2017 Flow Chart & Numerous Crossing Location With Photos For Reference

[BEI]

I too have been thinking about this year’s 2023 snowmelt and creek crossings. I hope I can help at least one fellow hiker this year as the 2017 HST posts did for me.

In June and July of 2017, I was glued to reading any posts on creek status and water levels. The plan was to start at Kennedy Meadows, over Brown Bear pass, through Emigrant Meadow and meet up with the PCT after Bond Pass then to Tuolumne Meadows. I was following the Tahoe – Yosemite trail (TYT). I hope the info and photos help.

The below chart is the flow rate at Happy Isles 2017. At the time I was watching daily reports of the flow rates. The chart below shows the CFS from May 17th to Aug 13th of 2017. Happy Isles was not close to the area I was hiking but it was consistent data for the area of Yosemite.

Happy Isles flow rate May16-Aug15-2017.JPG

Starting off on July 23rd, 2017, from Kennedy Meadows the flow was about 800 CFS at Happy Isles. Day two I hiked into Emigrant Meadow.

2d35-emigrant meadow at grizzly peak.jpg

July 24th, 2017, Emigrant Meadow.

2d52-grizzly peak.jpg

July 24th, 2017, Grizzly Peak

My first major creek crossing was Jack’s Main Canyon at Falls Creek up to Tilden Lake. This got up to my waist. I had read on a post to hike upriver from the trail to where the water was moving slower.

3d36-falls creek.jpg

July 25th, 2017. Falls Creek.

The map below was notes I made of a post from PCT hikers in 2017. It has been six years. I do not know the current status of the logs I crossed.

Logs Rancheria creek.JPG

4d40-Stubblefield creek log.jpg

July 26th, 2017. Stubblefield Canyon upriver from the PCT.

4d57-kerrick creek log.jpg

July 26th, 2017. Rancheria Creek upriver from the PCT

5d49-benson lake.jpg

July 27th, 2017. Sandy beach at Benson Lake. This was not going to work out.

6d61-matterhorn creek.jpg

July 28th, 2017. Matterhorn Creek at PCT. Knee deep crossing.

7d36-return creek.jpg

July 29th 2017. Return creek at PCT. Knee deep crossing.

8d3-HS camp bridge.jpg

July 30th, 2017. Glen Aulin camp site bridge washed out.

8d31-Tuolumne falls foot bridge.jpg

July 30th, 2017. Foot Bridge above Tuolumne Falls. I remember reading a post about a hiker crossing the bridge with the water level at the top of the handrails, in waist deep water. Not sure if it was in June or July of 2017.

Side Note:

Planning for this trip I came up with a bug out bag for creek crossings. I had read a post about a hiker crossing a creek and had to swim out of his pack after losing his footing. They had lost all their gear. They were two days out on the trail to get to a road. I have a small waist pack with some food, a first aid kit, matches, compass and I store my Garmin satellite tracker. In the event I lose my pack I still have the basics.

[aaron_in_sf]

Thanks for this... it's going to be a colorful summer!

[dbargaehr1]

Thanks for this... it's going to be a colorful summer!

Indeed. It's made route planning this year an interesting exercise…Not to mention the snow levels at high elevations. My current annual trip (that's all i get now since I moved to the east coast) is scheduled for late July, and i'm definitely keeping a close eye on the snow levels, forest road damage map, etc.

[Love the Sierra]

When during summer of 2017 did you shoot these? 8/2017?
Thanks

[dbargaehr1]

When during summer of 2017 did you shoot these? 8/2017?
Thanks

correct me if i'm wrong, but each photo is dated in description. July 23-30, 2017.

[BEI]

All photos in the post are from the week of July 23, 2017 to July 30th 2017

[aaron_in_sf]

This is a great intel as I have Donohue pass out of Lyell permits for July 20... I'm happy the bridge isn't underwater, and am trusting PCTers will have neatly plowed routes along the JMT as far as MTR... but hmmm

[dbargaehr1]

This is a great intel as I have Donohue pass out of Lyell permits for July 20... I'm happy the bridge isn't underwater, and am trusting PCTers will have neatly plowed routes along the JMT as far as MTR... but hmmm

right? My trip is July 23-30 and i've got multiple options & permits planned in case my high-elevation stuff is untenable. I'm watching the Sentinel Hub imagery, stream flows, weather, etc. and comparing with 2017 to try to decide what my best course of action will be.

Unless we get some pretty significant heat over the next couple months, i may have to drop to a lower-elevation trip just to have a patch of snowless ground to sleep on!

[BEI]

Just to follow up with my original post. The below flow chart is of Happy Isles for 2023. I also added the original flow chart for 2017 for references.

2023-Happy Isles flow rate May15-Aug13-2023.JPG

2017-Happy Isles flow rate May16-Aug15-2017.JPG