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Re: Rancheria Falls quick questiom.

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Rancheria Falls quick questiom.
March 16, 2016 10:00PM
Hey Guys so im getting the backpacking bug bad and have been looking around at where I can poke out to for a few days without running into to much snow and I thought about rancheria falls. Been out to hetch hetchy before but never out past Wapama falls so I've got a couple questions before I go running out there headlong like the crazy hermit I am.

I've heard that Rancheria Falls can get fairly packed over the weekends and I am not a huge fan of camping next to other people if I can help it. I've heard there is some kind of "campsite" area that most people tend to go to? Wheres that at? Before or after the Bridge? up or down stream? The other thing I would really love to know before I go out there is how the terrain is around Rancheria creek? I much prefer camping out in my hammock when I have the option so looking around at the maps I found This little section of forest right on the river but am not sure how much difficulty I will have in getting up there or if thats even worth heading to. I'm really hoping one of you guys who have more experience with the area out there can give out a few pointers to make my trip go a little smoother.

Keep Packin, and see yah out on the trails!
avatar Re: Rancheria Falls quick questiom.
March 17, 2016 07:12AM
Quote
randomsteve95370
Hey Guys so im getting the backpacking bug bad and have been looking around at where I can poke out to for a few days without running into to much snow and I thought about rancheria falls. Been out to hetch hetchy before but never out past Wapama falls so I've got a couple questions before I go running out there headlong like the crazy hermit I am.

I've heard that Rancheria Falls can get fairly packed over the weekends and I am not a huge fan of camping next to other people if I can help it. I've heard there is some kind of "campsite" area that most people tend to go to? Wheres that at? Before or after the Bridge? up or down stream? The other thing I would really love to know before I go out there is how the terrain is around Rancheria creek? I much prefer camping out in my hammock when I have the option so looking around at the maps I found This little section of forest right on the river but am not sure how much difficulty I will have in getting up there or if thats even worth heading to. I'm really hoping one of you guys who have more experience with the area out there can give out a few pointers to make my trip go a little smoother.

Keep Packin, and see yah out on the trails!

You would have a hard time getting to that spot as it's pretty cliffy there. You would have to approach the site after crossing the bridge. Even then it may be unsuitable for camping due to not being able to get 100 feet from the water.

This time of year the camping area will not be crowded plus it is a large area. There is also lots of space just downstream below the cascade. This spot it approachable from the trail where it flattens out after the switchbacks coming up from Tiltill Creek. Your map has an outlier red dot near it but on the wrong side of the creek.



Old Dude
Re: Rancheria Falls quick questiom.
March 17, 2016 08:20AM
Re: Rancheria Falls quick questiom.
March 17, 2016 01:03PM
Quote
mrcondron
You would have a hard time getting to that spot as it's pretty cliffy there. You would have to approach the site after crossing the bridge. Even then it may be unsuitable for camping due to not being able to get 100 feet from the water.

This time of year the camping area will not be crowded plus it is a large area. There is also lots of space just downstream below the cascade. This spot it approachable from the trail where it flattens out after the switchbacks coming up from Tiltill Creek. Your map has an outlier red dot near it but on the wrong side of the creek.

Thats what a was worried about when looking at the map. Good to have that confirmed. I like the look of that area you pointed out. Looks like a nice forested area for the hammock.

Quote
balzaccom
Old Dude has given you good advice here.

Here are links to photos of our trip there back in April of 2009:

Here's a couple of shots of the creek above the falls:

snip/


You've got some great pictures, exactly what I was looking to find. You wouldn't happen to remember how far apart these trees are would you? Looks like the perfect hammock spot to me tongue sticking out smiley Although back to sanity it would probably be crazy windy and very cold up there at night..... but just to think of the view in the morning and evening makes it seem like it might just be worth it. Anyway let me know if you do happen to remember roughly how far apart those 2 trees are. Hard to tell from the picture but it looks like they can't be more them 6-7 ft apart which is sadly to close for a good hang.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/17/2016 01:27PM by randomsteve95370.
Re: Rancheria Falls quick questiom.
March 17, 2016 03:37PM
I think your best chance of finding hammock-friendly trees will be among the incense cedars in the main camping area below the falls and bridge. A lot of the Rancheria Falls area burned several years ago (the cedars were mostly spared), and the remaining oaks and silver pines are fairly widely spaced.

There's a nice dome at about 5600+' heading up to LeConte point just south of the trail that had some decent-sized trees around it and should have good sunset views. I'd post pictures, but we arrived there after dark... There will probably be running water near here, but YMMV...

Have fun and let us know how it goes!
Re: Rancheria Falls quick questiom.
March 17, 2016 09:26PM
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You've got some great pictures, exactly what I was looking to find. You wouldn't happen to remember how far apart these trees are would you? Looks like the perfect hammock spot to me tongue sticking out smiley Although back to sanity it would probably be crazy windy and very cold up there at night..... but just to think of the view in the morning and evening makes it seem like it might just be worth it. Anyway let me know if you do happen to remember roughly how far apart those 2 trees are. Hard to tell from the picture but it looks like they can't be more them 6-7 ft apart which is sadly to close for a good hang.[/quote]


Aren't those trees cool? The formed a sort of Natural Torii up on the top of LeConte Point. I'd guess they were only about five or six feet apart...and they framed the view pretty nicely!



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