Yosemite Winter Lodging/Camping for the photographer

With the onset of Winter and Jeffrey Sipress' latest Yosemite thread I am getting psyched to go. But I wanted ask some of you where you stay in the Winter? As a vacation destination Yosemite can become very expensive especially for photographers who takes multiple trips up there and want to capture storms and various weather patterns.

Let me start by sharing my experience with a Winter trip I took with my wife invloving fresh snow. We stayed at the Wawona Hotel (pricey) and in the basic heated cabins in Curry Village (more affordable). Curry Village is nice because of the great location.

Now that I am a nutty photography buff I am wanting to explore the most affordable option that gets me closest to the action. So I was looking into Winter camping/car camping. I found this website which shows the year round camping in and around the park: http://jrabold.net/yosemite/campi.shtml

In CO I would just car camp as close to the location as I could. Any additional Yosemite experiences appreciated.

Thanks,

Derek

Derek,

I've stayed in the cabins numerous times in Curry Village and in the dead of winter you can sometimes get them for less than $100 - and certainly the tent cabins are cheaper. I've only stayed in a tent cabin once - heated or not, I prefer the cabins... :-)

The best accomodations and closest to the Valley would be the Yosemite View Lodge in El Portal. It's somewhat pricey, but you can also get reasonable winter rates. Further west on 140 is the Cedar lodge.

Of course it's easier if you can stay in the valley which eliminates travel time to and from El Portal.

Lon

Yeah Lon,

I am thinking an unheated tent cabin in the Winter crosses the line of 'Cold and Miserable.' In that case car camping in Upper Pines would actually be better and cheaper. I have slept in my car in sub freezing temps before in a decent bag with lots of layers and it is not too bad - a step up from cold and miserable. So a heated cabin in Curry Villlage or car camping in Upper Pines sound like the way to go.

When I go to shoot I am not looking for luxury or comfort - just a place to crash and wake up early from. Being on location is also very nice especially when the roads have snow and ice. Morning light is also more doable that way.

Derek

As long as you are willing to either sleep in a tent or your car, Upper Pines is the cheapest alternative. I think it is quieter in the campground than the tent cabins in Curry Village. Those cabins are packed really close together and you can hear someone whispering in the next cabin. I just got back last night from 4 days in Yosemite and I spent nights in Upper Pines campground. I have a camper with a heater, so no great suffering was involved. It was absolutely gorgeous there for the big Xmas snowfall.

Thanks Harley!

I was hoping to hear from you. And I envy you having a camper. That gives the best of both worlds - lowest cost, some comfort and ability to pick up and go anytime.

Derek

Sent you an email, but camp 4 is much cheaper than the pines' campgrounds if you're on your own. But they may ticket you though if you sleep in the car. Have fun!

I've done the cold & miserable unheated Curry tent stay. I was so cold I never changed my clothes or moved, in fact I just left the tent and photographed all night long during the full moon. If you get too cold you can boil a bottle's worth of water and put it in your sleeping bag. Last year when I was there in winter they had a nice buffet w/ tons of hot chocolate at breakfast there, nice spot to warm up there for a while.

They also have a walk in campground that $5 a person that's usually packed in summer but empty in winter.

In Curry Village you can get something heated there for half the price($35-50) if you reserve it before you show up or get online and reserve it while your there or walk up to the desk and pay double.

I think any of the worst options are worth it until you finally get something out of it that's satifying. Good luck!!

Of all the options, staying in Yosemite Village is my least favorite, but most convienent. Prices are steep though, usually 100-200ish and reservations are highly recommended.
El Porto entrance is ok, but also pretty pricey and still a decent trek to Yosemite in bad weather of course.