Re: Rancheria Falls 2012?

How's this time of year (mid-April) for a Rancheria Falls hike? Anyone been out there lately? Would May be a better time?

Rancheria Falls would be fine this time of year, assuming decent weather. Unless there's a cold storm, snow is generally not an issue at Rancheria Falls. There may be more water in the big waterfalls in May, but it will also be warmer. I was there several weeks ago and it was very nice.

We're going the first weekend of May. After going to Hite Cove, I fear that it will be HOT then... but since we're climbing up in elevation I'll get going early as possible and hope.

Agree w/ basilbop, I went there last year in late-April, no snow, etc, just pick a good weather period. If you can drive to Hetch Hetchy w/ nothing incoming and without following a plow it should be fine (_this_ Friday's snow level would bear close watching and doesn't seem promising from current forecasts).

We've done this hike in April, and had rain and snow, but nothing overwhelming, just showers.

Bear in mind that the bridge over the falls could be pretty dang wild...and be careful.

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Check our our website: http://www.backpackthesierra.com/
Or just read a good mystery novel set in the Sierra; https://www.amazon.com/Danger-Falling-Rocks-Paul-Wagner/dp/0984884963

I guess Old Dude doesn't want to say that he went there twice already this year.
Once in Mid February and once in Mid March. No issue.
Won't be any now.
You can look at my peek-chure site for a few photo sets if you like.
Have fun

(even if it dumps a foot of snow... it will be bye bye in a day or so)

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Anyone have a guess as to how much water is flowing across the bridge at Wapama falls currently? I'm heading to Rancheria Falls this weekend, and with the warm weather I wonder if the water will be flowing over the bridge? I'm a bit wary of that crossing after reading of last year's incident!

Thanks.

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vitaminC
Anyone have a guess as to how much water is flowing across the bridge at Wapama falls currently? I'm heading to Rancheria Falls this weekend, and with the warm weather I wonder if the water will be flowing over the bridge? I'm a bit wary of that crossing after reading of last year's incident!

Thanks.

Flowing over the bridge? Zero

I think, well, I'm nearly 110% certain... you are worrying about something you shouldn't. Not now.
Probably not this year at all.

Probably.... perhaps... Wapama may get to max of say... 200 cfs. When the 'incident' occurred
last year... it was over 900 cfs.
I personally went over it in early May last year... and Falls Creek above Wapama was running scary.
But the bridge crossing was no big thang.

Go and have fun and quit worrying.
Old Dude is headed that way... if you see him say hello.

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Okay, I will stop worrying

Thanks for the info!

Well... I'm wrong already about the number... It's already up to about 250.
Will be interesting to look on Monday and see what it got to.
Take some pictures. Old Dude rarely does (he's probably eating breakfast at Rancheria right now)

Don't do anything stupid and you'll be fine.

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<INSERT OLD DUDE COMMENTS HERE!!!!!!!>

(is that a loud enough hint?)

Looks like it's up to 500 cfs. Guess it's not a surprise though after seeing the Merced...
Still at WAY below max of last year... it shouldn't have been a worry...

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chick-on
<INSERT OLD DUDE COMMENTS HERE!!!!!!!>

(is that a loud enough hint?)

Looks like it's up to 500 cfs. Guess it's not a surprise though after seeing the Merced...
Still at WAY below max of last year... it shouldn't have been a worry...

(Brother and Nephew)
Base of Rancheria Falls Just Before the Flat at the Campground on Friday Morning

Bridge at Wapama Saturday Noonish

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Old Dude



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/23/2012 07:23PM by mrcondron.

Yeah, it was at 500 cfs this morning when we went across. We arrived right as a Ranger got there via boat. It was still crossable, though there was water splashing over the lowest bridge. If it had been higher, he would have taken us back on the boat. That would have been pretty cool, too.

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vitaminC
Yeah, it was at 500 cfs this morning when we went across. We arrived right as a Ranger got there via boat. It was still crossable, though there was water splashing over the lowest bridge. If it had been higher, he would have taken us back on the boat. That would have been pretty cool, too.

Well... I hope you don't think I led you to danger...

(although I can do that... just ask the wife... or the old dude... )

Splashing over ... isn't FLOWING over... I guess I will lookie at my pix from last year...

Just think what 900cfs is like... I had time yesterday... I nearly drove there to see for myself...
since I didn't ... show me a picture !


Also, how high was the res? And how many bores do they have open?

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Quote
chick-on

Quote
vitaminC
Yeah, it was at 500 cfs this morning when we went across. We arrived right as a Ranger got there via boat. It was still crossable, though there was water splashing over the lowest bridge. If it had been higher, he would have taken us back on the boat. That would have been pretty cool, too.

Well... I hope you don't think I led you to danger...

(although I can do that... just ask the wife... or the old dude... )

Splashing over ... isn't FLOWING over... I guess I will lookie at my pix from last year...

Just think what 900cfs is like... I had time yesterday... I nearly drove there to see for myself...
since I didn't ... show me a picture !


Also, how high was the res? And how many bores do they have open?

One bore open and the downstream one was shut off. Still quite a bathtub ring, maybe 25 feet or so to go on Saturday.

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Old Dude

You may have hit it at it's peak this year.

I was going to post a photo of the bridges from above and the same shot as OD
from early May last year.... but seems I already more or less did...
they are here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/yosemite.chick.on/JackMain

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This isn't the photo you want, but it's all I've got for now...



I do have a few of the water splashing over the bridge, and I hope to get them processed and uploaded in the next week or so.

Nice. Share what you would like to share. IMO it's nice to get someone else's view.
Not sure what others do with all the pictures they take... but I don't fully understand why you
wouldn't want to share.

Hope you had fun out there.

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It has been raining a lot lately so I am curious of the current conditions too. Anybody knows?

Here's a Mesonet West map for the Hanford NWS district, Rancheria's around 4500...here's a 5100 ft. station near Wawona: "Yosemite at Wawona". Won't tell you if its snowing, but it looks borderline, probably wet cold rain.

Its Friday's forecast that looks less friendly, that storm is forecasted to be colder, looks like a forecast of close to a foot of snow at the elevation of Rancheria by Friday night.