Photo: Suzanne Swedo Wildflowers and Waterfalls of Hetch Hetchy, Yosemite National Park, California Highlights:
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Trip Number: 09100A Price: $495 Deposit: $50 Capacity: 13 Rating: L/M Leader:
The Trip  Photo: Suzanne Swedo Hetch Hetchy is a grand landscape garden, one of Nature's rarest and most precious mountain temples. - John Muir While other hikers wait for snow to recede in the high country, you can enjoy some of the finest scenery the Sierra has to offer in this lightly visited area of Yosemite National Park. Hetch Hetchy is the perfect warm-up for the summer hiking season. This 28-mile loop is low enough to be clear of snow in May but the elevation is high enough to look out over wide open, glacier-scoured, gleaming white High Sierra granite. Spring wildflowers, reputedly the best in Yosemite, paint the meadows a rainbow of colors as peak snow melt rushes through the canyons in wild cascades falling over cliffs in booming waterfalls. We'll also be hiking through a piece of history. Preserving Hetch Hetchy Valley, dubbed Yosemite Valley’s twin, was a long campaign waged by John Muir to prevent a dam from being constructed backing up the Tuolumne River and flooding the valley. The battle was lost and some say broke Muir's heart as he died soon after. Thus was born the modern conservation movement. The pace of this trip will be conducive to the first backpack of the season. Suitable for spirited, strong beginners, three days of hiking through different biological zones and along dome and cliff enclosed Hetch Hetchy Reservoir will alternate with shorter days with afternoons free for swimming in granite-bound Lake Vernon, examining the many species of wildflowers and Native-American grinding rocks, splashing in the creek below Rancheria Falls, trying your luck fishing, or just hanging out listening to the wind in the trees and watching the clouds sail by. Lilies, lupine, and larkspurs line our path as we pass by the loveliest lily pond in Yosemite. Red-winged blackbirds sing their liquid song while blue grouse hoot for mates. Sighting mule deer and black bear enhance the wilderness experience. Take advantage of this opportunity to explore this untrammeled corner of Yosemite while it's in its scenic prime.
 Photo: Suzanne Swedo Day 1: Meet by 5 p.m. at our campground for an orientation and to refine packing, arrange tent-sharing, weigh packs, and share a potluck dinner salad. Day 2: Begin backpack at O'Shaughnessy Dam, 3,800 feet, which backs up Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. This is the hardest day climbing 2,700 feet in 7 miles through black oak, big-leaf maple, ponderosa and sugar pines. We'll take our time to enjoy the ever expanding views, listen to the squawk of the Steller's jay or the drumming of a woodpecker. Camp near a spring in a meadow. Day 3: A 4-mile hike with small ups and downs takes us to camp on granite slabs along Lake Vernon, 6,564 feet. The afternoon is free to swim, fish for rainbow trout, explore Falls Creek, read, or soak in the views. Day 4: We cross Falls Creek below the outlet of Lake Vernon and climb 1,000 feet up open, polished granite to a ridge with fine vistas. A long, 2,000-foot knee-jarring descent to camp at Tiltill Valley, 5,600 feet in 7 miles. There's time to identify the myriad of wildflowers, check-out the Native American mortar rocks, or see deer or bear here. Day 5: Another short day of 3 miles takes us over a 200-foot rocky divide past the prettiest lily pond in the Sierra to camp at the banks of Rancheria Creek, at 4,600 feet. A free afternoon and short trail takes us to the top of Rancheria Falls, just upstream from camp. In this butterfly paradise, we'll try to see how many different ones we can spot. Fishing, splashing in the water, and sunning on granite boulders is also encouraged. Once the exile of problem bears, we'll see how the situation has improved since the use of bear canisters. Day 6: We return to O'Shaughnessy Dam around Hetch Hetchy Reservoir through one of the best wildflower displays in the park. Falls Creek gives us a wet welcome as it comes hurtling down a 2,000-foot cliff as Wapama Falls, then we pass by higher and more delicate Tueeulala Falls. Descending 800 feet in 7 miles brings us back to the dam and the end of our loop. Getting There This trip begins at 5 p.m. on day one at a campground close to our trailhead, however you are encouraged to arrive earlier than this. The closest airports would be the three Bay Area airports of San Francisco, Oakland, or San Jose. Public transportation is not available to Hetch Hetchy so carpooling and rental car sharing is strongly recommended. Depending on traffic, it's a 4-5 hour drive from the Bay Area to Yosemite. Driving directions and a roster of trip members will be sent in a future bulletin to facilitate ride sharing. The campground on Day 1 is included in the trip price. Arriving by 5 p.m. allows us to get to know each other, go over our equipment, refine packing, arrange tent-sharing, weigh our packs, have an orientation about the trip, and share a potluck dinner salad. Please note that O'Shaughnessy Dam provides water and power to the San Francisco Bay Area, so the road to Hetch Hetchy is closed every night from 7 p.m. to 8 a.m. as a security precaution. Since this is a loop hike, we will leave our cars at the dam parking area and return to them at the end of the backpack on Day 6. Due to the unpredictable nature of wilderness travel, return flight reservations should be made for after day six.
The trip price includes meals from breakfast on Day 2 through lunch on Day 6, as well as use of cooking gear, stoves, fuel, toilet paper, first-aid kit, and scale. Everything gets divided, weighed, and distributed each morning ensuring that everyone carries their fair share. On the first day we should start out with 12 lbs. or less of commissary per person dwindling to about 5 lbs. by the last day. A nutritious, high-energy, non-red meat diet is planned. Any food allergies or limitations should be indicated to the leader as far in advance of the trip as possible. Although red meat will not be served, there will be chicken and fish on the menu. Vegetarians can be accommodated, but anyone not eating dairy products should consider another trip. Trip members will be divided into cook crews so everyone will have a chance to prepare the day’s meals.
 Photo: Suzanne Swedo This trip is rated light-moderate and is well-suited for beginners. Our total mileage is 28 miles split into three 7-mile days and two 3 to 4-mile days. Maximum ascent will be 2,700 feet on our first hiking day, so you will need to be well-conditioned when you arrive. Altitude should not be an issue as the elevation range on this trip is 3,800 feet to a maximum of 7,600 feet. Good physical condition is necessary to carry a backpack weighing up to 40 lbs. for five days. This should pose no problem if you arrive properly prepared. Suggestions for this will be sent later. This trip is timed to take advantage of peak wildflower bloom, maximum water flow, prime alpine scenery, and comfortable temperatures. Weather at Hetch Hetchy can be unpredictable in May where one weekend can be scorching hot and the next dusted by snow. Typical daytime temperatures are in the 70's to 80's while nighttime lows could go down to freezing. You should be prepared for whatever weather the mountains can make including rain and snow. Peak wildflower bloom also means prolific mosquitoes so don’t forget insect repellent.
A detailed equipment list will be sent to all accepted trip members in a future bulletin. Members are expected to furnish their own backpack and personal gear. Either an internal or external frame pack is fine provided it’s roomy enough to fit the commissary, about the size of a large grocery bag, and personal gear. Other essentials are a sleeping bag rated to 20 degrees, an ensolite or Thermarest sleeping pad, good quality light-weight tent (should be shared), good raingear including backpack cover (garbage bags are inadequate), enough layers of clothing to keep you comfortable between 30-80 degrees, and medium weight (preferably leather) waterproofed lug-soled boots. Hiking poles are recommended for stream crossings, steep trails, and rough terrain. Your personal gear should come to no more than 25 lbs. as we will give you up to 12 lbs. of central commissary the first day. If you will be buying new boots for this trip, make sure you get them well ahead of time so you will have plenty of time to thoroughly break them in. If you will be buying or renting equipment for this trip, your leaders would be happy to advise you and make recommendations. It’s also suggested you try out new equipment on a short backpack prior to ours so you’ll be familiar with it, especially if you’re borrowing it.
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Conservation Thousands of years ago, glaciers gouged out two similar canyons exhibiting the finest examples of granite sculpture with waterfalls dropping precipitously into wild and scenic rivers. Hetch Hetchy and Yosemite Valleys were preserved in Yosemite National Park in 1890, but just 30 years later, Hetch Hetchy was flooded to provide power and drinking water for the San Francisco Bay Area. Now as this system of aging pipes and pumps requires replacement, the question arises whether we need O'Shaughnessy Dam any longer. Restore Hetch Hetchy is a grassroots organization mobilizing the best technical experts to present a cost-effective alternative to the prohibitively expensive course of dam maintenance and system replacement, that is to breach the dam. Imagine being able to create another Yosemite Valley! It's possible with valley restoration taking not nearly as long as once believed. We will hear from a representative of Restore Hetch Hetchy about their plan and how we can help. While we're backpacking, we will show our love of the wilderness by learning and practicing Leave No Trace principles.
See the How to Apply for an Outing section for more details on registering for this trip and details about our Reservation and Cancellation Policy. The payment of a deposit does not confirm you as a member on the trip. Participants must be approved by the trip leader. After signing up for this trip, you will be sent a confirmation packet containing approval materials (Participant Approval Questionnaire, Medical Form, Liability Release Form). Each applicant (including those on the waitlist) must fill out these forms and promptly mail them to the trip leader. The leader will review the approval materials and notify you of your acceptance in a timely manner.
Leader: 
Melinda Goodwater has been leading backpack trips for Sierra Club Outings for over 15 years. She quit her full-time job when it got in the way of her trips and has been leading adventures ever since. She leads treks from Nepal to Alaska to the desert Southwest. When not in the wilderness, Melinda still does consulting work as an electronic engineer. Melinda has training in CPR and is a wilderness first responder. She is an avid fan of long trails (a reasonable section at a time), so don't be surprised if you bump into her in the wilderness sometime!
E-mail: mgoodwater@sbcglobal.net Assistant Leader:
General Notes About Sierra Club Trips
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Laura Bonds-Johnson's decade-long hobby of backpacking in the Sierra, Rocky Mountains, and Slickrock canyons of the Southwest has evolved into her quest for conservation activism and outdoor leadership. Laura is a registered nurse and has training as a wilderness first responder. This will be Laura's first trip as leader.