Re: Porcupine creek/snow creek Water availability early September

Hi all,

I am planning a trip around labor day and wonder if the creeks would have much water by then in this dry year. I applied for the 2 week lottery permit entering from the Porcupine creek trailhead and camping near the two creeks. Yosemite fall looks already dried up from the Webcam. I probably can try calling the rangers, but wonder if anybody here have been there recently or have experience to predict.

Thanks ahead. I've already learned a lot from this forum.

Dongxiang

Yosemite Creek, Porcupine Creek, and Snow Creek have water year round.
I think Porc has fish in it but not 100%.
Yosemite Creek has fish in it. Snow Creek has fish in it. Those are good signs
that a creek has water in it year round. Typically that means it is flowing but some people's
idea of what constitoots water is different than others.
I've heard many times "there's no water" and ... yeah, no, there was plenty of water.
But yeah, it is WAY drier this year than last year. But a bucketload.
We were just in the same area in Kings Canyon ... and the difference from last year
is astounding.

Have fun.

O ... by the way... Yosemite now does a very good job of having conditions on thier website.
(unlike SEKI)

alas... i just lookie:
https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wildcond.htm

And they said:
"Trails are clear and dry. Do not plan on water being available in all named creeks. It is starting to run low and pool in some spots and is no longer running in Ribbon Creek and Royal Arch Creek. Lehamite and Snow Creeks are still running and Indian Canyon Creek is running but low. Plan for hot and sometimes dusty conditions. On the south rim, Bridalveil Creek is still flowing but no deeper than 6" deep."

Not sure why you need more than 6" ?


Have fun

---

Many thanks to the very Chick-on! I skipped through the park webpages but somehow missed the table. Thanks for pointing it out.

I figure the creeks will not be completely run. Just hoping to have enough clean water to entertain two kids (6 & 3) instead of stagnant mosquito pools. This would be their first time in Yosemite and I'd like to keep them going back for more ;-)

Pretty much always, even if a creek looks almost dry you can follow it and there will be a marshy spot and you can dig a small hole and the hole will fill with water. Use the filter pump to pull up a few liters. This is kind of a last resort option and is rarely needed.

Yes the webcam shows no water but, believe me all you need are two or three liters of water, not a full-on waterfall's worth of it.

This time of year it is best to carry at least three bottles and tank-up when you can.

We ended up escaping the park after stayed an hour at Tenaya Lake watching the sky getting darker and darker with smoke at the middle of the day. Unreal.

Maybe next time...

Thanks all for suggestions.

Oh dang- so sorry that was your Yosemite experience...hopefully back again before too long!