R02 TR: Yosemite Again, 5/31-6/4 2017

[Wandering Daisy]

Day 1. Glacier Point to LYV

This trip was an odd potpourri of objectives. I left town with several “plans” depending on what permits were available, reaching the Big Oak entrance at 11 AM. The forecast was for 35% chance rain, 55-degree high, 37 low, then warming a bit. I chose to go to LYV from Glacier Point the easiest route in case conditions got worse. As I arrived at Glacier Point, it was cold, foggy and raining lightly. I managed to get on the trail at about 1PM wearing all my raingear. Conditions slightly improved but I was not too warm, even on the uphill sections. I arrived at LYV at 5:30 and set up. As much as I do not like LYV, it was logistically ideal. An organized group of teenage boys made sure there was little peace and quiet. I cooked dinner, and hit the sack, with earplugs in.

Day 2. Day-hike to Merced Lake

One objective of this trip was to day-hike to Merced Lake. I had walked this route early June 2010 and mid-May 2014, but not since the 2015 fire. I set out at 7:45 and had the entire hike to myself, except one family I met who had camped above Merced Lake. In spite of the snowpack this year, the trails were less flooded (dried up from earlier snowmelt) and the Merced was flowing a bit lower. Little Yosemite Valley and Lost Valley were eerie with the contrast of charred black poles, bright green undergrowth and black flood waters. A bit later, a waterfall was tumbling off the northwest cliffs of Lost Valley; the stream below gouging a 5-foot gully wiping out the trail. I climbed down, waded across, and then had to cross another branch. As devastating as the burned area was, I have to admit, it did provide a more open view of the surrounding cliffs. Bunnell Cascades provided another good water show. Several falls were shooting up waterwheels. Thankfully the twin bridges at the head of the next unnamed valley were enough above the water, to assure I would not get stuck when returning later.

After a 500-foot climb, I broke out onto low angle granite slabs running with water and full of bright green moss and waded across two small streams. There is a huge tangle of downed trees across the trail before you drop to the bridge at the lower end of Echo Valley, which was thankfully safely above the water. In 2010 the approach to the bridge was flooded as well as much of the trail on the west side of the valley. This year, you could see that water had covered the trail, but I managed to stay dry until past the upper two bridges at the trail junction. The trail across the north end of Echo Valley was about a foot-deep, with muddy swamp on either side. You could pick your way jumping from log to log, but it was much easier just to put on wading shoes and slosh through. The cascades below Merced Lake offered another great water show.

On the return a black and tan ringed snake slithered off the trail and a rattler slithered up on a rock, coiled and rattled at me. Both up and back I ran into many deer. I reached LYV at 4:45 and decided I wanted a bath. As crowded as the campsite is, I returned upstream about half a mile to quickly dunk in a safe and secluded flooded bank of the river. The river was shockingly cold but it felt good once out. I had planned to walk the mile back down to the top of Nevada Falls for some photos, but after 15 miles of day-hiking, I just could not get up the energy so I went in the tent early and again put in the ear plugs.

Day 3. LYV to Camp above Yosemite Falls

I got up early to drop down the Mist Trail to Yosemite Valley. Nevada and Vernal Falls were a mass of mist, producing rainbows but really too much water to get good photos. In spite of the high flows, the early season melt drips off the adjacent walls were gone, so I did not start to get the soaking until nearing the lower end of Vernal Falls. It was a good test of the “quick drying” feature of my hiking pants! This was the first day that the cables on Half Dome were up; a steady string of day-hikers were going up the trail.

At the Happy Isles bus stop at 10AM, I lucked out and immediately got on the bus to the Wilderness Office. Again, I had several options depending on which permits were available. I got my first choice, up Yosemite Falls. I had always wanted to camp up on Yosemite Creek. After a stop at the Village store to buy a new gas canister, I started up the trail. Yosemite Falls is best photographed mid-day, although it is the worst time to be on the trail – hot and lots of traffic both up and down, from backpackers with snowshoes strapped to their packs, to trail runners, to tourists in short-shorts and flip-flops! The misty mid-section was pleasantly cool. The upper third, again hot. I was at the top at 3PM. The plan was to camp on the west side and day-hike to El Camp the next day. A short distance up this soggy, tree-downed trail, mosquito infested wet side of Yosemite Creek I decided to return and camp on the dry side and instead hike to Yosemite Point. By the time I set up camp, washed myself and clothes in a nice little warm melt stream I again lacked the energy to do much except to photograph Yosemite Creek. A deer visited my campsite as I cooked dinner. It is amazing the solitude you can find a short distance off such a crowded trail. Yosemite Creek has already crested, so the flow was actually less than a few weeks ago.

Day 4. Above Yosemite Falls to Camp 4

After a leisurely breakfast, I packed up and headed down the trail, which was pleasantly empty for the first half hour. Soon the line of hikers started. Again, I was going “against the flow” of day-hikers who have no idea of how to share a trail. The morning shade was nice. Just out of curiosity, I stopped at the Camp4 kiosk and I got the last campsite. Although the backpacker’s campground is much better, Camp 4 was logistically better for my afternoon roaming, and plan to quickly get on the Four Mile Trail the next morning.

Another goal of this trip was to day-hike the lower part of the Valley. I started down the trail on the north side, which soon became flooded. I took off my shoes and waded on, this time barefoot since I did not think to bring my wading shoes. Soon it was apparent that I would have to somehow get over to the road just up from El Cap Meadows. Two truisms; water is always twice as deep as you think, and distance twice as far. Gradually the water became crotch deep. I got applause when I finally reached the pull-out along the road. This was another test of my “quick drying” pants.
After hanging out in the meadow (my favorite place in Yosemite Valley), I crossed on the bridge and got on the south side trail. I think I actually was going faster than the cars on the road. Soon the trail left the noisy road and I met only a few people. At one of the creeks flowing from the beautiful waterfall west of Sentinel Spire, I went upstream to a secluded spot and took a bath and washed my clothes. I wore my newly washed wet clothes which dried in less than an hour. It was hot! I crossed swinging bridge, wading in up to knee deep water. This is where I would cross the next morning, so I wanted to test it out. I then walked to the Village store and bought a banana, salad and beer. After dinner I chatted with some young climbers around their campfire. I told them what Camp 4 was like in 1971; even more crazy than now. At dusk I put in earplugs and eye mask and hopped in the tent.

Day 5. Camp 4 to Glacier Point

I was up at 5AM and headed over to Swinging Bridge. The river had risen! What was ankle-deep the previous day now was knee-deep. If it were simply calm water, I would have gone for it but there was a significant current at the deepest part which would be crotch deep. Although I would not have tumbled into the Merced, I could have been knocked over. I retreated and did a 3-mile detour over the bridge next to Yosemite Village. So much for my plan to get from Camp 4 to the Four Mile Trail in 0.8 miles! I had previously hiked down this trail in the afternoon and lighting was horrible for photos. Thankfully the entire trail was in the shade and lighting better for photos. This trail probably gives the best views of Yosemite Falls of any other trail.

I reached my car at 10:20 AM; the battery was completely dead. Another epic story entirely, but finally got on the road by 1:30 PM. I began to get a bit worried, because the road to Big Oak entrance was to be closed for construction at 5PM. Lesson learned – I need to look under the hood of my car now and then; the battery looked like some science experiment gone bad.

Photos to follow.

[Wandering Daisy]

Foggy and rainy start from Glacier Point

Illiouette Falls

washed out trail at upper end LYV

flooded and burned upper LYV

Lots of water tumbling down the cliffs near Bunnell Falls

Bunnell Falls

More waterfalls

Falls above twin bridges

High water at Lower Echo Valley bridge

Flooded Merced Lake

[Wandering Daisy]

Echo Valley lower bridge on return

Bunnell Falls waterwheel on return

Runoff below Echo Valley bridge

Rattlesnake

[Wandering Daisy]

Nevada Falls from Mist Trail

Rainbow at top of Vernal Falls

Merced River above Happy Isles

[Wandering Daisy]

Upper Yosemite Falls

Yosemite Creek near camp

Yosemite Creek near camp

top of Upper Yosemite Falls

[Wandering Daisy]

El Capitan, Valley day-hike

Flooding around Swinging Bridge, Valley day-hike

Log jammed upstream of Swinging Bridge

Downstream flooding at Swinging Bridge

View upstream

[Wandering Daisy]

Yosemite Falls from valley

Three Brothers

Sentinel Rock

Another view of Sentinel

[Wandering Daisy]

view from Four Mile Trail

view higher up from Four Mile Trail

Yosemite Falls from Four Mile Trail

[Wandering Daisy]

two more panoramas

Merced River above lower Echo Valley bridge

Merced River near Echo Valley

[Stanley Otter]

WD,
Thank you for the trip report and photos. I enjoy reading about your early season forays in the Sierra and hope to be able to do the same someday.
Dennis