Yosemite Backpacking: Snow, Waterfalls, & Cliffs

[@christinehuebbe7756]

Wow!!!!! Thanks for taking us on your adventure.

[@thebikeweiss]

Our pleasure... glad you enjoyed it and thanks for your comments!

[@MaxStrazny]

Awesome video, Ted! I think this is such a cool idea to document your journey through such an incredible place. Hope all is well!!

[@thebikeweiss]

Thanks so much, Max!!! Glad you enjoyed it. Great hearing from you and I hope you're doing well too!

[@constancemierphotography]

Such a beautiful documentary of your adventure, really enjoyed it! And your interview-like account was so genuine and as anyone who has had a wilderness adventure knows, the bonus is to look back on it and continually add perspective. BTW, Vivian & I were in Yosemite 2 days before you. Now I have to ask, when the heck are you and Sandy going to come to the Everglades for a paddling/camping adventure? I’ll set you up!

[@thebikeweiss]

Thank you so much for your thoughtful remarks, Connie! Crazy that we nearly overlapped in our visits to Yosemite (just like the near overlap of our visits to Minnesota in 2022). Thank you for your offer to set us up for a canoeing/camping trip in the Everglades... Sandy and I are going to make that happen and will be in touch! Excited to learn from you about that wilderness/ecosystem and photography!

[@constancemierphotography]

@@thebikeweiss I’m counting on it! 😁

[@b.r1647]

I'm new to whole backpacking and hiking thing, and I have a lot to learn since in my country we don't have this nature, Weather or culture, I must say watching your video makes me wanna get up now and do my best to prepare for a great adventure, you are awesome and the video is so inspiring, I hope you can clarify 1) what gear you used. 2)permits needed. 3)food amount and types thank you, much love from an Egyptian fan newly moved to USA. ♥♥❤

[@thebikeweiss]

Welcome to the US!!! Best wishes as you settle in. I'm so happy that you found this video inspiring and motivating! It's a real privilege to have public lands in the US like Yosemite for these adventures. I hope you benefit from them too! Maybe you've already started with some small trips, but if not, I might recommend that you start with small backpacking trips; even just 1 overnight in the woods will feel adventuresome and wonderful (to this day, I still love simple overnight trips in local state parks, etc.). For adventures in National Parks, be prepared for overwhelming crowds wherever people can go with their cars. It's the way that most people experience the National Parks but you'll find plenty of solitude once you get "on trail" and away from places with car access. Regarding your other questions... Gear - You may get the impression from info on the internet that you need lots of expensive/high-tech gear but I'd suggest starting with what you have or more modestly priced gear; you'll learn more about upgrades you want to make (if any) as you start taking trips. For reference, here's what we have/use as our "big three" equipment items... Backpacks - Gossimer Gear Mariposa 60 (me), REI Traverse 60 (Sandy) Tent - Big Agnes Copper Spur UL (3 person tent, more room than we need) Sleeping bags/quilts: Enlightened Equipment... Revelation 10 deg F (me), Conundrum 10 deg F (Sandy) Sleeping pads: Thermarest Neoair X-lite 3/4th length (Ted), Sea-to-Summit Thermolite (Sandy). We also both add a very thin 1/8" thick foam pad ("Thinlight" from Gossamer Gear). Permits: Yosemite permits are known for being difficult to get. The main thing you select when applying for a permit is the start location/trailhead and date (end location and duration of days is also required but the rangers realize that plans often change while out on trail). Our first permit for this trip was for a start at the Snow Creek Trailhead. The second permit was for a start at the Pohono Trailhead (near Wawona Tunnel). You can apply for permits 6 months in advance and many are quickly taken, especially the popular ones like Happy Isles Trailhead). You can also apply for a "walk up" permit on the day of, or the day before your hike. If you study the maps and trailheads ahead of time, and can be flexible on start location, there are always great permits available as walk-up permits (to me, it seems as though permits are always available for starting on the Rockslide Trail, which I'd love to do someday!) Food amount and types: We do not generally use "backpacker meals" like you see in outdoor stores. Instead we use quick cooking (5 to 7 min or less) dried foods commonly found in grocery stores, such as quick cooking "minute" rice, ramen noodles, instant potato flakes, rice side dishes (Knorr is a popular brand), flavored couscous, etc. A bit harder to find but we also bring dehydrated refried beans, quick cooking (5 min) lentils, dehydrated hummus, and dehydrated mixed vegetables (ground up in a blender at home so they can easily be added to any meal). For longer trips where it may be challenging to carry enough calories, we also bring olive oil (can be a bit messy) or powdered coconut milk (high fat and calories like olive oil but less messy); cheese is another high-calorie option to add. For breakfast, I usually bring cold cereal (favorite is Grape Nuts mixed with chocolate granola) to eat with Carnation "Breakfast Essentials" (chocolate favored powdered milk); but, when Sandy and I hike together (she prefers hot breakfast), we bring instant grits and/or oatmeal. Snacks... lots of Nature Valley granola bars (original/crunchy oats/honey is my fav!) and lots of salted roasted peanut packs (lots of calories!). FYI, I'm a "physiologist" and recently published a scientific paper on the energy/calorie challenges of long-distance backpacking... pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37586947/ Best wishes as you move toward your adventures!!!

[@b.r1647]

@@thebikeweiss Hello Ted, this Answer and detailed information is more than what I could ask for, it has a lot of stuff that I need to digest since I'm a foreigner to many terms for example foods, I saved it to revisit and read it and understand it, Yes I started with small Hikes with a group I met here in NJ, hope one day I will achieve some more challenging Hikes like yours, Thank you and greeting to Sandy too,

[@thebikeweiss]

You are welcome! Happy Trails!