Stewardship Plan Environmental Assessment is out.  Go to the link <HERE> to see the 132 page document. Page down to the PDF link below the “Document Content.” Bottom line – NPS recommends 300 permits (including Wilderness Permits) per day via lottery and NO allocation for commercial guide services. Let’s all read it, digest the impact and comment per their directions.

The 5 Alternatives suggested are:

Alternative A – No restrictions

Alternative B – 400 people per day

Alternative C – 300 people per day  ****Recommended****

Alternative D – 140 people per day

Alternative E – Remove the cables

We can comment up to March 15. The plan would then incorporate comments and get signed off to be effective in 2013.

I’ll need to see how this website/blog can assist in 2012 like I did the last 2 years. Seems if a person is down as TRIP LEADER he can get permits for a total of 6 people. Then if not planning to use all of them, they could give some to other friendly Blog readers. The Trip Leader  would need to go and show their ID as Trip leader, but the other 5 should be …

The rockfall on Hwy  120 above the T at 140 ( at the Merced) contained a boulder about 15 feet high. The park is now saying that it will take a few days to remove the debris and the road could reopen.

Photos: Yosemite National Park

If there is structural damage to the road needing extensive repairs, the road could be closed for “several months.” Check road conditions before driving up – consider going Hwy 140 or 41. And bring chains. (Wear a helmet!)

The rockfall on Hwy  120 above the T at 140 ( at the Merced) contained a boulder about 15 feet high. The park is now saying that ity will take a few days to remove the debris and the road could reopen. If there is structural damage to the road needing extensive repairs, the road could be closed for “several months.” Check road conditions before driving up – consider going Hwy 140 or 41. And bring chains. (Wear a helmet!)

Unrelated thought worth quoting: “And so castles made of sand fall in the sea, eventually.” – Jimi hendrix

*MrHalfDome™ – Rick Deutsch – www.HikeHalfDome.com

One Best Hike: Yosemite’s Half Dome

 …

BULLETIN – The Big Oak Flat Road has suffered structural damage due to a rockslide from the recent bad weather. The Road – Hwy 120  into the park – is CLOSED from the Forest turn off (just after the Big Meadow view) down to the T intersection with 140 (at the river). So NO access into Yosemite via Hwy 120 until they analyze and come up with a fix. If you are going to the park, I suggest going via Hwy 140 and enter through Mariposa and the Arch Rock Entrance.

*MrHalfDome™ – Rick Deutsch – www.HikeHalfDome.com

One Best Hike: Yosemite’s Half Dome…

27-yr old Ryan Hiller was asleep in his tent Cabin when high winds felled an old tree at the park. It was in an employee housing area. The park has not said exactly where this occurred.  The report said he was a DNC employee and a former ranger with search & rescue experience. He often assisted in Half Dome rescues. Further that he was staying at the “stables complex.” I don’t know of any tent cabins in that area.

This is the first death in 2012. 20 in 2011. Yikes.

A winter storm warning is up in the Sierra with snow and blowing conditions. Be careful. Four more months until the cables are up.

Unrelated thought worth quoting: “Well, the last thing I remember, Doc I started to swerve. And then I saw the Jag slide into the curve. I know I’ll never forget that horrible sight. I guess I found out for myself that everyone was right – You won’t come back from Dead Man’s Curve.” – Jan & Dean 

*MrHalfDome™ – Rick Deutsch – www.HikeHalfDome.com

One Best Hike: Yosemite’s Half Dome…