High Sierra Topix

For early trips like yours, I would HIGHLY recommend you start the trip counter-clockwise so you come to the bridge at Wapama Falls about an hour into your hike. It is often the most dangerous crossing of the loop at this time of year. That way if it seems dangerous, you can change your mind, backtrack only a small amount, and continue on the trail up to Beehive for an in-and-out trip.

What happens for some people who do the loop clockwise is that they reach the Wapama bridges at the END of the loop, and rather than backtracking over 90% of their loop they force themselves to risk an unsafe crossing. Those bridges in early season are probably the biggest source of deaths over the years in Yosemite. There are numerous threads on them. You are much more apt to make the correct decision when you face them early rather than late in the loop.

I love Jack Main Canyon. If that is your destination you may wish to bypass Vernon and go straight up the Morraine Ridge trail. Coming down from the ridge into the canyon the trail tends to become a creek at this time of year, so be prepared for some wet work. Once you get into the canyon you may find that Falls Creek is not crossable anywhere, and in some seasons it runs high enough to cut off the trail through the canyon completely. This was a low snow year, however, so you will probably have an easier time with it.

The other dangerous crossing if you do the loop is the bridge at the outlet of Vernon Lake. This crossing can be safe one day and uncrossable the next. It varies depending on how warm the previous day was and how much snow there was to melt. I camped by the bridge last year and in two days it went from being a thigh high raging torrent just to get to the bridge to being a calf high placid flow. I would recommend talking to everyone you see along the trail to find out what they know about the bridge. Talking through your bandana.

Finally, be aware that June is bear-waking-up-season in the Vernon lake area. There are many hungry bears and you will want to be extra vigilant with your bear canisters and your scent hygiene. It is the worst area I've ever been in this regard, so be careful. I've never had an issue, myself, and have had fun watching the bears. But they are there, they are curious, and they are very hungry.

If I could offer another suggestion...
I've crossed the Wapama bridges at high water a number of times. If the wooden deck is simply wet and slippery, you can get across it simply by wearing good rain gear. However, there have been times when the water was flowing over the wooden deck. If there are two people, I recommend roping yourselves together about twenty feet apart. That way, even if the flow manages to knock one person down, the rope will catch on the steel sides to keep the person from being washed away. It doesn't have to be anything too fancy.

With all due respect, the idea of "roping together" crossing Wapama Bridge when water is rushing over it is, in my opinion, NOT safe! It also is my understanding the part where people have been washed off is not where there are rails, but the on and off ramps to the bridge.

SSSdave, I believe the fellow said he had is permit changed so he is able to go in to Beehive.

Yes, I was permitted for Beehive. It was a blast. But not a blast of water.

Here is the bridge across the base of Wapama Falls about 1 pm on Monday---almost perfectly high and dry. But still a thrilling place to stand and look up at Falls Creek falling.
And here's the bridge over the Falls Creek outlet of Lake Vernon, also Monday. As you can tell from my shadow, it's about 5 pm.
And here, just because I like them, are some snow plants. They were growing profusely between Beehive Meadows and the Jack Main junction.

Wow! That is placid. Low snow and early melt, apparently. Here is the bridge at Vernon June 7, 2019. This was down from a couple of days earlier. You can see the water marks from the water that circled the far end of the bridge then.

Yeah, peak melt looks like its pretty much over, last year peak flow rates lasted into early July. Spring is hanging on at higher elevations, but it won't last long. The skeeters, dust, and crowds of summer are coming.

torpified wrote: ↑Wed Jun 10, 2020 5:36 pm
Here is the bridge across the base of Wapama Falls about 1 pm on Monday---almost perfectly high and dry. But still a thrilling place to stand and look up at Falls Creek falling.

And here's the bridge over the Falls Creek outlet of Lake Vernon, also Monday. As you can tell from my shadow, it's about 5 pm.

I just noticed the timing. Did you make it from Wapama to Lake Vernon in four hours?!

The photos are time stamped 4 hrs and 12 minutes apart. After taking the first one, I hung out on the bridge awhile gawking at the falls and eating lunch. So 4 hrs more or less. (I like walking uphill, and by the time the uphill petered out, it felt mosquito-y enough that I was motivated to keep moving.)

torpified wrote: ↑Thu Jun 11, 2020 5:41 pm The photos are time stamped 4 hrs and 12 minutes apart. After taking the first one, I hung out on the bridge awhile gawking at the falls and eating lunch. So 4 hrs more or less. (I like walking uphill, and by the time the uphill petered out, it felt mosquito-y enough that I was motivated to keep moving.)

You are an impressive hiker. That is 13 miles and 4000+ feet of elevation in 4 hours. Zounds! You really must like going uphill