Craig Gillette wrote:
...There are a couple of campgrounds along the tioga road which are first come first serve but I might think that they'd fill up on weekends so taking time to catch Bodie before heading over the pass may make that rougher...
Last weekend all of the campgrounds in Tioga Canyon between Lee Vining and the pass were still closed up tight.
For the neighborhood it is kind of outstanding. ;-)
I stop there often since I"m frequently heading over Tioga Pass to and from the east side. Funny thing. That place (actually the Whoa Nellie Deli at the Mobil station) called itself "world famous" from the time it opened. ;-)
Lobster taquitos. My recommendation. :-)
Oh, and when you are there, look around. You never know who you might find there. I've had dinner with various well-know photographers and others.
gdanmitchell wrote: For the neighborhood it is kind of outstanding. ;-)
I stop there often since I"m frequently heading over Tioga Pass to and from the east side. Funny thing. That place (actually the Whoa Nellie Deli at the Mobil station) called itself "world famous" from the time it opened. ;-)
Lobster taquitos. My recommendation. :-)
Oh, and when you are there, look around. You never know who you might find there. I've had dinner with various well-know photographers and others.
Dan
Yes, I suppose we need to provide the neighborhood context. I figured I was getting the usual diner food and was pleasantly surprised.
Right - somehow missed "this weekend." May have been thinking of another thread/conversation. My usual camp location is Wawona (in the fall)and I'd expect it's on reservations by now. The NPS camping info shows that the Tioga camps may not open until July - ??
thanks everyone. great discussion. I ended up going with the yosemite lodge suggestion. 335 for 2 nights including tax and everything. I figured its nice being in yosemite.
I am very excited about going. It was mirror lake I was looking for.
Wondering what equipment to take with me. taking my 5d3. my brother is a nikon shooter, he has the d600, so unfortunately we cant share.
will take my 16-35 and 24-105. will take 24 tse for doing some stitching. wondering if I should also take the 24 1.4 for night/star shooting.
its the long lens I dont know about. 70-200 f4 seems to be great. it is also reasonably light. I also have the 70-300L, which is more compact, but a little heavier, and may have some wild life utility. the 100-400 would give me more reach, but dont know how much wild life there is there, and if the landscape lends itself to such long focal length.
of course taking my tripod, a 10 stop nd, a 77 and 82mm polarizer, a flash light.
appreciate any thoughts.
gdanmitchell wrote: For the neighborhood it is kind of outstanding. ;-)
I stop there often since I"m frequently heading over Tioga Pass to and from the east side. Funny thing. That place (actually the Whoa Nellie Deli at the Mobil station) called itself "world famous" from the time it opened. ;-)
Lobster taquitos. My recommendation. :-)
Oh, and when you are there, look around. You never know who you might find there. I've had dinner with various well-know photographers and others.
Dan
I know I am in the minority... but I actually am not impressed at all with the food at Whoa Nellie Deli... The hotdog there is fine, but I think everyone exagerates about how good it is because everyone else exagerates... So I think it's just the expected comment... but me... and you know how I hate to go against the flow here... it's not all that... it's okay food, but there is nothing else really around there, so perhaps that's why it seems better?
JIm, I was being a bit more circumspect in my comments... but implying somewhat the same thing. Whoa Nellie Deli is fine... but not the astonishing culinary stop that some seem to suggest. ;-)
For being located at a gas station in Lee Vining, California, the food is surprisingly good - though this is no gourmet restaurant. Anyone who goes there for the first time will be pleasantly surprised to find such unusual choices that include things other than the usual burger fare, but if you stop there a few times (as those of us who spend a lot of time in the Sierra tend to do) the seems to become less amazing and more pretty decent compared to the alternatives. Some of the downsides include the sometimes-overwhelming tourist crowds on summer weekends, the fact that you'll be standing around waiting to pick up and carry your food to your table, and the possibility that you might not get a table at all. And a few of the food items are less than stellar.
There are a few other semi-interesting places to grab a bite in Lee Vining and surrounding area including a decent traditional small-town family restaurant - where I once met and spoke to Ansel Adam's son and daughter - a little espresso and pastry place where I like to sit on the porch with a cappuccino, and a few others. For a real Sierra tradition, do stop at Tioga Pass Resort some time.
But, while Whoa Nellie Deli (at the Mobil station) may fall short of amazing, you cannot argue with its popularity. Some years ago I was camping in Yosemite Valley in the late winter and I happened to have a conversation with a young ranger who expressed an intense interest in seeing Tioga Pass open as soon as possible. I imagined that this might be for access to the high country, the possibility of spring skiing, or just a chance to get out of the Valley. But no, she was dying for fish tacos at Whoa Nellie Deli! ;-)
Dan
JimFox wrote:
I know I am in the minority... but I actually am not impressed at all with the food at Whoa Nellie Deli... The hotdog there is fine, but I think everyone exagerates about how good it is because everyone else exagerates... So I think it's just the expected comment... but me... and you know how I hate to go against the flow here... it's not all that... it's okay food, but there is nothing else really around there, so perhaps that's why it seems better?
I'm curious when you camp, do you hike out to the site? The reason I ask, is that I'm quite used to day hikes with a body, tripod, and 2 or 3 lenses, but the thought of backpacking out on a 1 or 2 night trip with all that (with an additional tent, sleeping bag, food, etc.) is kind of scary to me.
I just hauled must stuff over the Mist Trail loop... and the result was... let's just say I'm not getting any younger.
EDIT:
Kevindar,
Whether you see wildlife depends on where you go in Yosemite. If you stick to the valley floor, you're probably going to see deer, and that's about it. If you venture out to, or beyond the rim of the valley, you *may* see wildlife. I've seen bears just down the road from Glacier's Point around Sentinel Rock for example. That's about the closest I've seen bears to the 'tourist clusters', since Glaciers Point is just down the road.
it's not all that... it's okay food, but there is nothing else really around there, so perhaps that's why it seems better? 