Hetch Hetchy

Hetch Hetchy: Water Release at the Dam – Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 284

Jeff

Hetch Hetchy water release at the dam

Hetch Hetchy water release at the dam

Yesterday’s post showed a rainbow created in the mist as a result the large amount of water being released by the authorities.

The picture above gives a better idea of the volume of water being discharged. Also notice the flow away from the dam wall into the adjoining river. There was water going far and wide as a result of this managed release.

 
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.

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Hetch Hetchy: Rainbow at the Dam – Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 283

Jeff

Hetch Hetchy rainbow at the dam

Hetch Hetchy rainbow at the dam

As I have pointed out a number of times during my Year of Yosemite posts, our visit was preceded by several wet days, substantial snow melt and subsequent runoff. The rivers and waterfalls were at full flow because of the abundance of water.

The Hetch Hetchy Dam management was releasing a portion of their water reserves to control the amount of water being contained. As we looked over the wall of the dam, some sunlight poked through the clouds and the sun painted a rainbow in the mist.

 
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.

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Meta Data – Day 283 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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Brodiaea elegans at Hetch Hetchy – Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 282

Jeff

Brodiaea elegans at Hetch Hetchy – Year of Yosemite

Brodiaea elegans a beautiful purple wildflower

Part of the joy of hiking is finding nature’s surprises such as this patch of beautiful wildflowers. This pair of Brodiaea elegans blooms was striking in color especially in contrast to the dreariness of the other muted tones produced by the cloudy weather.

 
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.

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Meta Data – Day 282 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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Hetch Hetchy Wildflower Identification Needed- Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 281

Jeff

Hetch Hetchy tall silver-white wildflower

Tall plant with white flowers

I can’t tell you the name or identification of this wildflower; sorry. Perhaps if I took a closeup of the flower, I would have had more luck identifying it. I am the first to admit that this plant isn’t close to being the showiest in either form or color, but I found it attractive in this setting primarily because of the contrast with the surroundings.

I appreciated the silver/green leaves that appear a bit hirsute and the tiny white flowers opening along the stem and in the leaf axils.

Can you help identify this wildflower found at Hetch Hetchy (part of Yosemite National Park, CA)? If so, leave the answer in the comments below!

 
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.

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Meta Data – Day 281 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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Hetch Hetchy Daisy with Grass – Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 280

Jeff

Hetch Hetchy wildflower field

A closer look at a daisy-like plant

Near the field of flowers we showed in yesterday’s post, there were a number of daisy-like gold or yellow colored plants discovered in more discrete patches alongside the Wapama Falls Trail.

This is a closer look at one of those wildflowers intertwined with a wild grass of sorts. The two plants created an intersection of varied forms and colors that, when viewed in an isolated section, proved quite pretty.

 
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.

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Meta Data – Day 280 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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Hetch Hetchy Wildflower Field – Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 279

Jeff

Hetch Hetchy wildflower field

Hetch Hetchy’s fields of wildflowers

As we hiked along the Wapama Falls trail at Hetch Hetchy we would take time to stop and gaze at the wildflowers. This field was so full of color that it was hard to focus beyond the purple and yellow colors. The purple flowers are Owl Clover and my guess is that the yellow-gold blooms are a daisy variety.

As you will see in following posts, there were also more defined pockets of individual specimens of nature’s bounty.

 
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.

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Meta Data – Day 279 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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Hetch Hetchy The Path Opens – Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 278

Jeff

Hetch Hetchy reservoir landscape view

Hetch Hetchy reservoir landscape view

The panoramic view we came across on our way to the Wapama Falls was stunning in it’s beauty and subdued tones. Every few steps called on me to stop and gaze about as the vista opened wider and wider. My hiking spirit didn’t have enough sponge to soak it all in, but I did the best I could.

As I stated in the previous posts it was other worldly and reminiscent of scenes I had seen of exotic lands.

 
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.

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Meta Data – Day 278 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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Hetch Hetchy Stormy Valley View – Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 277

Jeff

Hetch Hetchy path opens up

The Hetch Hetchy Valley comes into view

Yesterday’s photo showed the path’s rise as we were ascending a slight incline and the mountains beginning to appear just over the ridge. Today’s photograph gives a more complete view of the scene that was set before us.

I have read about Hetch Hetchy and the fight to save the valley and I must admit that it was awesome to see the towering mountains and the water, but I would love to have seen the valley as it was prior to the dam. It was nevertheless spectacular especially with such dramatic weather.

 
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.

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Meta Data – Day 277 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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Hetch Hetchy Another World – Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 276

Jeff

Hetch Hetchy path

A clearing along the path at Hetch Hetchy

Although our day at Hetch Hetchy turned cloudy almost as as soon as we arrived, we were not totally disappointed. There was drama in the skies and many photographs that day captured the stormy atmosphere. We hiked for a week in the Grand Tetons and needed an umbrella or rain covering every day so this was really not too bad in comparison. The rain held off for the most of the day.

The photograph above was taken as we were making our way to Wapama Falls along the designated trail and we came to an elevated point with an opening between the trees. The hills and mountains began to rise up and it looked like something from another part of the world. It reminded me of scenes I had seen in photos of China.

 
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.

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Meta Data – Day 276 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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Capture date: June 11, 2016
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Nikon D3300

 

A Wildflower Meadow – Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 213

Jeff

wildflower meadow

A meadow of wildflowers at Yosemite

There were times when we would be hiking through a meadow or certain microclimate and we encountered a swath of wildflowers. This particular patch had a great variety of colors and wildflowers in various life cycle stages.

The yellows and purples mixed with the green and chaotic patterns of stems was interesting if not very artistic in nature.

 
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.

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Meta Data – Day 213 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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