High Sierra Topix

fourputt wrote: ↑Sat Jun 22, 2019 12:35 pm >>I observed two distinct mushrooms; can anyone identify these?
First is in Gyromitra genus, either gigas (Snow Mushroom, Snowbank False Morel) or esculenta (False Morel, Brain Mushroom). Not edible, and how anyone mistakes them for Morels is a mystery.

From the papery appearance of the cap in the rear specimen, the coarsely "lumpy" (as opposed to finer & brain-like) nature of the lobes on the cap, and also the hint of a lacunose stipe, I think this is more likely G. californica, despite a strong resemblance to G. esculenta.

The snowbank false morel or bull-nose, G. gigas (aka korfii or montana) is a much more massive/fleshy species and is generally recognized as a desirable edible (I grew up eating the Michigan woods variety). However, many Gyromitra species (including the ill-named G. esculenta) contain widely varying amounts of monomethylhydrazine (MMH, aka rocket fuel) which is toxic. MMH is volatile and can be removed by heating and par-boiling, but it's a major red flag for anyone who wants a list of "no-brainer" wild mushrooms they can easily identify and safely eat.

I agree the false morels have very little resemblance to the true ones. You'd have to be very unobservant to mistake one for the other.

AlmostThere wrote: ↑Sat Jun 22, 2019 1:28 pm

MichaelRPetrick wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2019 11:36 am Thank you all for this useful thread.

My boyfriend and I are thinking of trying GCOT from Rancheria over July 4th. Tuolumne from White Wolf simply won't be doable by then - that would be a rafting trip.

I know there are variables related to temperature/time of day, but...

For those who've been there: what you you rate our odds of turning back at an overly high creek crossing - not to mention the flooded areas below Glen Aulin?

It's a long way to hike back to the car at Hetch Hetchy if we turn around at Glen Aulin!

I count at least 3 creek crossings along the route. There is also a stretch of trail along the river that when I was there, in midsummer in a lower snow year, the water was mere feet below the trail - that section is definitely under water. I don't immediately recall that it was possible to walk up the granite slope above the trail.

Peak melt is close, but not here yet, and July 4 the melt will definitely not be over... whether you turn around depends on how determined you are, and a big gamble on successful creek crossings. You're assuming you will make it past Wapama Falls, too - it's been deadly already.

Thank you for the heads up AlmostThere!

While I always plan to treat every water crossing with respect and caution, it's good to know which ones have proved dangerous or deceptive in the past.

Will be ready to change my plans as early as that footbridge, if not earlier.

Best,

Michael

Looks like peak forecasted flow is actually tomorrow for most rivers:

https://www.cnrfc.noaa.gov/water_resources_update.php

And we appear to be below and/or dropping from the levels that we peaked at in 2011/2017.

https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?site_no=11274790

Not that pretty graphs and statistics on a page can make me safe at the end of the day of course - a datapoint isn't a dry bridge! But it'll be good to check day beforehand in case the flow picks up and it becomes prudent to just go with one of my backup trips.

MichaelRPetrick wrote: ↑Mon Jun 24, 2019 1:00 pm
And we appear to be below and/or dropping from the levels that we peaked at in 2011/2017.

https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?site_no=11274790

How did you use the above link to compare flow in 2019 vs 2017 or 2011? I cannot figure it out.

Adjust desired dates in red, click "Go". (Pressing Enter on the keyboard will not load a new page, must manually press mouse.)

It's much faster if you just grab a few weeks - I tried to load a whole year and it was molasses-like.

For the original question this year about going in from Rancheria- I did that in 2006 and was stopped by Piute Creek at Pleasant Valley. I simply did not want to cross this by myself. In 2003 I did the GCT and we waded through crotch deep water below Glen Aulin. You need to be prepared to turn around unless you could verify that the bridge at Return Creek has not washed out (it did wash out in the late 1990's). One of the bridges from Tuolumne to Glen Aulin is currently washed out. I waded it without problems but 2018 was not a high water year.

Wandering Daisy wrote: ↑Mon Jun 24, 2019 2:13 pm For the original question this year about going in from Rancheria- I did that in 2006 and was stopped by Piute Creek at Pleasant Valley. I simply did not want to cross this by myself. In 2003 I did the GCT and we waded through crotch deep water below Glen Aulin. You need to be prepared to turn around unless you could verify that the bridge at Return Creek has not washed out (it did wash out in the late 1990's). One of the bridges from Tuolumne to Glen Aulin is currently washed out. I waded it without problems but 2018 was not a high water year.

114_1411B.JPG

114_1414B.JPG

Thanks WD! When did you go in 2006? IIRC that was a somewhat tamer year runoff-wise? (I may compare and contrast more USGS stats this evening.)

My boyfriend has the status of the various bridges as last known by Rangers - I can't specifically recall if that was is believed to be in. I'm under the impression none of them had ventured out that way yet this year.

That picture of Piute Creek of yours is certainly fearsome. I sure as **** wouldn't cross it either... time to get a better look at my Trinity Alps topos methinks?

MichaelRPetrick wrote: ↑Mon Jun 24, 2019 2:11 pm Adjust desired dates in red, click "Go". (Pressing Enter on the keyboard will not load a new page, must manually press mouse.)

It's much faster if you just grab a few weeks - I tried to load a whole year and it was molasses-like.

Yes, I can see how you did that. But how does the graph depict this year's flow data to the flow in 2017? Sorry - I might be dense, as I cannot see the comparison between years.

Those photos were taken June 5, 2006. A big snow year like this year means high water longer, but the peak flows have as much to do with the speed of the melt. 2006 was a 130% snow pack in Yosemite on April 1. I recall that most of the small creeks that drained Rancheria Mountain were going dry. But these just drain the mountain. Piute Creek drains a large area in Northern Yosemite, including the high country. Falls Creek down at Hetch Hetchy was passable but I did get wet from spray.

Tuolumne Meadow is open a few hours a day now for backpacker drop-offs. An in-and-out from Tuolumne is the safest way because you just turn around if you cannot pass something.

Bishop_Bob wrote: ↑Mon Jun 24, 2019 2:37 pm

MichaelRPetrick wrote: ↑Mon Jun 24, 2019 2:11 pm Adjust desired dates in red, click "Go". (Pressing Enter on the keyboard will not load a new page, must manually press mouse.)

It's much faster if you just grab a few weeks - I tried to load a whole year and it was molasses-like.

Yes, I can see how you did that. But how does the graph depict this year's flow data to the flow in 2017? Sorry - I might be dense, as I cannot see the comparison between years.

Is it just a matter of plotting one graph for a given week in 2019 and then plotting another graph for the same week in 2017 in a different browser window and then comparing the 2 graphs in different browser windows? (in contrast with the SWE graphs that allow you to plot this year vs select past years)