Along Hetch Hetchy

I've been to the dam and looked out over John Muir's worst nightmare a number of times. Even half filled with water it's a helluva sight. But I'd never walked much beyond the dam. Saturday we took the trail out to Rancheria Falls, 6 miles each way. I would not recommend it much later than early June... it was hot enough this time of year, and within weeks the waterfalls will likely have lost a lot of their roar.

But right now? Two classic waterfalls and a wildflower display as good as any I have seen in Yosemite.

Wapama Falls may be the prettiest waterfall in the park. The water shoots over the canyon rim and after a cascade or two plunges steeply about 600 feet, with a fantastic bump that provides a lot of visual interest. Unfortunately you can't get very close to the biggest parts, but the views from the footbridges that cross near the bottom are fine enough.

It being Yosemite, one expects impressive rocks...

... but I had not expected the flowers. The section of trail just before you reach Wapama crosses seeps that send water flowing broadly over gentle slopes of smooth granite. At the margins are brilliant yellow monkeyflowers (Mimulus sp?)...

... and in the meadows dayglo Hetch Hetchy monkeyflower (Mimulus filicaulis)...

... and abundant mariposa lilies (Calochortus venustus?).

With all that eye candy, it's perhaps too easy to ignore the humble fungi and lichens...