25¢ YYOSEMITOSEMITEE GUIDEGUIDE YOUR KEY TO VISITING THE PARK SPRING MARCH 13 – JUNE 18, 2001 VOLUME XXX, NO. 1 Hetch Hetchy’s Beauty and Solitude by Padraic Durkin Look Inside! Valley Shuttle Bus Map . Back Panel Park Map Planning Your Visit. 8 & 9 Park Rules . 4 NPS Photo by John Krisko Bears . 5 “IS IT WORTH THE DRIVE?” This question always brings a smile to the faces of rangers at the Camping . 6 Hetch Hetchy Entrance Station who know what’s awaiting visitors Backpacking & down the road—sheer cliffs, lofty domes, two of Yosemite’s most Valley Day Hikes . 7 beautiful and least famous waterfalls, and large areas of little-used Activities . 10 – 12 wilderness. Yet, few visitors know about Hetch Hetchy. And those Facilities & Services. 14 & 15 who do assume that after the Tuolumne River was dammed earlier in the 20th century, everything beautiful about the Hetch Hetchy Yosemite News. 2 region disappeared. Nature Notes . 3 Discover for yourself the beauty and solitude of Yosemite’s quietest corner. Continued on page 1 YYOSEMITOSEMITEE GUIDEGUIDE YOUR KEY TO VISITING THE PARK SPRING MARCH 13 – JUNE 18, 2001 VOLUME XXX, NO. 1 Hetch Hetchy’s Beauty and Solitude Continued from front cover John Muir called Hetch Hetchy “...a TAKE IN THE SCENERY wonderfully exact counterpart of the Today, the Hetch Hetchy area is perfect Merced Yosemite...one of nature’s rarest for visitors who want to enjoy spectacular and most precious mountain temples.” scenery and outdoor recreation opportu- It’s not surprising that Hetch Hetchy’s nities without the crowds. Like Yosemite scenery resembles that of Yosemite Valley Valley, Hetch Hetchy Reservoir is ringed as both Sierra Nevada valleys were origi- with spectacular features, and most are nally eroded by major westward flowing easily seen from the walkway on top of rivers—with the Merced River carving the O’Shaughnessy Dam. Yosemite Valley and the Tuolumne River Waterfalls Tueeulala (pronounced carving Hetch Hetchy Valley. Between 2 TWEE-lala) and Wapama Falls both drop million and 10,000 years ago, glaciers more than 1,000 feet from cliffs on the scoured the pliable granite valleys into north side of the reservoir. It’s easy to see their present form with domes, waterfalls, and photograph the two together. Late and sheer cliffs. spring is the best time to view them, since Tueeulala Falls dries up by early summer. “HATCHATCHIE” HISTORY Domes and Cliffs Look for Hetch Hetch Hetchy Valley’s glacier-carved Hetchy Dome on the north side of the features dominate the scene, but the val- reservoir and conical Kolana Rock on the ley’s name is derived from “Hatchatchie,” south side. Kolana Rock is particularly the Native American word for a species of noteworthy to park wildlife specialists as grass with edible seeds that once grew it is an active breeding area for endan- TIPS FOR VISITING Photo courtesy of City of San Francisco, Public Utilities Commission there. The valley’s first inhabitants, the gered Peregrine Falcons. O’Shaughnessy Dam When 312-foot Tueeulala (left) and Wapama Falls (right) Ahwahneechee and Paiute tribes, came to are just two of Hetch Hetchy’s spectacular HETCH HETCHY Hetch Hetchy every year to gather acorns. high O’Shaughnessy Dam was dedicated waterfalls. The first white settlers to see the valley in 1923, it was the largest structure on the Bring your camera—Hetch arrived in the 1840s. However, it wasn’t west coast. In spring and summer, water Hetchy’s scenery is memo- may pour over the spillway, creating an rable, and postcards, books, until the turn of the century that anyone California mountain kingsnakes. Fishing paid much heed to rarely-visited Hetch artificial waterfall. or souvenirs of the area are is permitted with a valid California fish- rare. Hetchy. ing license, but live bait is not allowed in ENJOY PLANT AND ANIMAL LIFE Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. Bring a picnic and a good Hetch Hetchy is as biologically wildflower book. Wildflowers of Yosemite by Lynn and Jim diverse as it is beautiful. Dense OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOLITUDE Wilson is an excellent source forests, arid scrub regions, and Trails originating from O’Shaughnessy for identifying flowers along wide outcroppings of granite can Dam and Hetch Hetchy Road take visitors the trail. Facilities at the reser- be found here. In spring and early into the heart of Yosemite’s backcountry. voir are limited to restrooms, summer, wildflowers are abundant Wilderness destinations in the area are a picnic area, and a pay tele- on the trail from O’Shaughnessy generally low in elevation, so these places phone. Dam to Wapama Falls and at are among the first open to backpackers Smith, Cottonwood, and Beehive in the spring. Better yet, these trails get Leave your swimsuits and Meadows. Look for such flowers as much less use than those in more well- boats behind. Swimming and shooting stars growing in moist known areas of Yosemite, providing boating are not allowed in Photo courtesy of Museum Yosemite meadows, waterfall buttercups in excellent opportunities for solitude. Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, as it Kolana Rock (right) in Hetch Hetchy Valley, trickling canyon cascades, bright holds the drinking water for early 1900s. Day Hiking Take advantage of the easy California fuschia, and Sierra leisiga. and scenic trail from the dam through the millions of people. Also, enjoy a variety of trees granite tunnel and on to Tueeulala and along the Wapama Falls trail such as For more information and In 1867, the city of San Francisco began Wapama Falls. It’s about 5 miles round- directions to the Hetch California black oak, big leaf maple, trip (8.5 km) and could take up to 4 hours. searching for a dependable water source. Ponderosa pine, and incense-cedar. But Hetchy region, turn to So it was that the U.S. Geological Survey Another short trail leads from the Hetch Planning Your Visit on page be aware and avoid contact with the Hetchy Entrance to Lookout Point, which of 1899-1900 recommended Hetch plentiful poison oak; with or without 9. Also look up Hetch Hetchy Hetchy Valley as a potential reservoir site. provides a sweeping view of the north- on the wilderness web site at its three-lobed leaves it can cause an itchy west corner of the park. Beyond Wapama Early engineers saw the advantages of a rash. www.nps.gov/yose/wilderness. dam at Hetch Hetchy—at the head of the Falls, the trail to Rancheria Fall is an It’s not unusual to see wildlife from ambitious all-day hike of approximately valley, a relatively small dam would hold black bears and mule deer to squirrels and a large body of consistently clean water. 13 miles (21 km). In fact, supporters of the project thought Backpacking The Grand Canyon of a reservoir would enhance the valley’s sce- the Tuolumne, Laurel Lake, Lake Vernon, nic beauty. Others, most notably John Jack Main Canyon, Poopenaut Valley, Muir, did not share this view and were and Smith Peak are a few of the scenic destinations backpackers can choose from YOSEMITE greatly opposed to the dam project. Muir likened the transformation of Hetch in the Hetch Hetchy region. Lake Eleanor GUIDE Hetchy Valley into a reservoir to the and Kibbie Lake may also be reached from flooding of a cathedral. O’Shaughnessy Dam, but are more acces- Published by the Yosemite Association, Ultimately, the matter was decided in sible from Stanislaus National Forest. Get in cooperation with the National Park 1913 when Congress passed, and Presi- a wilderness permit and go! But don’t for- Service and the Yosemite dent Woodrow Wilson signed, the Raker get to bring a bear food storage canister, Concession Services Corp. as bears are extremely active in the Hetch Act, allowing construction of the NPS Editor and Coordinator O’Shaughnessy Dam (named for Michael Hetchy area. Kristina Rylands O’Shaughnessy, San Francisco’s city engi- Padraic Durkin spent several summers Production by Skip Gaynard Designs neer and chief of the Hetch Hetchy as a National Park Service seasonal Printed by Premier Offset Printing, Inc. construction project). The dam was built Photo by Kristina Rylands interpreter in the Hetch Hetchy area. Email comments on this issue to between 1915 and 1923 and was raised 80 A variety of showy lupine is common along Yose_Guide@ nps.gov feet from 1935 to 1938. Hetch Hetchy trails. 1 YOSEMITEYOSEMITE NEWSNEWS FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT Dear Yosemite Friends: of Yosemite Falls in the rush of spring thaw, that Welcome to Yosemite.With each day that I it takes hundreds of square miles of the “unseen” spend in Yosemite, I am continually astounded by Yosemite to produce the water.That part of the On The its beauty, its wonders, and its rich diversity of park, too, must be protected – not just what you cultural and natural history.We can be grateful see in the Valley. I urge you to learn more about that over 100 years ago, early visitors to this Yosemite’s “untold stories” while you’re here and Web place recognized that it was worth protecting for how you can help us. future generations.Today, the preservation of our Yosemite is the place where the spark of the nation’s treasured resources for the enjoyment National Park Service first took flame. If this visit of future generations is at the heart of the is your first, welcome! If you’ve been here before, The official Yosemite National Park National Park Service mission. welcome back! web site (www.nps.gov/yose/) contains While you’re here, I hope you will take some time to enjoy the spectacular sights and sounds of Sincerely, the latest park information.