Eclipse Camping/Viewing Options: Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming

While you ladies were busy kvetching, I made it to Jackson. Even without eclipse crowds, traffic around town was moderate. Some of it due to construction coming in on 89 from the south. They were alternating on one lane which I assume will stop leading up to next Monday. But still, it was also stop-and-go coming in from Teton. On a regular Monday afternoon. Can't imagine with all the extra people. Don't just think full occupancy plus day trippers-- my friend's crew will be 10 people in a 2 bedroom condo.

Shadow mountain is worth the raves. There are 16 marked spots for dispersed camping, as you ascend. A truck in front of me got number 8, I have 13. Big views of the valley and Tetons. And an lte signal on att. I'm content.
 
Nice! Take photos, I may end up there next month. I've heard much about the place - is your site on top, or not quite? How's the road quality?
 
In my later years at Transamerica, we went on the PTO system. PTO combines vacation and sick days, so I don't see what stops someone from taking a 3-foot powder or eclipse "sick" day off under that scenario.

I was rarely sick enough to miss work, so I planned aggressively to use all my PTO for skiing and other travel. Then I got that weird Mexican swine flu in June 2009 and had to take two days off. As a result the last two days of my July 2009 Far East trip ended up being unpaid.
 
Tony Crocker":2xbv45hi said:
so I don't see what stops someone from taking a 3-foot powder or eclipse "sick" day off under that scenario.
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That's already been explained to you, both here and individually, multiple times. I don't make the rules, I get paid to abide by them. If you still don't understand, I can't help you any further.
 
Admin did not answer the other part of EMSC's question:
EMSC":35hrefgp said:
Not that it impacts me, but what happens if you only pre-choose a part of your time off at start of the year? can you take off randomly if you luck out and no one else is off that day?
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Or more relevantly, can you take that "luck out" day off and give back one of the November WROD days?

My view is that is in fact the reason for reserving the November WROD days instead of scheduling all the PTO for known vacation plans. It's painless to dump one of those if there's a powder day or out of town visitor on some other day with no more than 2 people scheduled off.

So then during the drought years there were an unexpectedly large number of those November/December WROD days left at the end of the year.
 
Returning to our regularly scheduled programming....

This recently posted on Mountainproject.com in response to someone asking about the eclipse near Pinedale and getting to the Big Sandy trailhead:

There will be a few people in Pinedale. We're already out of food at our ONLY grocery store, camping is a nightmare and there's a fire ban as well. It's an all out mad house. Just think about what happens when 15-30,000 people flood a town of 1,500. It's like trying to suck a golfball through a waterhose.
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Now back to your PTO bickering......
 
I am very near the top of shadow mtn.
No experience towing a rig and road reports are notoriously subjective but...
The main road going up is pretty rutted at places. Half the spots also have a short spur leading up to them. Mine would definitely not work for an rv as it is narrow and winding and steep. Number 14 above me has the best view and direct access, on the other hand.
For anyone who is not going to stay up there the entire time, I'd suggest the lower spots. The view improves somewhat but it took me 30 minutes to come down 3 miles in an outback this morning (i drive gingerly). Also cell coverage goes in and out depending on angle. The top had no data signal.
 
Great feedback - thanks. Now you're gonna need a shotgun to keep others from camping on your doorstep.
 
Evren":10318wt0 said:
The view improves somewhat but it took me 30 minutes to come down 3 miles in an outback this morning (i drive gingerly). Also cell coverage goes in and out depending on angle. The top had no data signal.
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I see some problems here. The current weather forecasts are still unstable but not good. So:
1) How do you keep up on them if as is likely you have no cell service?
2) How long will it take you to get out of there if you have to go east or west for clearer skies?

Some of the ski meteorologists are doing eclipse weather predictions this week.
Joel Gratz: http://opensnow.com/dailysnow/coloradoHe will mostly focus on Wyoming because he's in Colorado.
Cliff Mass: http://cliffmass.blogspot.com/ He will mostly focus on Oregon because he's in Seattle.

Jay Andersen is the meteorologist who specializes in climate/weather predictions for eclipse chasers. He posted instructions how to use:
spotwx.com
weather.cod.edu
The question you will have to answer is “which model is right?” One source that I know of will let you compare these at a single location: spotwx.com, a fairly sophisticated Canadian site. Just click on their map, or insert a city name and the available model forecasts can be examined. The College of DuPage site at weather.cod.edu will give you regional or continental maps of the cloud forecasts of the various models if you want a landscape view (weather analysis tools >numerical models>(select model)). When different models begin to agree, you can be more confident of your local forecast.
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I camped there (Shadow Mtn) in a tent trailer several years ago. It's pretty spectacular. My only complaint was there were a lot of human turds around. People obviously didn't dig a hole and bury.


enjoy...
 
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Just got upgraded to suite 14.

Talked to a guy this morning who drove up in an accord. I wouldn't, he did. Didn't even think it was that bad. Inspired by him, I made it down the mountain in 16 minutes this time.
There are no sharp u-turns but the road is narrow. Also most of the spots do not have the big flat surfaces favored by those who travel in battleships. No 2 and 9(?) being the exception. Either way, I have seen zero RVs and would be happy to keep it that way. Admin is always welcome, of course. Rest of you, bugger off. I might puncture holes in your canister and make it look like a bear did it :)

I offered to share my spot with the accord guy. He seems cool and will guard camp.

Tony, I personally wouldn't try and dash out last minute if there were some clouds over the horizon. Not without a solid forecast 24 hrs in advance. And I feel that being at elevation on the far side of the valley will give a good view of the shadow approaching. I hear it is a bit thrilling. Will check the forecasts you mention.

One last point on camping here in general: the spots are like stadium seating as you go up. And you are looking across at the Tetons. Not too much gained by elevation. Find a spot you like and give your suspension a break.
 
Friend who offered to host BBQ for us in Bend this weekend reported gas shortages in Central OR on Wed evening. Hopefully it was caused by travelers to at least one big event that was starting and can be resolved by increased deliveries. See http://www.kgw.com/news/eclipse/eclipse ... /464948514

Friend and his wife who both work in health care were told no days off on Monday to see totality as they may be needed and hospitals want employees at work, not stuck in traffic.

While gas availability improved on Thursday, the smoke from lightning-caused fires in the area has gotten worse (Friday's update is that smoke is bad W of Bend, not NE where I am planning to go). I canceled room in Redding for tonight as my son is in training all week as we would not be able to get out of Bay Area before PM rush (which really starts about noon on Fridays). So we will be doing the entire drive on Sat with the goal to get to Deschutes brewery between 4 and 4:30 to get free tasting
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Just to annoy the crap out of everyone......

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH5ay10RTGY[/video]
 
Marc_C":zw6py1ss said:
Just to annoy the crap out of everyone......

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH5ay10RTGY[/video]
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There's a special place in hell for people like you.
 
Everyone I talk to, and in my personal opinion, the crowds aren't anywhere near what they were expecting. Just chatted with a ranger who said they set up some "pop-up" campsites by Jackson lake -- and those still have multiple open spots (as well as campsites south of Jackson).

So if anyone's mulling over maybe coming up this way from utah at this late juncture... it is not as bad an idea as one would have thought. Just mind the cloud possibility.
 
We have had no traffic issues in Jackson the past two days. We have been into town for dinner the past two nights, reservations made two weeks ago. It's busy but does not grind to a halt. We have heard you will have to wait some getting through the National Park entrances. We got all of our groceries in Costco Pocatello but some people have been to the market in Jackson and it is not cleaned out. We will have dinners in our condos the next two nights and not leave Teton Village on the 21st unless it's to escape bad weather issues. This seems unlikely. The GFS says it will be cloudy here, but other models say that a narrow SW-NE cloud band will have passed Jackson before the eclipse.

Jim Steenburgh has two recent posts about the difficulties of cloud forecasting:
http://wasatchweatherweenies.blogspot.c ... s-for.html
http://wasatchweatherweenies.blogspot.c ... lipse.html
If the models are still contradictory only 30 hours ahead, that underlines Steenburgh's view.

I would stay put in Evren's situation. It's relatively unlikely we will move as the decision would have to be made 4-5AM tomorrow. I doubt we will know any more from the models tonight than we know now. A few people in our group may leave to drive 3+ hours west.
 
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