# Where are all the RVs and tourists? Two days in Yosemite on a Bike



## Ridgetop (Mar 1, 2005)

Thanks to a post in the Nor Cal forums, Mrs. Ridgetop and myself decided to go and take advantage of the bikes only weekend on Highway 120/Tioga Pass/Yosemite National Park Area. It was everything I had hoped for. Only vehicles were an ambulance and NPS rangers picking up broken bikers and a pack of Harley's that thought they had the right to ride around the gate and got a good verbal whipping by a ranger that sent them back. Otherwise, the roads were beautifully quiet with only the occasional sounds of other bikes moving along the road. We actually rode this over two days, but I'm going to put it together in one long stream of pics. We spent the night in a an old hotel in Lee Vining which made things really easy as far as logistics go. Anyway, here's the pics.

Starting out on the Highway 395/120 interchange heading up towards Tioga Pass. We started at the Mobile Station (which has the best food in the area IMO) and headed up the hill. We had a fantastic tail wind, but it was cold which surprised us.




























We'll be heading around the base of that snow far up the valley. 12 miles of climbing and I'm out of shape. Oh oh.



















Half way up! Hard to make out but that's a big waterfall and cascades coming down behind the bike. I didn't stop long as the wind had a cold bite to it.










No one told Mrs. Ridgetop that this isn't England!










Another shot of the falls with an ice fall on the left coming down. Was a lot bluer than the camera picked up. 










Heading toward 10,000 feet. Got some four or five miles to the park entrance to go.










Looking back down from where we started. The descent here is a whoot, but watch for rock falls (they happen on and off pretty much all day) and big dents in the road where the really big rocks landed.










Ellery Lake is right around the corner from here.




























Finally at the park entrance. Snow was only a few feet deep, but most of it still was around and hadn't melted away. 










The Park was opening up on Monday afternoon, so they were trying to get the power up and running.




























Heading down the west side we saw more down trees than I have ever seen in one season up there. A ranger said that they had a storm back in November that had horrible winds. There were literally hundreds of trees down throughout that upper forest.










Heading down into Tuolumne Meadows the river was running high but nice and clear. 



















No green meadows yet. Just waking up from under a blanket of snow.


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## Ridgetop (Mar 1, 2005)

*Towards Olmstead Point*

Our goal was 20 miles past the park entrance which roughly put us at Olmstead Point. We continued on a few miles past it, but then turned around.

We continued our descent down heading towards Lake Tenaya.




























Wow, do I look like dufus or what? Oh well! Lake Tenaya in the background. I wouldn't try skating on it!



















Climbing out of the lake toward Olmstead Point. I love granite country!



















Half Dome in the distance??



















At Olmstead Point we got attacked by a ferocious bear. We almost didn't survive the incident!!! 




























We climbed out of Olmstead before turning around and heading back.























































Almost back to the top before heading back down into Lee Vining.





































Better shot of the falls and ice falls.





































Almost at the bottom. We had dinner over at the Mono Inn and got to watch the super moon or whatever they called it come up. My point and shoot didn't do it any justice as it came up over Mono Lake. Oh well, still a nice way to end the day!




























PS: Before taking pics of wine glasses, do not eat buttery garlic bread! Ewwww fingerprints!


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## commutenow (Sep 26, 2004)

Beautiful pictures.


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## JohnnyTooBad (Apr 5, 2004)

Beautiful! The fact that the snow on the road wasn't melting, made it look pretty chilly. I bet the downhill was just plain cold, although you dressed for it.

That's really cool that you get to ride it without any motorized traffic.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

Just gorgeous. Thanks.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

Ridgetop said:


> Where are all the RVs and tourists?


DC of course! :mad2::cryin:

BTW this may be your best report yet!


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## Ridgetop (Mar 1, 2005)

MB1 said:


> DC of course! :mad2::cryin:
> 
> BTW this may be your best report yet!


Thanks MB1.


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## Chico2000 (Jul 7, 2011)

Pure gold, Ridgetop! Keep up the good work.
No tourists here in upstate NY this past weekend either. Once Memorial day comes, different story.

How was that chardonnay?


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## x-ger (Oct 20, 2005)

Beautiful pictures. What a great trip. Thinking of doing this with the wife, can you tell me how to find out when the parks service closes the road next year.

Thanks


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## fredstaple (Jun 2, 2003)

*Awesome RR*

What a wonder ride and thanks for sharing the pictures


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## KenS (Jan 28, 2004)

*Thanks*

Thanks for the post. What a wonderful ride.

Ken


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## burgrat (Nov 18, 2005)

Thanks for the report. That is beautiful country. I love the end with the wine glasses. I'm so jealous!


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

niiiice. looks like a good trip.

some day The Boy and i will do something like this...


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## Ridgetop (Mar 1, 2005)

Chico2000 said:


> Pure gold, Ridgetop! Keep up the good work.
> No tourists here in upstate NY this past weekend either. Once Memorial day comes, different story.
> 
> How was that chardonnay?


The Chard was much better than I expected for the price. We ended up going through two bottles while sitting and waiting for the moon to come up. I'd buy it again.


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## Ridgetop (Mar 1, 2005)

x-ger said:


> Beautiful pictures. What a great trip. Thinking of doing this with the wife, can you tell me how to find out when the parks service closes the road next year.
> 
> Thanks


X-ger, the problem is the opening and closures of the road depend on the snow amount. They do let you know via the NPS website Current Conditions - Yosemite National Park, but I found out about it through the Northern California Forum which had a post on it. If they decide to to do it again, it'll depend on when they get the snow removed and downed trees out of the way. Wish I had a better answer for you.


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## evs (Feb 18, 2004)

*Simply outstanding*

and no cars :thumbsup:. Amazing country out that way. Do they do that every year? Let bikers ride up beyond the gates like that? thanks for the pics and nnice ride report. Outstanding ......


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## ucancallmejoe (May 17, 2006)

I posted the Norcal notice. It is always pretty much dumb luck finding the road opening for cyclists. I check road conditions every few days when I think the road is close to opening. I knew it was coming early this time due to low snow pack. They show the dates of earlier openings so if you know how wet the winter was you can get a good idea of when to start looking. But even so, I missed the first weekend the road was open to bikes. This was one of the earliest openings I can remember. 

Tioga road was open this year all the way up to January and I took a balmy sweaty hike complete with bugs and birds to the Sunrise Lakes (well over 9000 ft) in the dead of winter. 

Amazing how the roads were free of cyclists as well as cars. You would think there would be a stampede to bike the (relatively) car free Tioga pass. 

I rode from the west entrance which is much less dramatic. I would give my eye teeth to ride from the east side but how on earth would I get there? LA or Tahoe I guess. 

Next year it will be gate to gate. But that is what I say every year.

Beautiful photogs and glad you guys had a good time. I turned around three miles before Olmsted point. Maybe I'll see you next year!


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## ucancallmejoe (May 17, 2006)

This above Tenaya lake on January 8 at 9800' believe it or not. I was roasting in my wool...


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## bismo37 (Mar 22, 2002)

I love this ride report. Great photos. I would love to bike up Tioga without all the cars and RVs. My wife and I were out there last year backpacking. She's gonna be so jealous when she sees your ride report. Yosemite is one of our favorite places on Earth.


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## Ridgetop (Mar 1, 2005)

ucancallmejoe said:


> This above Tenaya lake on January 8 at 9800' believe it or not. I was roasting in my wool...


That's an awesome pic. Probably the only one I've ever seen when January looks like September up there! We rode Sonora Pass around January 15th or something like that. The lack of snow is troubling for the snowpack, but awesome for exploring the mountains.


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## RideN (Apr 5, 2012)

Great report and pics!!! Wish I was in that kind of shape, we will be up there a couple times this summer and plan to ride some. I love Tenaya Lake....the granite surrounding it makes a beautiful setting.


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## xls (Nov 11, 2004)

Beautiful pictures! Thank you so much for taking the time to snap them and then post them here! I'd love to do that one day.


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## SantaCruz (Mar 22, 2002)

The slog from Mono Lake to the east entrance at 9800' had me stopping every 1/3 mi, just to get my heart rate down.


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