Inside Yosemite: A Web Log for 2006 by Beth Pratt, Y.A.'s Vice President/CFO Join Beth in her Yosemite adventures! She'll update this journal weekly with tales of her backcountry excursions, Yosemite news and events, and Yosemite Association happenings. Send her questions, comments, and suggestions at bpratt@yosemite.org For Beth's Web Logs from Past Years: 2005 2004 2003 October 2, 2006 Winter Arrives & Rocks Roll Winter wasted no time in arriving in the Sierra and gave us very little warning as well. One moment I was lounging on my desk in shorts basking in the sun and reading Richard Dawkins’ new work, the next I was bundled up inside watching the trees sway from wind gusts and listening to the footsteps of rain on the roof. Of course the real reason the first rain is so significant this year is our fear over what water will do to the rockslide. And sure enough, when I drove across the bridge this morning, large clouds of dust rose across the river while boulders bounced down the slope. Although the small release put us in no danger, it served as a reminder that the rockslide still has a few more acts to go. September 25, 2006 North Peak “Glorious!” “Bully!” “O the Joy!” How many other historical figures can I quote to describe my hike up to North Peak? John & Elizabeth O’Neill (perhaps not as well known as Muir, Roosevelt, or Clark) write in their book, Tioga Tramps, that the view on North Peak is “one of the best! Far below, the turquoise Conness Lakes, and thrusting up just across the way, the spectacular peak of Conness. To the north and east you can gaze down dizzying steep cliffs and snow and ice couloirs.” Truly, the day was perfect. Once I left the shuttle boat that transported me across Saddlebag Lake, I encountered no one. A clear blue sky, slight breeze, and moderate temperature made for ideal hiking weather. Fall had begun her colorful painting on the landscape and hues of yellow, red, and orange adorned the vegetation. Delicate white alpine gentian flowers still dotted the terrain, the last vestiges of summer. Mt Conness and its glacier and North Peak from Twenty Lakes Basin September 13, 2006 Olmsted Point Dedication Today the Yosemite Fund celebrated its beautiful renovation of the most scenic of Yosemite’s scenic vistas.  "Olmsted Point is a feast of nature and scenery of immense proportion," said Bob Hansen, Yosemite Fund president. I could not agree more. From Olmsted, one can gaze at the formidable wall of granite beneath Clouds Rest and view Half Dome standing like a sentry over the valley. To the east, the “gates of Tuolumne,” (as I term it)—Tenaya Peak and Pywiack Dome—rise over Tenaya Lake. Kudos to the Yosemite Fund for providing donations for so many wonderful park projects. They are currently embarking on a campaign to upgrade the trails in Yosemite. For more information visit www.yosemitefund.org September 9, 2006 Members’ Meeting Cartoonist Phil Frank delighted our members at our 31st annual Members’ Meeting in Wawona. Proving to be an adept multi-tasker, he entertained the audience with tales of his Farley crew while sketching his characters on a large flip chart. We raised over $3,000 for our organization when we auctioned the cartoons during our wine and cheese event. Park Superintendent Mike Tollefson updated our members on park issues, and many park rangers provided interpretive programs for the event. Authors Gerald Haslam, Eric Blehm, and Michael Ross signed copies of their news books, Grace Period, The Last Season, and Baby Bear Isn’t Hungry respectively. I highly recommend The Last Season—it’s well written and an engaging read, despite the tragic story of the search for a missing backcountry ranger. Sierra Nevada hikers will recognize many of the characters and locales. (Grace Period is next on my reading list, and the beautifully illustrated Baby Bear Isn’t Hungry is a wonderful book for very young children). September 1, 2006 The Bridges of Mariposa County, II Highway 140 is now open 24 hours, with only a fifteen-minute delay at the lights routing one-lane traffic across the bridges. Although no vehicles over 28 feet can use the detour, the completion of this temporary solution will allow some semblance of normalcy to return to our lives. For those of you who have not seen the rockslide, I highly recommend coming to Yosemite via 140. You’ll have an excellent view of geology in action from across the river! Friday, August 19th Han Solo in Yosemite I wish I had been hiking in Hetch Hetchy this past week! Harrison Ford dashed into Yosemite piloting his own plane and filmed a sequence for the Environmental Defense Fund’s documentary “Discover Hetch Hetchy.” He has joined the battle for the removal of the O’Shaughnessy dam, a cause that has gathered much attention lately. As the San Francisco Chronicle asked, “Can Indiana Jones rescue Hetch Hetchy Valley from its watery Temple of Doom?” For anyone wanting to learn more about this controversial and complicated issue, I would recommend two good books: Dam!Water, Power, Politics, and Preservation in Hetch Hetchy and Yosemite National Park http://www.yosemitestore.com/Templates/frmTemplateP1.asp?CatalogID=1036&Zoom=Yes&SubFolderId=1 The Battle Over Hetch Hetchy - America's Most Controversial Dam and the Birth of Modern Environmentalism http://www.yosemitestore.com/Templates/frmTemplateP1.asp?CatalogID=1037&Zoom=Yes&SubFolderId=1 August 25, 2006 Dana Plateau I led my friends—Kimi, Anthony and Iris—up the Dana Plateau today (see Team Half Dome on June 5). As this was their first hike to this wondrous region, I delighted in their delight, as the Dana Plateau is my favorite place to wander in the park--a Martian-like landscape, with fantastic rock gardens grown over millions of years. The instability aloft continued today, leaving vestiges of the conditions that produced the wave yesterday—a fine display of lenticular clouds. At times, the wind blew so fiercely that we had trouble walking. Lenticular Clouds over Dana Plateau August 24, 2006 Sierra Wave On my drive up to Tuolumne this afternoon, I witnessed the most spectacular Sierra Wave cloud display that I have yet beheld. Regular readers of my blog will be familiar with my addiction to clouds, and seeing a Sierra Wave is akin to a birder viewing a condor in the wild. Shad, my partner, said he had a full view of the wave across the mountain range when he drove home from Catheys Valley and I chided him for not having a camera. For the fascinating story behind this magnificent cloud, see my article in Sierra Nature notes at http://www.yosemite.org/naturenotes/SierraWave.htm Twice when I have witnessed the wave, major fires were occurring in the park, and I now wonder if there is a relationship. I am working on an update of the book, Hot, Dry, Cold, Wet, and Windy: A Weather Primer for the National Parks of the Sierra Nevada with James Huning—I shall ask him about a connection. Sierra Wave over Tenaya Lake Sierra Wave from Pothole Dome August 18, 2006 The Bridges of Mariposa County Today the second bridge opened for traffic on the 140 detour, and there was much rejoicing. Instead of driving six miles on a dirt road on the riverbank opposite the rockslide, we will now only have a half-mile to navigate, which has been nicely paved. A convoy still leads us, but once the traffic lights and sensors are in place we’ll be on our own. August 8, 2006 Mono Pass and Spillway Lake My family visits me from New England annually, and this year I warned my father and brother to be prepared for a long hike. After trying to narrow down one of my favorite places to share with them, I finally decided on Mono Pass and Spillway Lake, one of the less strenuous hikes on the list (which included Mt Dana and Conness—perhaps a bit ambitious for two people who have lived at sea level their entire life). The area provides a great introduction to the high country as the fairly level trail up to Mono Pass leads though inviting forests to reveal, at the end, a picturesque alpine basin guarded by the Kuna Crest, Mt. Gibbs, and Mt. Lewis. A short hike over a ridge brought our intrepid group to Spillway Lake, its depths fed by water cascading (i.e., spilling) down from the Kuna Crest. Although the altitude proved trying for Dad and Kevin (and Kevin had never walked as far in his life!), both sauntered on and finished the hike. Photo: I will email August 7, 2006 Surf’s Up at Mono Lake? While having lunch at the Whoa Nellie Deli, I noticed what I thought were whitecaps on Mono Lake. As the wind was blowing heartedly, I assumed it had stirred up waves. Yet as I kept watching, the white lines did not appear to be moving. After lunch, we headed to the Mono Lake Visitor Center to inquire about the phenomena. Apparently, on windy days when conditions are right, a constant wind can create stripes of alkaline foam in the water. Photo: I will email July 31, 2006 The Road Opens! I awoke at 4:30 am to ensure I did not miss the first caravan for the detour around the rockslide. I waited in line in the semi-darkness and almost started crying with relief as we drove over the bridge. The rockslide, which I had not seen since the end of May, has moved quite considerably since then. I gazed at its massive size with a combination of respect and annoyance. If it had not tossed my life into chaos this summer, I would be more excited at witnessing such a significant geologic event. I can now retire my air mattress and stop living out of the suitcase in my car! PHOTO: I will email July 25, 2006 Rockslide Panic Woke up to lights flashing and sirens wailing at 3:00 am. In my half-asleep state, I thought the last portion of the slide had finally fallen, but it turned out the safety lights in the YA office had gone on after a late night power failure. Back to sleep. I would really like to go home! June 29, 2006 Opening the Store and Juniper Ridge After setting up the computer system for the Tuolumne Meadows store, I decided I needed a break from technology and took a quick hike up Juniper Ridge. Ranger Margaret Eissler describes the ridge as having the feeling of “utter wildness” and I agree. As it rises over Tuolumne Meadows, it’s only a stone’s throw from the bustle of civilization, yet on top of the ridge the terrain appears untouched by any human endeavor. Ancient trees greeted me and Johnson, Unicorn and Cathedral Peak beckoned me from across the meadows. The viewpoint also afforded me a good perspective of the abundance of water from our wet winter and spring. Lembert Dome from Juniper Ridge June 27, 2006 Running in Lightning As a student of weather, one would think I would know better. I needed to do a seven-mile run and by the time I was able to break away from work in the evening, I could hear rumblings of thunder in the high country and the sky above Half Dome glistened darkly. I reasoned, somewhat illogically, that the storm might simply pass over the Valley and I could probably finish my run before it got too bad. As I considered my options, a friend, Chuck Carter, assured me I’d be fine. When you receive assurance from someone who regularly skis down mountain cliffs, it adds strength to your rationalizations. So I dashed off, and not surprisingly at El Capitan meadow the storm descended in earnest. Lightning flashed above and a heavy rain soaked me to the skin. As it had been unbearably hot the last few days I welcomed the bath, but the threat of electrocution took some of the enjoyment away. However, I have since decided to plan my speed work in thunderstorms as I logged in a personal best time for the four miles back to the Visitor Center that day! Storm over Half Dome June 23, 2006 My New Home I have been sleeping at the YA office, watching movies on my laptop at night and working in the early mornings in my pajamas. I was always taught that geology is an excruciatingly slow process—but I wish I could bribe Mother Nature into letting the whole ridge fall down quickly so we can get on with our lives. June 19 & 20, 2006 Tioga Road Opens! Two late openings in a row. I looked back at the history since 1980, and the only other time the road opened two consecutive years in a row after June 1st  was in 1997 and 1998. Here’s a look at the snow levels compared with last year on Mt. Dana. Mt Dana, June 28, 2005 Mt Dana, June 20, 2006 June 14, 2006 Bridge Over Troubled Waters CalTrans announced at a community meeting that they had contracted with Teichert Construction to erect two Bailey bridges to make a detour around the slide. The anticipated timeframe is 90 days. AND THERE WAS MUCH REJOICING! June 5, 2006 Team Half Dome I had promised to take my friend Kimi and her ten year-old son Anthony up to the top of Half Dome this year. Other friends, Iris, a young college student, and Patricia, from Heyday Books, joined us. We could not have picked a better day! The wet winter and spring had produced a bumper crop of waterfalls and I had never seen the mist trail, well, so misty. The crowds were minimal (for Half Dome) and the friendly, fair-weather cumulus clouds in the sky threatened no rain. After the long hike, Team Half Dome rewarded itself with pizza at Curry Village, a well-earned meal. The Misty Mist Trail Team Half Dome The Top of Half Dome May 31, 2006 Better than TV Know thy enemy. Tonight I ran down to the slide for a glance at our nemesis. A small crowd had a gathered on the banks of the river and we all stood mesmerized. The slide had assumed mythic proportions in our community and the reality did nothing to dispel the legend. It was like staring at a dragon emerging from a cave, nostrils smoking. Plumes of dust rose from the constant motion of the rock. None of us were in a hurry to leave, as we did not want to miss any of the action. Ferguson Rockslide May 30, 2006 Nadir Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse! At our community meeting, CalTrans announced it would be six months or more before the road would open. Also, an electric tower that supplies most of El Portal and the park’s electricity is located right next to the slide and could fall at any moment; a rerouting of the lines is a priority of PG&E.  Last, but to use the cliché phrase, certainly not least, the higher than normal water levels in the Merced pose a danger since if the remaining millions of cubic yards fall it would dam the river. What else could happen? The slide could fall and reveal a menacing prehistoric monster that had been trapped for eons that would wreak terror on the populace. Not likely, but at this point I would not be surprised at any new development. May 25, 2006 Last Car Through What a relief, I thought as I packed up my things, to be able to drive directly home. Five-hour commutes certainly take a toll. I contemplated stopping at Sal’s, the taco truck that journeys to El Portal every other week, but the long line at the truck deterred me and I decided to just go home. After all, I had been sleeping in the office for five days. I loaded my air mattress into the trunk and drove down 140, thinking life could now return to normal. At the site of the slide, I waited in line until it was my turn to go through the one lane detour. I could see clouds of dust coming from the slide, but wasn’t overly worried as small pieces had been falling regularly. The flagman waved me through, and I thought he looked a bit nervous. Once I arrived on the other side, I passed our bookkeeper waiting to pass on her return to El Portal and I gave her a wave. Home, here I come! Four hours later I received a call from our poor bookkeeper, telling me she had just arrived home. The rocks had fallen once again blocking the road. I had missed the slide by minutes. Last Car Through May 18, 2006 Waterfalls Galore! Fail-proof axiom to determine splendor of the of the seasonal waterfall show in Yosemite: The higher Beth’s disappointment with Tioga Pass opening late the better the waterfalls. Although I was hoping for an early opening of Tioga Road, the waterfalls in Yosemite Valley are roaring! Yosemite Falls May 10, 2006 Good Try CalTrans had the road cleared and was starting to let traffic through when rocks began falling again. A runaway boulder smashed a small truck, but luckily no one was hurt. Back to square one. May 1, 2006 Geology Happens Springtime in Yosemite—wildflowers, waterfalls and rockslides. Every regular commuter on highway 140 knows that spring brings rogue boulders in the road. But the slide that occurred last night was more than just a few boulders. In 1999, when I began my job at the association, this portion of the road was closed for a few weeks due to a rockslide. Let’s hope the road gets cleared in a few days this time. April 10, 2006 Mission Aborted We had to abandon our long planned trans-Sierra today and I am very disappointed. Yet it would have been foolish (if not deadly) to pursue it. Major storms were forecast for the entire week and the avalanche danger rating was extreme. Unfortunately, my companions do not have the flexibility of making the trip at another time this season. Next year! March 26, 2006 Bridalveil Creek While out on a ski, I met Mike Tollefson, the park superintendent, and Art Baggett, a legendary Sierra skier and State Water Resources Control Board chairman. They were returning from Bridalveil Creek and warned me that the snow had melted enough to make a crossing further ahead impossible. I have really enjoyed working with Superintendent Tollefson. He truly cares about the park and provides strong, positive leadership. Bridalveil Creek March 25, 2006 Society of Forensic Engineers & Scientists The Society of Forensic Engineers & Scientists held their annual conference at the Ahwahnee and asked me to give a presentation about the park. I have to admit to being a bit daunted (and intrigued) after seeing some of the programs they offered—“Samples of Glass Failure Analysis – Wine Bottle, Jam Jar, Olive Bottle” and “Plastic Welds and Metal Wedges – Failure Modes of Large Diameter Pipeline Joints.” The dinner conversation, however, proved to be fascinating. Thinking it appropriate, I titled my own talk: “CSI Yosemite: Investigations into Yosemite’s Natural World” March 19, 2006 Ranger Dick Journeyed up to Badger Pass today to ski with my good friend Dick Ewart. He’s been a ranger in the park for over thirty years and I can’t think of a better person to hike or ski with. His knowledge and enthusiasm are vast. Since we’re both native New Englanders, we also speak the same language. We had a great ski in fresh powder and lightly falling snow. If you visit the park in the winter, don’t miss his daily snowshoe walk; in the summer, you can enjoy his fun sunset talk at Glacier Point. Ranger Dick in action March 7, 2006 Little Rock Rocks! We were sure proved wrong in believing Little Rock would be boring. The Rolling Stones were staying at our hotel, we ate dinner in the restaurant with a Supreme Court Justice, and a tornado caused a power outage at the airport and delayed our flight home. I didn’t even mention the ducks that rode the elevator in the hotel. And people think California is crazy! P.S. If you see Steve Kemp, my colleague who works in the Great Smoky Mountains, please remind him that the abbreviation for Arkansas is AR, not AK. The mix-up made for some embarrassing moments. YA Staff braves the tornado in the Little Rock airport March 5, 2006 Above Kings Canyon We’re on our way to the annual Association of Partners for Public Lands convention in Little Rock, Arkansas. I am looking forward to visiting the Clinton Library and relaxing in the tubs at Hot Springs National Park. Our airplane ride from Fresno provided some wonderful aerial views of Kings Canyon. Above Kings Canyon Sunday, January 15, 2006 Winter has officially arrived in Yosemite . The official indicators of winter, at least for me, include 1) The Four-Mile Trail being closed because of avalanche danger, 2) Badger Pass opening, and 3) I now have to don a fleece jacket. Being from New England, I still don’t think the climate in Yosemite really qualifies as winter (not when you can ski in shorts)—it’s more like an extended autumn with snow. I recently rode the train from California to Boston, and my route on the Empire Builder took me through Washington, Montana, North Dakota—states that really look and feel cold! When we stopped in Fargo , North Dakota , it was -5F. Yesterday the temperature was over 60F at my home and I read a book on my deck in shorts. My friend Mara (of the Tenaya Lake swim—see 8/27/2005) has proposed yet another adventure: skiing over Tioga Pass , through Tuolumne and to Yosemite Valley . I have always wanted to visit Tuolumne as it sleeps in the winter; I’ve envisioned a world of sublime quietude, where the silence almost echoes. I read the Tuolumne Rangers report religiously and with envy. To train for this adventure, I’ve been trying to squeeze in two skiing treks a week. Glacier Point Road provides a wonderful and almost limitless place to glide through the snow (although in recent years as snowshoeing has become more popular, the groomed trails are getting trampled). Today, I skied out to the first good viewpoint of the Clark Range . I meet a nice couple from Sacramento celebrating their first wedding anniversary; they had been married at the Yosemite Chapel.