Sierra Club Outings | Service in the Incomparable Valley, Yosemite National Park, California.

Service in the Incomparable Valley, Yosemite National Park, California
May 11-17, 2008

Highlights:

Enjoy spring in the Sierras
Learn about the park during evening lectures

Includes:

All meals
Private base camp in Yosemite National Park
Training and guidance from staff and park personnel

Our project is to refurbish and rebuild campground picnic tables. The work may entail drilling wood planks, painting them, and table reassembly on preexisting bases. The park will provide all tools and instruction.

The group will assemble at our private base camp (Yellow Pine Voluteer Campground) by 2 p.m.on day one. After orientation and introduction, we'll set up our campsite. The trip ends at noon the following Saturday.

If you fly to Fresno or Merced airports, you will need to drive about three hours to reach the park. Flying to San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland airports, requires about a five hour drive. Please note: If you plan to arrive at Reno Airport, you will need to drive over Tioga Pass Road (State Hwy 120), which is often closed this early in the season. That drive would take about three hours.

State Highways 120, 41, and 140 provide park access. Please make sure the route you plan to use is open. Amtrak services Yosemite via Merced, where you change to bus transport to the valley.

We will be camping in a developed campground designated for volunteer groups. It's private and located near the Merced River. Late snowpack will require a change in location. You will need to bring a weather-tested tent, a three-season sleeping bag and pad, and personal camp gear for your comfort.

We will be in the mountains, so plan accordingly. Bring rain gear and be prepared for any type of weather. The days can be quite warm at 4,000 feet, but temperatures drop once the sun falls behind the valley’s rim.

Our first meal will be dinner on day one, and the last will be breakfast on the final day. We have an experienced cook, and participants and staff will assist her. Reasonable requests for dietary needs – especially food allergies – should be noted on your questionnaire. All trip members can plan on one full day of commissary chores, which can be a nice time to socialize.

There is no shower facility at the campground, but you may bring your sun shower or use a paid shower facility elsewhere in the valley.

This trip should not be too strenuous. You may find you are a bit short of breath due to the elevation gain, but you should adjust in a few days. The valley trails are almost all well- developed with reasonably good footing. You will need boots while we are working on the project, and they are recommended if you intend to do a more strenuous hike above the valley floor.

You will not be asked to do more than meets your comfort level. Safety is a priority and you are the best judge of your abilities. We work at our own pace. At the end of each day we will be free to hike, tour the immediate areas, or just rest our tired muscles.

Minor medical conditions are no impediment to having a full, enjoyable experience. Please do not forget that all participants must have a current tetanus shot within the past 10 years. This injection is most commonly available in the combination of DPT- Diptheria, Pertussis, Tetanus – at your local Public Health Department for a modest cost.

You will need a basic first-aid kit containing moleskin, bandaids, sunblock and lip balm, at least three 1-quart water bottles, densely woven long pants, work gloves, comfortable broken-in boots, and clothes to layer for the daily temperature changes.

Please bring your eating utensils, cup, plate, and covered Rubbermaid-type container for your lunch.

While we hope for warm, clear days, rain and even snow are always possible- so please bring three season camp gear.

We will learn what the phrase, "loved to death" means in terms of human impact on this park’s frontcountry and backcountry access, traffic, flora and fauna. We will also discuss how park policies have changed to deal with this issue.

The payment of a deposit does not confirm you as a member on the trip. Participants must be approved by the trip leader. After signing up for this trip, you will be sent a confirmation packet containing approval materials (Participant Approval Questionnaire, Medical Form, Liability Release Form). Each applicant (including those on the waitlist) must fill out these forms and promptly mail them to the trip leader. The leader will review the approval materials and notify you of your acceptance in a timely manner.

Susan Signaigo is an active member of the Sierra Club in the Bay Area. She spends a lot of her time hiking and backpacking in the Sierras, and leading and co-leading service trips in the West. She is also interested in whitewater, and guides trips on the South Fork of the American River. Susan is a registered nurse with critical care training.

E-mail: susansignaigo24@yahoo.com

Lindy Rosse, Trained as a professional chef, Lindy is currently doing home improvements and repairs, as well as working on her newly acquired 1963 Airstream travel trailer that she calls, �a fixer upper, in capital letters, that is a long way from getting back on the road�. Another current adventure is sewing frontier era clothing and accessories for a living history project. Lindy has been cooking on Service Trips since 2003 because she enjoys being in and with nature, while nurturing folks with her cooking.