Thinking of backpacking in Yosemite around thanksgiving, any thoughts? Or another suggestion for that timeframe in California. Trying to tie in a backpacking trip and visit to friends in LA. But they are willing to meet up in san Francisco. Thanks

By "backpacking" do you mean carrying your gear and camping? I ask because while the chance of weather, including snow, is greater later in the winter in California mountains, it may be better to plan a November trip for a lower elevation and closer to the coast where the chance of snow is near zero. Or go in October (or late spring).

http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/w...tes-of-America

Weather in November is definitely something to consider. My birthday is in early November and I stopped camping for my birthday because I got tired of playing roulette with the weather - too many rainy camp outs. If you're backpacking, you'll be even more affected by weather because you can't just go climb in the car

If you can go between the months of May and October, it would be much better backpacking weather.

If you mean back packing into the high country/Tuolomne Meadows, Tioga pass will almost surely be closed so you will be limited to Yosemite Valley. So 'back packing' will simply mean carrying your stuff in a backpack to your accommodations.

I've spent Thanksgiving week at Yosemite before and it was my best visit ever.

Perhaps I was lucky, but temps in the valley were high in the 60's during the day, lows just below freezing at night and early morning. Perfect sleeping & hiking weather for 3 absolutely perfect days.

All roads to high country, including Glacier Point were closed for the season, so if you want to get up high you need to hike up from the valley, eg 4mile trail up to Glacier Point, or Yosemite Falls on the other side. I carried ice grippers to put over my shoes but did not need them on the north-facing side of the valley even though there was snow on the trail about half way up. The south-facing side (Yosemite falls) was clear and dry. ymmv.

Oh, I hope my post didn't sound like you shouldn't visit YNP at that time of year. J62 is right that it is a great time in the Valley . . . I just meant you wouldn't be backpacking/camping but staying in some sort of accommodations in the Valley. So your backpack would just be your 'luggage'.