UKC

Hi all,

I'm hoping to head to Yosemite Valley in the spring. Skimming through a few websites suggests this is not a bad time to go. However, other sites contradict this and suggest that spring weather can be temperamental and bad weather can roll in really quickly.

Does anyone have any experience of climbing in Yosemite in the spring? Ideally, I'd like to know the best spring months to go. Any comments on average temperatures and the likelihood of bad weather would be good too!

Also, I would be travelling solo and hoping to meet people to climb with out there....does anyone know if there is much chance of this?

Thanks in advance!

In reply to Crag_chimp_uno: The big walls can suffer from seepage in Spring and like you've said the weather can be quite fickle. Too early in Spring and you could get storms, too late and you can get eaten alive by midges (had both!). Autumn tends to be the best time to go. Partners shouldn't be a problem though, just ask in Camp 4.

In reply to Crag_chimp_uno:

The national park service has some stats: http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/climate.htm
My money would tend to be on October, but I've been wrong about this sort of thing so often it's beyond a joke.
Spring is magic for the waterfalls. An advantage to autumn is that if it is hot in the valley, you can always buzz round to Tuolumne. Spring is a bit more iffy for Tuolumne as the Tioga road can be closed until fairly late if there has been a lot of snow in the winter.
SuperTopo might be a better place to ask this.

In reply to Crag_chimp_uno:

I've been in early May. Weather was perfect for climbing in the Valley. It was a very cold bivvy up at Half Dome though.

Watch out for 'Labour Day' holiday on first Monday of May (I think) when the place was jammed with tourists. Easy to lose them by walking 100 yards or slightly uphill.

Dave

In reply to Crag_chimp_uno:
I went in July. It was hot... really hot. As pneame said, Tuolumne has better climbing temps if its roasting down in the vally. There was a notice board in camp 4 that people posted notes on if they were looking for climbing partners. Just send midnight lightning when loads of people are watching and the partners will come to you

In reply to Crag_chimp_uno:

Was there in the last week of May. 80 degrees in the Valley. The Tioga road opened while we were there and climbed at Tuolumne in jumpers and jackets. It did rain.

In reply to Crag_chimp_uno:

I've had 2 spring trips. got snowed once in 7 or 8 weeks. climbing with camp 4 randoms is part of the experience! you'll need friends to get round the time restrictions.