Discussion: CA Road trip advice

Apologies for the non O related chat again, but orienteers really do generally know best in these matters. We're leaving Yosemite tomorrow and were planning to go to Sequoia NP, but the roads there are a real hassle with construction and there's a storm coming. After that, it's off to the coast towards Big Sur.

Two questions - is seeing the General Sherman tree worth the hassle? Secondly, if not, is there anywhere fun to stop on the way towards Big Sur? We've spotted Pinnacles National Monument but it would be cool to stop earlier than that if possible.

Thanks!

Well, I can confirm that a storm really is coming in. The wind is blowing hard now in the Bay Area. Not too much rain so far, but I would definitely expect some snow in the mountains. And update... the rain just hit.

I've never seen the general Sherman myself. I visited Grant Grove a few years ago and it was pretty awesome. If the second biggest tree in the world will do, that might save some twisty roads. You should ask the park rangers if there are any good dayhikes accessible this time of year. The most famous trees are so close to the road, they feel a little 'canned'.

I've seen General Sherman. My recollection is that you get to stand near the base and see how big around it is, but it's not so easy to get a good view from a distance. Kind of depends on how intrigued you are by that sort of thing. If you decide to skip it, I can try to dig out the photo from 25 years or so ago to make up for it. I don't really recall doing much else nearby that was that entertaining, but it was a long time ago, so I might have forgotten.

Well for my money, Pinnacles Nat'l Monument is a lot better experience if the weather co-operates. But make sure you stop and buy small flashlights beforehand, so you can enjoy the caves portion of the loop trail that takes about 4 hours to hike. Bring your compass. And take water if you're inclined to need it...I usually travel as light as possible: shorts, tee shirt and running shoes.

Come into the East entrance and park at Bear Gulch. Take the Condor Gulch and High Peaks trails to the Old Pinnacles Trail that will lead into the caves. Once you get over to the West Entrance parking lot at Chaparral you have your choice of trails to get back over to Bear Gulch. Parts of the High Peaks trail require use of iron handholds and carved steps placed in the stone pinnacles by early CCC workers.

Pinnacles' spires are eroded old lava tubes...remnants of a giant volcano that once erupted down near LA and has been carried 200mi north by a series of earthquakes over millions of years. It is more remote and off the tourist track. So don't look for any services. It may be difficult to even find a ranger or any other visitors while you are there. But I like it like that. The campsites at either entrance are simple but quite nice; pay on the honor system. It's fun to watch a sunset over the Pacific from up high, and then hustle back down to camp before darkness envelops you.

Well we just woke to a few inches of snow so we may not be going anywhere today! Think we will aim for monterey then do big sur one day and pinnacles the next.

For my money, seeing a giant sequoia grove in person is definitely worth a bit of hassle. But I don't think General Sherman is special enough to deal with bad weather conditions, just to see that particular tree.

As Ben suggested, Grant Grove is great, and probably easier to get to. But if all of Sequoia NP is problematic, weather-wise, another possible option is Calaveras Big Trees State Park, northwest of Yosemite. The sequoias there aren't quite as large as at Sequoia but quite awesome nonetheless.

If you are into California history, the drive on Highway 49 northwest from Yosemite to the Calaveras Big Trees passes through many historical points of interest, from the California Gold Rush era. You might find that interesting as well.

I queried some friends of mine, they pretty much agreed that Sequoia is nice, but not worth the drive. But, also, it's not often that visitors get to experience Yosemite with a fresh blanket of snow, so consider yourself lucky :-) If you stay in Yosemite, you might see if the Sequoias near Crane Flat or Mariposa Grove are accessible. Not so big, but still pretty big, and worth a day hike.

Down at lower elevations, Pinnacles got good reviews. Plus, I like your Monterey idea, and someone suggested Big Basin as a good place to see the other type of redwoods, maybe if you return to the Bay Area from Big Sur.

If you do go to Monterey, Big Sur or Pinnacles, try to find a copy of John Steinbeck's early short stories...most of them beautifully capture life in the Gabilan Mtns, Salinas Valley and Monterey 80 years ago when it was less settled, more rugged and not as prosperous.

Thanks for all the suggestions! We couldn't really afford another night in yosemite and we just made it out before chains were enforced on the 140, the only way out still open. The sequoias will have to wait for another day. So it looks like pinnacles, big sur and big basin on the way back to san francisco. Sounds good!

Are you gonna make it to Berkeley on Sunday for a great orienteering meet? That should be a priority, right? :-)

Don't think so unfortunately, we have to return the car early afternoon that day, and I have no kit. I have a strange feeling we may be back though...

Pinnacles tomorrow, hopefully the weather forecast is right!

Good luck at Pinnacles...hope you get a sunny day. Even if you begin your drive in heavy fog, chances are Pinnacles will clear by 9am. So don't despair.

BTW the Bay Area has a very good transit system. And there are instructions for using it to get to the meet on Sunday in the hills above Berkeley at the very bottom of the event page. Berkeley is accessible on BART and CalTrain from anywhere in the Bay Area. Even as a visitor, I frequently bypass the car rental counters and get on BART at SFO. Hope you're able to go...BAOC people can really put on a fun meet.

The lack of kit may still be an issue. And if you do decide to go, make sure to take the poison oak into consideration -- to the uninitiated, it has the potential to provide an unhappy experience.

I'm sure your schedule is pretty packed, so I'll wish you a safe travel back!

But if the clothes really are the only sticking point, Joe Scarborough will be at the event selling Trimtex and O21E kits. If you write him in advance, he will make sure to bring your size.

It is strange who shows up to that Tilden event sometimes. The first year I was there, I lost to a woman from the British O-squad. A couple years later, I gave a lift to a girl who was on layover in SF, flying from Sweden to Taiwan. The next year at Tilden, I wound up racing her boyfriend in a head-to-head race. He was en-route from Taiwan to Sweden.