Posted on 05/17/2016 5:09:06 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Michael Peacher stared out at the sprawling Yosemite Valley, stretched out before him like a giant post card. Half Dome bathed in the early May morning sun. El Capitan sat stoically in the shifting shadows. But Peacher’s eyes were locked on Bridalveil Falls, roaring in the distance with a watery abandon.
“Since 2011 we haven’t had any water whatsoever,” said Peacher, an avid kayaker. “Just been a horrible drought for the past four years.”
California’s stifling drought got so bad Peacher moved to Washington where the rivers were full enough to kayak. But this winter, the rains returned to California and so did Peacher. No place was the return of rain and snow more dramatically evident than in Yosemite National Park, where its storied waterfalls were running again at full spigot — including smaller waterfalls re-emerging from a four-year hibernation.
“I’ve come to the park for three or four times a year,” Peacher said. “This is the first time in three years I’ve seen these falls and the valley having a substantial amount of water falling off of them.”
The cascading snow melt is putting on quite a show for an international cadre of visitors — who craned their necks and cameras in every direction to take in the park’s spectacular waterworks. In addition to the seemingly drought-resistant Bridalveil Falls and Yosemite Falls — they were treated to rare appearances by Staircase Falls, Royal Arches and Sentinel Falls.
“We’re seeing some great waterfalls,” said National Parks ranger Scott Gediman. ”A lot of these falls I haven’t seen flow for five years and they’re going — and they’re going great.”
James and Gwen Crockett visited the park from their home in Arizona last year when the drought had choked off much of the area’s snowpack and waterfalls. Gwen Crockett recalled an exasperated group of Swedish tourists coming to her, perplexed at the absence of falls.
“They stopped us,” Crockett said, imitating the tourist’s desperate flailing hand gestures, “and said where?”
The Crocketts themselves felt the pangs of disappointment of witnessing such a dry scene. So they returned this week for another try. This time around, the park’s granite cliffs were alive with melting snow “I’ve been to Yosemite several times,” James Crockett said. “It’s never looked as good as it does now.”
Gediman said this winter’s more extensive snow pack meant the waterfalls would flow with more gusto and later into the season. While the winter rainfall didn’t end the state’s water woes, it did help.
“A lot of good snow,” Gediman said, glancing up at patches of lingering snow sitting on the mountain caps. “That snow is up in the high country and now with the warmer weather it’s bringing in the waterfalls.”
In turn, the waterfalls were also bringing in a flood of visitors. Even on a week day, parking lots in Yosemite Valley were full as throngs of visitors gathered at the base of lower Yosemite Falls, snapping photos beneath a blanket of flowing mist. Gediman advised people to aim their visits during the week and to avoid peak afternoon hours. He said weekends in Spring and Summer often resulted in long lines of traffic outside the park’s gates.
“There’s been a lot of reasons people have come to the park,” Gediman said, citing the National Park’s centennial, “but that’s actually resulted in the park being very busy.”
Peacher peeled himself away from the picturesque views, shepherding a group of fellow kayakers toward their van to set-out on a river expedition. He cast one last glance at the vista before heading off to enjoy the bounty of the wet winter.
“It’s like your average snowpack in the Sierra,” Peacher said. “It’s nice to have our state back again.”
Darn that global warming!
I’ve traveled much of the world.
Yosemite should be on everyone’s Bucket List.
Just not when I’m there. :-)
Very nice. However, keep in mind that all that water at the falls and elsewhere as the snow pack melts will mean lots of mosquitoes come the summer.
Quite a few years ago after a rainy/snowy winter, we toured Yosemite, stopping at Tanaya Lake as we drove out the eastern gate to US 395. From the parking lot to the lake we had to walk through a narrow strip of trees. About half way through, I came to the realization that I was brushing off something. That something turned out to be a huge number of mosquitoes. Both my wife and I took off running back to our car. Well, that was before remote control fobs, so I had to unlock the door with a key. We jumped in along with several mosquitoes which we had to kill as we sat in the car. So much for enjoying a walk in the woods of Yosemite.
Another experience was houseboating on the Sacramento River in the delta area. We had motored up one of the tributaries and anchored in an area surrounded by trees. As evening approached, I was out on deck grilling a couple of steaks. From out of nowhere came a hoard of mosquitoes as I quickly finished and ducked inside. They were relentless and many of them kept flying into the window glass trying to gain entry. That went on all night. Needless to say, it was our one and only houseboating adventure on the Sacramento Delta.
California Vampire Mosquitoes. Almost as nasty as the Canadian-American Black Flies at the border not far from Jackman, Maine.
Blood thirsty little bastards. Now if I had a flamethrower, I’d be a hero in two countries. The poor border customs police were literally trapped in their booths.
Wife and I hiked to the top of the falls in 93 in the PM after hiking to Glacier point in the AM
I live 40 miles from Yosemite. This has nothing to do with rain and everything to do with snowpack.
I wish I was there right now and could fall asleep under the stars...
It is a wondrous place. I had an opportunity to visit for a couple of days and we drove through the length of the park, stopping at every point of interest along the way. A young cougar made its way through our cabin area at dawn along with several deer. My wife still speaks of it as one of the most amazing trips of her life.
Beautiful - What a perfect time to go! When I look for inspiration I like to watch the video in the link above. It really gives me some perspective to carry throughout the day.
Love going in the winter.
Spectacular.
Do need to knock the climb up Half Dome off my list though....
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