Re: Lake Vernon last weekend

I spent a couple of nights at Lake Vernon last weekend. Two hundred yards past the dam and I had it all to myself. Short warm days and chilly nights.

Strange that it's still sans snow, amazingly quiet, the only sound was the moaning ice. The only footprints I saw were mine, apart from deer and bear and a big cat.

Wapama Rock


Hetch Hetchy Dome


Lake Vernon


Tower Peak, Craig Peak, Snow Peak


Moonrise over Tiltill Mountain


Lake Vernon at sunset


More here:
http://www.qitnl.com/v/120911/

Thanks for sharing the photos. Very nice, especially the moonrise and sunset shots.

I can see from your photos on your website that you also continued onward to Branigan Lake. How were the trails conditions? Looks like the only snow was on the north facing slopes. Was there any icy spots you had to deal with. Also, were there a lot of fallen trees you needed to circumvent due to the recent wind storm, or were the trails mostly clear of deadfall and ice?

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There was very little snow, frighteningly so, and little on the horizon. If you don't like snow, it should make for good hiking.

There were a few fallen trees I stepped around but nothing dramatic.

Very nice, except for the lack of white stuff.

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ttilley

Very nice, except for the lack of white stuff.

But on a good note on the water supply front, I did notice in QITNL photos that the water level of the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir was quite high, especially for this time of year. Two years ago about this time, the water level was dramatically lower than it appears to be this month.

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Nice. Was at Hetchy Hetchy Fri and Sat. (spent night at Poopenaut)
Saturday at noon... not a single other person at the dam or anywhere else.
The lack of snow is just crazy. And the water level is controlled so, although
it's kinda strange for the res. to be that high now... it make sense.
No water in... so no water out... ish.