Parking and camping in Yosemite

I am making my first trip out to Yosemite and need help understanding the ins and out of dealing with the national park service.  
From my understanding, you are allowed a 7 day stay limit in any camp ground in the valley, but days on big walls do not count towards this limit.   Now my first question is where can I park when I am on the wall without payment fees.   Also, can I park my car there for the entire time I am in the valley and just stop by to restock on food (kept in the trunk in a bear canister)?  The next question is can I sleep in the car legally.    This is especially on days where I am on a big wall till late and get down into the valley floor.  Also as far as permits go, is it customary to obtain a permit for the base of the half dome or routes like the such.   Or what is the normal way of going about sleeping after fixing the first few pitches.   Finally what is the legal implications of found without a permit in the back country.    I Am planning on spending about 15-20 days this June in the valley and appreciate all the input.   Some of these might be super obvious or dumb questions but I  have never been there and not wanting to get into any trouble or tickets.  

Read this: http://www.climbingyosemite.com/services/regulations/

Overnight parking is available at Half Dome Village (aka Curry Village).

You can not legally sleep in a car unless you are at a campsite.

So on nights that I am not on a big wall and unable to obtain a permit or campsight, where can I sleep, even if it's out of the park and drive in early, I have a year national park permit 

check Crane Flat, it sometimes has opeinings - if the campground is actally open yet. Other otherwise get up early and stand in line at Camp 4.  Talk to other climbers and ask if you can share a spot at another campground besides camp 4 (can't share). 

Worst case illegal - park your car and walk into the woods in far enough away. be very bear aware
Worst case legal - AirBnB

Camping logistics at places like Yose, RMNP, and the Tetons are definitely the crux. 

The main problem you're running into is that no one will put this info online, as it is all semi-illegal. There are ways around Yosemite's restrictions, but posting them online is just not done.

You can park your car near the bridge, in Curry, or elsewhere and be fine. Sleeping in your car is not really possible, and the rangers search parked vehicles for sleeping climbers and make their lives hell if caught.

Regarding sleeping after fixing the first few pitches...get creative. And don't get caught. I'm generally a pretty law-abiding individual, but certain restrictions make it very difficult to not occasionally skirt the legal limits, especially for these victim-less "crimes."

^^ there's nothing stopping from you from telling someone how to do something illegal.
for example: when selling crack, cut it with some bath salts. Your customers will appreciate that little something extra.

notmyname wrote: ^^ there's nothing stopping from you from telling someone how to do something illegal.
for example: when selling crack, cut it with some bath salts. Your customers will appreciate that little something extra.

Nobody is going to spray about the ways around the rules because they don't want their tricks to become useless.

Rangers read MP.

You can't sleep in your car. On days you aren't on the wall, you can likely snag a spot in Camp 4 if you are in line before dawn. You should not leave any food in your car, even if in a bear canister. The bears may literally destroy your car to get to the canister, even if they can't eat the food once they get to it. Then you'll get a huge fine just to make it worse. Unless something has changed, you are supposed to have a backcountry permit to bivy at the base of Half Dome, though I know lots of folks don't get one

If you take the road that leaves the park towards SF you can camp on the side of the road and everyone turns a blind eye. I did that for a week 1 year ago,l. Just outside the park boundaries.

thanks for the info.   how hard is it to find climbers to climb within camp 4 if I'm coming to the valley solo. 

just curious, how high off the ground do you have to be to be considered spending a night on the wall vs in the valley?

please do not sleep "on the wall" unless you are doing a wall

I thought joe is asking about where he can sleep after fixing the first few pitches on the wall?

joe sakel wrote:

 Is it technically 'sleeping on the wall if you hang a hammock or portledge 5' off the ground.  

No, it's not. Don't do that.  

edit:)

Everett wrote:

Nobody is going to spray about the ways around the rules because they don't want their tricks to become useless.

Rangers read MP.

^^^ This is actually a really good point.

If its obvious you're 10 feet off the ground the rangers are going to ticket you. They walk up and check. If you're a few pitches up its a grey area. Use common sense.

You have basic info from this thread and can find MUCH more on this site and others regarding the camping situation if you search. Just show up in Camp 4 (at 4 am), write a note to put on the board looking for partners, and go climb. You'll figure everything else out when you get there.

Also, If you have ever eaten anything in your car (or had food in your car), vacuum every square inch before you arrive to try to remove smells. Don't leave a single crumb, toothbrush, cigarette, empty shampoo bottle, etc in your car and tidy up so when he peeks in he doesn't see trash an associate it with food. And even then, they might rip your door off just because they feel like it. Be safe and start small. Go and do After 6 your first day and see if you still want to climb Zodiac. And don't miss hanging out at the bathtub.      

Andy Novak wrote: If its obvious you're 10 feet off the ground the rangers are going to ticket you. They walk up and check. If you're a few pitches up its a grey area. Use common sense.

You have basic info from this thread and can find MUCH more on this site and others regarding the camping situation if you search. Just show up in Camp 4 (at 4 am), write a note to put on the board looking for partners, and go climb. You'll figure everything else out when you get there.

Also, If you have ever eaten anything in your car (or had food in your car), vacuum every square inch before you arrive to try to remove smells. Don't leave a single crumb, toothbrush, cigarette, empty shampoo bottle, etc in your car and tidy up so when he peaks in he doesn't see trash an associate it with food. And even then, they might rip your door off just because they feel like it. Be safe and start small. Go and do After 6 your first day and see if you still want to climb Zodiac. And don't miss hanging out at the bathtub.      

...bathtub?

joe sakel wrote: thanks for the info.   how hard is it to find climbers to climb within camp 4 if I'm coming to the valley solo. 

Easy

David Coley wrote:

Easy

what does it entail,   like do u just stand around with a haul bag looking single or post something on a board.... sorry, different regions do things differently 

joe sakel wrote: what does it entail,   like do u just stand around with a haul bag looking single or post something on a board.... sorry, different regions do things differently 

If you were me you’d stand there awkwardly for a while, too shy to talk to anyone, slowly convince yourself that everyone was looking and thought you were a creep, then lurk off to boulder alone awkwardly sans bouldering pad cause you’re not a boulderer, then go home.