Ten Lakes BCM Course Area Guide Base Camps BCM San Leandro Office Yosemite National Park Valley School Tioga High School Base Camp
General Information BCM Headquarters 1667 Vine St. Denver, CO 80206 303.271.9200 www.bigcitymountainers.org Day 1 Camp Yosemite National Park Valley School 9009 Lost Arrow Loop Yosemite National Park, CA 95389 209.372.4791 Regional Office San Fransisco/ San Leandro Regional Office 176 Juana Avenue, 2 nd Floor San Leandro, CA 94577 510.895.8607 Base Camp post expedition Tioga High School 19304 Ferretti Rd. Groveland, CA 95321 209.962.4763 Gear Pick Up: Pick up gear at the San Leandro Regional Office on Day 1 of your trip, at 9am. Permit Pick Up: BCM special use and wilderness permits are provided in the team leader trip binder. Make sure you have copies--they are available at the San Leandro Office. Additional wilderness permits may need to be picked up at a ranger station on your way to the trail. Refer to the trip binder (section 1) for permit instructions. The Backcountry CAG lists wilderness permits if they are needed. Grocery Store: Pharmacy/ Hospital: General Store: Camping Gear: Laundromat: Celebration Dinner: Save Mart Supermarket 1449 E F St (CA 120) Oakdale, CA 95361 209.847.7044 Groveland Pharmacy 18638 Main Street, Groveland, CA 209.962.5211 K-mart 175 S. Maag Ave. Oakdale, CA 209.847.7091 Yosemite Mountain Shop At Curry Village Yosemite National Park, CA 95389 209.372.8396 Housekeeping Camp Yosemite Valley Yosemite National Park Stan s Que 18745 Back St, Groveland, CA 95321 209.962.0806 Yosemite Village Store Tecoya Rd Yosemite National Park, CA 95388 209.372.1227 Yosemite Medical Clinic 9000 Ahwahnee Dr Yosemite National Park, CA 95389 209.372.4637 Yosemite Village Store Tecoya Rd Yosemite National Park, CA 95388 209.372.1227 Tuolumne Meadows Store Tioga Rd Yosemite National Park, CA 95389 209.372.8428 Tuolumne Meadows Store Tioga Rd Yosemite National Park, CA 95389 209.372.8428 Sonora Regional Medical Ctr. 1000 Greenley Road Sonora, CA 209.532.5000 Tuolumne Meadows Store Tioga Rd Yosemite National Park, CA 95389 209.372.8428 Big 5 Sporting Goods 1596 East F Street Oakdale, CA 95361 209.847.2537 Last resort: as there are no laundromats available in Groveland, Take laundry back to San Leandro Gas Stations: Groveland Gas 18707 Main Street, Groveland, CA 209.962.6234 Crane Flat Hwy 120 & Big Oak Flat Rd Yosemite Nat l Park, CA 209.379.2349 Tuolumne Meadows Tioga Rd Yosemite National Park, CA 95389 209.372.8428
Pre-Expedition Diving Directions Day 1 Directions from BCM office to Yosemite Valley School: 9009 Lost Arrow Loop PO Box 485, Yosemite Nation Park, CA 95389 Start: BCM Office, 176 Juana Ave., San Leandro, CA 94577 Head east on Juana Ave (0.8 mile) Turn right at Grand Ave (signs for Interstate 580/Hayward) (0.2 mile) Turn left to merge onto I-580 E toward Hayward (33.2 miles) Continue on I-205 E (13.5 miles) Merge onto I-5 N (2.0 miles) Take Exit 461 onto CA-120 E toward Manteca/Sonora (6.4 miles). Stay in the left lane and exit onto CA-120 E / CA-99 N toward Sonora/Sacramento (1.7 miles) Stay in the right lane and take Exit 242 for CA-120/Yosemite Ave toward Sonora (0.2 mile) Turn right at E CA-120/E Yosemite Ave (signs for Oakdale/Sonora) (19.8 miles) In Oakdale, turn left at E F St. Continue to follow CA-108/CA-120 (25 miles) Turn right at CA-120 E (at Yosemite Junction) Between Oakdale and Yosemite, CA-120 has several names: Montezuma Rd., then New Priest Grade Rd., Main St., Big Oak Flat Rd., and Old Yosemite Coulterville Rd. *Optional short cut: Turn right at Old Priest Grade Rd (very steep and winding road no guard rail) (1.8 miles) Continue on CA-120 E to Entrance of Yosemite National Park (about 21 miles) Stay on CA-120/ Big Oak Flat Rd. (about 27 miles) Veer right to stay on Big Oak Flat Rd. (when CA-120 becomes Tioga Pass Rd.) (9.5 miles) Turn left at CA-140 E, follow signs for Yosemite Valley (0.9 mile) CA-140 turns into a one-way loop road. Veer right onto Southside Dr. and continue following signs for Yosemite Valley Destinations (5.1 miles) Turn left at Sentinel Dr (0.3 mile) Turn left at Northside Dr (0.3 mile) Sharp right at Village Dr (0.3 mile) Turn left at Lost Arrow Loop. Destination will be on the left (look for the basketball hoop in the parking lot). Estimated Time: 3 hours and 24 minutes Estimated Distance: 168 miles
Day 2 Directions from Yosemite Valley School to White Wolf Trailhead / 10 Lakes: On Lost Arrow Rd, head east and take the first right onto Village Dr Slight right at CA-140 W / Northside Drive (follow CA-140 W to park exits) (6.1 miles) Turn right at Big Oak Flat Rd (follow signs for CA-120 / Tioga Pass Rd) (about 9 miles) At Crane Flat, turn right to stay on Big Oak Rd/ Tioga Pass Rd (about 13 miles) Turn left at White Wolf Rd (no signs, except an intersection caution sign) (1.2 miles) End: White Wolf Campground in Yosemite National Park at White Wolf Trailhead Estimated Time: 49 minutes Estimated Distance: 30 miles
Post-Expedition Diving Directions Day 6 Directions from White Wolf Campground to Yosemite Valley for Laundry: 19304 Ferretti Road, Groveland, CA 95321 Turn right onto Tioga Pass Road toward Big Oak Flat Road (about 13 miles) At Crane Flat, turn left to stay on Big Oak Flat Road (9.5 miles) Turn left at CA-140 E, follow signs for Yosemite Valley (0.9 mile) CA-140 turns into a one-way loop road. Veer right onto Southside Dr. and continue following signs for Yosemite Valley Destinations. (5 miles or so to destination) As you loop back around toward the Yosemite Valley Visitor s Center, CA-140 will become Northside Dr. Estimated Time: about 30 minutes Direction from Yosemite Valley to Tioga High School: 19304 Ferretti Road, Groveland, CA 95321 Follow CA-140 back toward Big Oak Flat Rd. on Northside Dr./El Portal Rd. (5 miles or so) Turn right at Big Oak Flat and continue heading west on Big Oak Flat/CA-120. (43 miles) Turn right at the second intersection with Ferretti Rd., once outside the park.(1.8 miles) End: Tioga High School (on the left) Lodging will be in the gymnasium on the right side of the campus, marked by Tioga High School on the building Estimated Time: 1 hour Estimated Distance: 49 miles Directions from Tioga High School to Stans Que (for celebration dinner) downtown Groveland: 18745 Back St, Groveland, CA 95321 Turn left out of the school and head south on Ferretti Rd (1.8 miles) Turn right on Main St (CA-120 W) (0.2 mile) Turn left at Back St (looks like an alley between buildings, across the street from Cocina Michoacana Mexican restaurant) End: Stan s BBQ straight ahead Contact for Stan s Que: Pam Brown, (209-403-2826) Estimated Time: 5 minutes Estimated Distance: 2.1 miles
Day 7 Directions from Tioga High School to BCM office / HOME Turn left out of the school and head south on Ferretti Rd (1.8 miles) Turn right on Main St / CA-120 W (3.3 miles) Veer right to stay on CA-120 W down New Priests Grade (13.7 miles) Slight left to stay on CA-120 W (sighs for Oakdale) (3.5 miles) Turn left at CA-108 W / CA-120 W (25 miles) Turn right at CA-120 W / N Yosemite Ave (also called California St and Main St in Eacalon). Continue to follow CA-120 W (19.9 miles) Turn left to merge onto CA-120 W / CA-99 S towards San Francisco 0.4 mile) Stay right and take the exit into CA-120 W (6.3 miles) Take the I-5 S exit toward San Francisco (2.3 miles) Follow signs for I-205 W toward I-580 W, San Francisco) (14 miles) Merge onto I-580 W on the right (33.1 miles) Exit toward Estudillo Ave, downtown San Leandro (0.3 mile) Turn left at MacArthur Blvd (0.1 mile) Take 2 nd right onto Juana Ave (0.8 mile) End: BCM office will be on the right Estimated Time: 2 hours and 17 minutes Estimated Distance: 124 miles
Base Camp and Trip Guidelines Wear sunscreen. Wear close-toed shoes around camp. (See hazards below.) Watch out for cacti, tent stakes, wildlife and possibly rattlesnakes. Keep all food, drink and snack items in the vehicle or cooler. Do not put food in tents. Do not feed wildlife. Securing the screen door tent flap inside the tent each time you enter or depart will help reduce the number of bugs that come into the tent. Please don t smash mosquitoes or other bugs against the tent wall. Keep tents DEET-Free. Check types of bug repellent brought by team members. DEET will deteriorate tent material. Please keep the following in mind if using it: Apply repellent to the back of your hands for applying to other parts of your body. This will keep the DEET off the palm of your hands and thus off the tents and gear. Also, please apply DEET only when you are outside and away from the tents. Use the gas grills for cooking if available. Please don t use candles, stoves, or open flames in the tents. Wash dishes in the kitchen area if possible. Otherwise please wash dishes in the buckets provided by BCM at the tent site. Swimming and dipping are not allowed in moving water. In still water dipping is allowed under close adult supervision. Closed toed shoes must be worn. Make sure to sweep the base camp area when you leave for the trailhead and for home. Shake out the tent ground tarps when leaving for home. Make sure everything is packed in an orderly fashion. Make sure all the trash is removed, no food is left behind, and the tents are fully zipped. Remember that another group will be using the same gear after you, so please leave things tidy, the way you would want to receive them. *Please take note of the additional rules and regulations for the Mariposa Unified Yosemite Valley School. Thank you for your cooperation!
Getting Acquainted with Yosemite National Park Valley School Upon Arrival & Parking When you arrive, there will be a lock box with a key to the building (multipurpose room door is on left). The code for the lock box is: 1-3-4-7. The emergency contact person is the school s secretary, Ceci Archer, her cell # is (209) 747-1713 only use in emergency please. Parking is located next to the building. Sleeping Arrangements Your sleeping facility will be in the multipurpose room (small gymnasium). At the request of the school, please refrain from using any of the school s equipment or materials, including playground balls, floor mats, piano, etc. Please also do not use their stage. You will be using your BCM and personal sleeping bags and pads. Bathrooms There are 2 restrooms (1 boys and 1 girls) with multiple stalls, but no showers. Please be especially mindful of the bathroom facilities. Restock everything from the Janitor s closet in the multipurpose room before you leave. BCM will be fined if this area is not left relatively clean. Cooking and Dishes The school has a kitchen connected to the multipurpose room which BCM has permission to use. Please be especially respectful of this space for your cooking and dish washing needs. Do not leave any garbage in the kitchen when you leave. Gathering Locations Please have activities outside whenever possible. There is a picnic table outside and an adjacent field you are encouraged to use for physical activities (with a view of Lower Yosemite Falls!). How to Handle Garbage There are garbage and recycling bins outside in the parking lot. Please be sure to take out all trash from the bathrooms, kitchen, and multipurpose room before you leave. Also keep in mind that the school is in Yosemite Valley, aka, bear country! Please do not leave any food or garbage in your vehicles and properly dispose of such items in the bear-proof garbage bins. Please see the additional rules and regulations for this facility from Mariposa County Unified School District.
Getting Acquainted with Tioga High School Upon Arrival & Parking When you are ready to leave housekeeping camp, please call Stan Morgan (custodian at Tioga High School and the owner/cook of Stan s Que) with your ETA. He will open the school s gymnasium for you. Parking is convenient at the school. Call Stan at 209.401.5556. or TEXT his wife, Pam, at 209.403.2826 Sleeping Arrangements You will be sleeping in the school s gymnasium. Please use your BCM and personal sleeping bags and pads. Because we ask you to do laundry and clean the gear (clothes, sleeping bags, tents, etc) on day 6 of your expedition, we understand that you ll need to use the sleeping bags again once they are clean. This is ok! Use sleeping bag liners to keep the inside of bags clean, and please be conscious of the people who will be using the gear next. Water Source The school has running water and 2 showers within the boys and girls locker rooms. Cooking and Dishes Take a break from cooking on night 6! You ll be having your celebration dinner at Stan s Que in Groveland. Gathering Locations No information is available. Feedback would be great! How to Handle Garbage No information is available. Feedback would be great!
Post-Trip Responsibilities Cleaning Gear Try to find a place to clean gear in Yosemite Valley, while others are doing laundry. Please refer to the Backpacking Trip Gear Cleaning Instructions in the team leader trip binder. Wipe down tents in the valley, at Tioga HS, or as a last resort, in the BCM parking lot in San Leandro. Laundry Head to Housekeeping Camp in Yosemite Valley for laundry. Follow signs for Housekeeping Camp once in Yosemite Valley or get directions at the Yosemite Valley Visitor s Center. Laundry is located at the shower house, as is a coin dispenser. You can also get change at the Visitor s Center. (Unfortunately there are no laundry facilities near base camp in Groveland.) The following is a list of items that will need to be laundered. Towels Fleece: tops, pants and hats Long Underwear Sleeping bags (use a small amount of soap) Showers Showers are available at Housekeeping Camp; take showers while doing laundry, or wait and use free showers in the locker rooms at Tioga HS: there is one in the boys locker room and one in the girls locker room. Celebration Dinner Yosemite and Sierra expeditions go to Stan s Que. The contact person for Stan s Que is Pam Brown, (209.962.0806). Before Leaving Base Camp Please make sure you leave the place as nice or nicer than you found it. Shake out the tent and ground tarps. Make sure everything is packed in an orderly fashion. Make sure all trash is removed. Call Amy / BCM San Leandro with you estimated time of arrival as soon as you can. Team Leader Paperwork Refer to the Paperwork Checklist in the trip binder.