Things to do in Northern California?

[Sigarms]

Nevada is the 7th largest state...drive from Denio on the Oregon border to Laughlin in the south is 662 miles according to the official Nevada State road map.

In perspective, driving from my house in NC to my dads old place in Pennsylvania was about 200 miles shorter then the mileage you mentioned, and from our house to my wife's old place in Vermont up above Montpelier only about 250 miles more. I believe someone here mentioned the analogy of driving from Boston to Atlanta.

 

[Hughman]

They are planning on closing Yosemite this evening for the "big melt". High temps are causing rapid snow melt which is bringing the Merced river above flood stage. We decided to make a quick trip into the park yesterday to take some pictures.

Yosemite 4-27-2023

31 new items added to shared album

photos.app.goo.gl

 

[California]

Sigarms, in planning what to see in California, this Yosemite flooding might have an affect on what is accessible there if roads are damaged etc. You should research this. Also there can be daily entry limits or reservations needed, so find out about that too.

Kinda related, I recently posted about Yosemite over in the Regional/West Coast threads:
https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums...-at-75-of-capacity.464846/page-8#post-6536323 and another post below that one.

 

[Sigarms]

Sigarms, in planning what to see in California, this Yosemite flooding might have an affect on what is accessible there if roads are damaged etc. You should research this. Also there can be daily entry limits or reservations needed, so find out about that too.

Kinda related, I recently posted about Yosemite over in the Regional/West Coast threads:
https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums...-at-75-of-capacity.464846/page-8#post-6536323 and another post below that one.

Thanks.

Worst case, lemons to lemonade.

I guess as long as we can stay in Angels Camp, we should be good. Everything is set for August, so what will be will be.

My maps came in, I will say, I thought the Nevada gazetteer was big, but the California one is thicker LOL

 

[ericm979]

There's tons to do around Angels Camp without hitting Yosemite, though I would do whatever it takes to spend enough time there to make it worth while. A lot's been mentioned already in this thread.

Murphys just up the road is a hub of the local wine industry. There are tasting rooms in town and wineries in the area. There's a number of good restaurants for a small town (or were when we were last there before covid). It's like a small less pretentious Napa Valley. A lot of wineries with tasting rooms in California have gone from the drop-in model where they were just waiting for folks to show up, to wanting reservations and making it more of an experience with food along with the wine. The last time we went to a wine growing area thinking that while we were exploring back roads we might drop in for a tasting we found they all wanted reservations. It's probably worth it, just needs advance planning.

 

[California]

My maps came in, I will say, I thought the Nevada gazetteer was big, but the California one is thicker LOL

On a map, you might think Death Valley - a fascinating place - is a reasonable distance to go visit.

August? Don't!!!

If you want to go down a rabbithole that explains this convincingly, look up the story of the 'Death Valley Germans'.

 

[Sigarms]

If you want to go down a rabbithole that explains this convincingly, look up the story of the 'Death Valley Germans'.

I didn't have to look the story up, I remember when they made the news and disappeared.

When I went out and spent time hiking by myself in Utah, I never did anything stupid and always considered myself more than prepared.

Perhaps it's just me, but honestly death valley doesn't interest me in August unless I was doing something at night, and now that I have a wife and son along, it seems more along the lines of "hey, watch me!". No thanks

 

[Sigarms]

There's tons to do around Angels Camp without hitting Yosemite, though I would do whatever it takes to spend enough time there to make it worth while. A lot's been mentioned already in this thread.

We will spend time in Yosemite no matter what, but given the crowds, I'm thinking it will be during the middle of the week with even perhaps a paid tour here or there (my, how I have grown old and become a "touron" to even consider something like that LOL).

That said, this thread has opened my eyes to so much else we can do when we are there. The Gazetteers for Nevada and California are HUGE.

 

[California]

a paid tour here or there (my, how I have grown old and become a "touron" to even consider something like that LOL).

Yosemite is so overloaded with visitors that sometimes this is the only way to have access to something.

In particular, the shuttle open-air 'busses' can go to observation points where you could never get through the congestion with your car. I think some weekends that is the only way to get into the Park at all.

The invisible planning and infrastructure are how chaos is avoided. It all seems to work, somehow.

Added - once you have seen the incredible, unique sights in the Valley you might want to next go up to the high country (the rest of the huge park) to appreciate gorgeous nature without the crowds.

 

[Hughman]

Find a place to park if possible and then take the free shuttle to get around the valley.

 

[Rockbadchild]

On a map, you might think Death Valley - a fascinating place - is a reasonable distance to go visit.

August? Don't!!!

If you want to go down a rabbithole that explains this convincingly, look up the story of the 'Death Valley Germans'.

There is unforgiving place everywhere, at this point its natural selection, if you get stranded in the middle of nowhere this would likely be the outcome regardless of the location of course there is places more forgiving then others... If you don't go visit all the places where people have die you wouldn't go anywhere. I will go check out death valley this summer but guess what I wont go in mid day and wont go rock climbing in a rental minivan.

 

[Sigarms]

I think some weekends that is the only way to get into the Park at all.

We will be flying in on a Monday, and coming back the following Friday. I believe the weekend is going to be an event planed on our end to get away from the pace as far as possible and perhaps do some overnighters somewhere else. May also spend the night closer to Sacramento. Depending on the weather during our stay, I figure if we can have a Tuesday through Thursday (3 days) in Yosemite, we should be good.

 

[Sigarms]

There is unforgiving place everywhere, at this point its natural selection, if you get stranded in the middle of nowhere this would likely be the outcome regardless of the location of course there is places more forgiving then others... If you don't go visit all the places where people have die you wouldn't go anywhere. I will go check out death valley this summer but guess what I wont go in mid day and wont go rock climbing in a rental minivan.

To each their own

That said, during July and August, going to one of the hottest places on earth is probably one of the least forgiving places on earth. Common sense (which I'm certain you have) dictates you have plenty of gas and water, and I would only stay on paved roads. Biggest concern would be cell phone service in case of bad luck and you break down. End of the day, rental vehicles are generally driven like wanna be NASCAR drivers who figure it's not their vehicle, so if they "beat it up a little" driving, who cares? Needless to say, daily tire and fluid checks would be mandatory IMO. Someplace like that area I'd really rather be with a local and know all the in's and out's of the area.

Funny, I took some rental SUV's from Vegas where I probably shouldn't have gone in Utah. Seems like the rental companies are catching on.

This is a dumb general question to those who live out in the area. If I stay with a minimum 1/2 tank of gas and always refill at that point, would I be ok? I know whenever I drove out west to paddle or flew out west to hike , I would always have at least 5 gallons of spare gas with me. I never needed it on all my visits adhering to that half tank rule, and I assume if I adhere to this rule I should be fine.

 

[jyoutz]

To each their own

That said, during July and August, going to one of the hottest places on earth is probably one of the least forgiving places on earth. Common sense (which I'm certain you have) dictates you have plenty of gas and water, and I would only stay on paved roads. Biggest concern would be cell phone service in case of bad luck and you break down. End of the day, rental vehicles are generally driven like wanna be NASCAR drivers who figure it's not their vehicle, so if they "beat it up a little" driving, who cares? Needless to say, daily tire and fluid checks would be mandatory IMO. Someplace like that area I'd really rather be with a local and know all the in's and out's of the area.

Funny, I took some rental SUV's from Vegas where I probably shouldn't have gone in Utah. Seems like the rental companies are catching on.

This is a dumb general question to those who live out in the area. If I stay with a minimum 1/2 tank of gas and always refill at that point, would I be ok? I know whenever I drove out west to paddle or flew out west to hike , I would always have at least 5 gallons of spare gas with me. I never needed it on all my visits adhering to that half tank rule, and I assume if I adhere to this rule I should be fine.

In most western locations, refilling with a half tank will usually get you to the next fuel location. But there are long stretches across Nevada where I wouldn’t go without a full tank.

 

[Torvy]

I drove from Reno to Vegas back in '87. Not much along the way.

 

[jyoutz]

I drove from Reno to Vegas back in '87. Not much along the way.

Nope

 

[MAX-24-Dean]

I drove from Reno to Vegas back in '87. Not much along the way.

Nope

You must have missed the police car parked along side highway 95 with the mannequin in it!! hoping to slow down traffic.

 

[California]

If I stay with a minimum 1/2 tank of gas and always refill at that point, would I be ok?

You need the GasBuddy app to show where the gas stations are. But don't rely on it being perfectly up to date for the more remote parts of Nevada.

There's no cell phone coverage where nobody lives.

You must have missed the police car parked along side highway 95 with the mannequin in it!! hoping to slow down traffic.

As you approach Las Vegas from the north, is there still that crashed WWII fighter jet off in the bushes and illuminated to make it visible?

 

[California]

I will go check out death valley this summer but guess what I wont go in mid day and wont go rock climbing in a rental minivan.

Were you planning on camping in a tent?

"...overnight lows may only dip into the 85°F to 95°F (30°C to 35°C) range"".

Those numbers can be just the momentary low.

 

[Rockbadchild]

Were you planning on camping in a tent?

"...overnight lows may only dip into the 85°F to 95°F (30°C to 35°C) range"".

Those numbers can be just the momentary low.

No I wont, I am planning to simply go for a drive to check it out... I see that you are right but I thought it would get colder then that at night ...