camping in toulemme

[wooky999]

me and some buddies are getting to toulemme late on a wednesday night, is it cool to camp in backpackers overnight area, just because our wilderness permits are till thursday morning. There really is no way to get our permit that late.

[bill-e-g]

Hopefully this link to nps website is not automatically deleted:

http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/bpcamp.htm

I guess technically you cannot. But I would not worry about it and
do it. That is what they are there for. Before 9/11 we used to
drive into Hetch Hetchy, camp, and then get up the next morning
to get wilderness permit. Done this too many times to remember.

I would say if you have a reservation you should be fine anyway.

Now I personally have never camped in TM BP Campground so I
could be sorely mistaken. We always just get up at 4am and barrel
up and start hiking the same day... (the wife isn't too happy about
that sometimes since she isn't as good at quickly acclimating to
the elevation).

So... again I would just do it and have confidence you are doing what
you feel is correct. I very highly doubt it that you will be bothered
by a ranger.
Anyone out there have experience otherwise...???

When you going? If I think of it when the permit station is not self-reg
I can ask your question specifically in person.

[johnstream]

If I remember correctly, there is an envelop and drop box where you can "reserve" your piece of dirt and bear box. I simply showed up, picked a site, dropped my $5 into the drop box and set up shop. No one ever questioned me or asked to see my wilderness permit. There was a guy I ate dinner with that night who said he had been there for two or three days recouping and restocking for his PCT hike-thru.

[wooky999]

I am driving up wed June 3, will probably get there by 10pm, if Tioga Pass is open then.

[balzaccom]

Hey Bill

My wife has exactly the same problem with quick ascents into altitude. We usually find a place to stay the night before---now that we have a good friend above Sonora, we're just an hour away from the park, and at 4,000 feet. That seems to help.

But the OP should also consider one of the many campgrounds outside TM...they usually have space at Hogdon Meadows, etc. And at 6,000 feet, those are plenty high to get you acclimated. And I find I sleep better in a more organized setting. Sometimes those BP campgrounds are full of people arriving at 10 p.m. or 2 a.m. and waking everyone else up!

[bill-e-g]

>But the OP should also consider one of the many campgrounds outside TM...they usually have space at Hogdon Meadows, etc.

True. Probably the best bet for THAT early is to just plunk down
at Hogdon Mdws. That campground is open year round.
Provided they are coming from 120 tho...
It is still a good drive to TM from 120 entrance...
Many of the other campgrounds won't even be open until July.
Including Tuoumne (I have NO idea if this affects the BP cmp there),
White Wolf, Tamarack, Porc.. (ok, all of them on Tioga!)...

We actually prefer to sleepy in our own bed and then just drive up in the morn...
Sometimes when we are in our sleepy bags we just DONT want to get up
and end up starting much much later than if we had just driven up.

Anyway, if 120 works then I'd go with that peace of mind...
that early and it being weds I'd be surprised if permits were too much an issue...