backpacking trips to take advantage of all that water

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kpeter
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Re: backpacking trips to take advantage of all that water

Post by kpeter »

Maverick,

What route from Vernon did you take to get up to Branigan? When I was there the Vernon basin was flooded and the creeks impassible, so I took the bridge and tried to pick my way along the south and southeast sides of the Vernon basin to follow the Branigan outlet stream up. It was miserable slow going through swamp and brush along the edge of the basin. Any time I started up I ran into shrubby granite where there was enough growth that you could not see far enough to route find. I'm wondering if I should have taken the trail towards Tiltall up high and then cut back around hill 7572.

There was no way I could have come down into Branigan from Jack Main, since that would have meant crossing Falls Creek up there.
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maverick
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Re: backpacking trips to take advantage of all that water

Post by maverick »

Kpeter,

Sent PM with 411 on Branigan.
Professional Sierra Landscape Photographer

I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.

Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
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Re: backpacking trips to take advantage of all that water

Post by tightline »

I found those maps. I guess the question I would have is regarding a trail I see from about the Cherry Creek dam that does not appear to have the creek crossings. This trail is a little NW or "left" of the trail that crosses the creek--but ties back into this trail near Kibbie. It seems to go up the ridge with Cherry just to the left as you go up. However, my son and I were thinking about a mid may trip that might just be out this year. I'll have to monitor the snow melt. That one could be tough. Like others on this board we've been exploring some early season possibilities. I got myself caught up in nearby Kendrick Canyon years ago in June. My buddy and I had to cross-twice--and it was a chore. I've been wading rivers all my life but that is one situation I can now pass on.

As for enjoying all that water, I saw some photos of Cherry creek making it's way thru the classic NW Yosemite granite slide and chute country. I have not been there so I cannot speak to the accessibility. It looks like Kibbie Creek loses altitude in a hurry too. You'd be hiking up between these two streams. So these smaller (although they will be pushing water!) might be a more preferrable alternative to days on a raging river. You have some lakes to mix in too. It's just a preference thing.

I didn't mean to highjack the thread with the Kibbie inquiry. I think I was watching the NCAA's or a movie or something with a beer and the laptop and plugged in the question when I should have started a new thread. However, I was thinking of those photos when I was reading people's suggestions about enjoyng the water. I think the photos were from google earth--showing kayakers!! Crazy. I wonder if the locations indicated are accurate. Hard to believe. They are represented to be in Cherry Creek well upstream from Cherry Reservoir.
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Re: backpacking trips to take advantage of all that water

Post by adornowest »

Thanks everyone for all the helpful suggestions and the interesting discussion. I look forward to doing the trip, and will report a trail report. Much thanks!
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Re: backpacking trips to take advantage of all that water

Post by 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.
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Re: backpacking trips to take advantage of all that water

Post by kpeter »

diesel wrote: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...
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Re: backpacking trips to take advantage of all that water

Post by 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.
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adornowest
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Re: backpacking trips to take advantage of all that water

Post by 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!
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Re: backpacking trips to take advantage of all that water

Post by 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;
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Re: backpacking trips to take advantage of all that water

Post by adornowest »

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