backpacking trips to take advantage of all that water

[SSSdave]

Cherry Creek via Kibbie Ridge. A number of impressive glacial bedrock cascade and falls spots and many difficult crosscountry.

Also some excellent glacial bedrock areas of cascades way down in the Mokelumne canyon. Places you can view on kayaker web sites.

Elsewhere there is a particularly excellent glacial granite cascade on a good sized stream I sized up tripod spots for last summer. Shooting whitewater is a difficult exposure problem with film so more likely to save that secret easy to dayhike to spot for the future when I have a large digital outfit.

[kpeter]

We parked our car at Tuolumne Meadows and took the YARTS shuttle to White Wolf (runs around 9 AM on weekends, I believe...check the YARTS web site to for the schedule) and hiked for 3 days back to Tuolumne where we parked.

Is there no park shuttle bus available? Is Yarts the only option short of hitchhiking or having two cars? I thought for sure there would be a TM to Valley shuttle of some kind.

I just ready Doyle's trip description (wonderfully written and illustrated, as usual!) and I am edging closer to doing the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne. Obviously, I'm wondering when it will open up...

[Wandering Daisy]

No shuttle. YARTS is quite reasonably priced. When I did the GCT the road had just opened and White Wolf was closed. We hiked up to 120 and then hitched back to Tuolumne. It really is not that hard to hitch. Only one person has to go get the car and others can stay with packs, so it is not like someone has to haul all your stuff and several people.

Descending Cherry Creek in peak runoff is not recommended as it can get very dangerous at tight spots and you do not have the option to cross the creek to easier ground when needed.

I did an early season trip up past Rancheria Falls, on the Rancheria Trail to Pleasant Valley and then day-hiked up Piute Creek. Piute Creek is quite spectacular too when running high.
But I agree that GCT beats them all. My second choice of high water trip is up the Merced to Merced Lake. In a few weeks I hope to go to the Balloon Dome area and down to Cassidy Crossing to see the San Joaquin at high water. Never been there and am anticipating some roaring waters.

[adornowest]

Thanks, everyone, for the very helpful comments. I think we have decided to do the GCT.

At the risk of perhaps asking a ridiculous question: Once late June arrives, when is one likely to find maximum runoff/the most spectacular waterworks? I presume that one wants 1) several days of very warm weather before hand, as well as 2) the days you are up there to be pretty warm. But I presume (1) is a lot more important than (2)?

Say there are three days of warm weather. Setting comfort aside, is it better to go a) on the last day of warm weather, b) the day after warm weather, c) several days after the warm weather passes?

Many thanks!

[Wandering Daisy]

There will be spectacular water from mid-June until probably mid-July this year. You actually do not want to go at peak runoff. For one, you may not make it all the way because of crossings and high water. Second, Waterwheel Falls actually is better and moderately high runoff, not peak. The "waterwheel" feature is less visible at peak runoff. You can keep an eye on the runoff on the Merced on this website. When the Merced floods, the tuolumne is near peak. I think a major consideration is air temperatures- if it is 100+ in the central valley, it can be stifiling hot in the lower part of the GCT. I would tend to pick a 3-day period with moderate temperatures. Also, be aware that YARTS does not run weekdays until "summer" - July. Also permits will be hard to come by on 4th July weekend.

http://www.cnrfc.noaa.gov/graphicalRVF.php?id=POHC1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[adornowest]

Thanks! This is tremendously helpful! I would have gone about it all wrong...

[maverick]

Hi Adornowest

Yes, at peak run-off flooded area's, and crossings will be more difficult, but the falls
will still be good to view in the mornings, and especially during the midnight hours
during full moon since water levels are lower at these times as opposed to during the
day when water run-off levels are at there peaks, and when most people visit these falls.
Try to schedule your trip around 15th of July, full moon, to really get a unique view
of both Waterwheel & LeConte Falls.