jeweladdict wrote:Is it possible (allowed) to swim in the river? :P
Yes it's allowed to swim in the river (except right above the falls, of course). You can't use soap or shampoo--if you want to use that, take some water and use it away from the river.
The Merced River is cold, even in summer, so I always find a flat hot rock in the middle of the day to dry out.
I sometimes take a portable shower (and use it as a water bottle). Lay it out in the sun for a few hours, then hang it on a tree and you have a nice shower.
By the way, the solar bathrooms are to power fans in the bathrooms. The bathrooms are composting toilets and need fans to speed up composting. Composting bathrooms are odor free (unless they are overwhelmed with excessive use).