IF...you believe "Yosemite" = waterfalls?

...You should drop everything this weekend and head up there (under the desire of escaping the 100 degree heat down here). With the hotter air also finding the High Sierra later this week, the snow melt will increase dramatically, which will feed the streams and river.

If you want to see something interesting, consider this chart - Merced River flow at Happy Isles - which shows the river depth. Consider that the warmest time of day is mid-afternoon, around 3-4pm, correct? Look at what time the river flow occurs as it is reaching the valley...1800 (6pm) has the day's MINIMUM flow! The peak flow is actually in the middle of the night: 2-4 AM (which will be pretty under the near-full moon this weekend!)

:) Richard

You are starting to convince me, and this weekend will be our last chance
to get a decent Full Moonbow also this year....
and the dogwoods are already blooming.... so....
If you see a white Highlander with a plate that says
" I (heart) Rumi " then that's me....

Please note bridge closure times....

"Reconstruct El Portal Road at the "Narrows" (a 1/4 mile section of road
upstream of the Big Oak Flat Road (with connections to Highway 120)/El
Portal Road intersection) Please note the following update on the
contractor's construction schedule for the El Portal Road reconstruction
at the "narrows":

The following schedule is in effect:
Monday through Saturday - 30 minute delays from 6 am until 10 pm
Sunday through Thursday nights - closure from 10 pm until 6 am with one
opening at 11 pm

Call 372-0200.1.1.2 for last minute updates on the status of the
closure/opening of this road."

Sat.-May 17th, 8:50pm-10:30PM only!

Sun. May 18th, 10:06pm-11:40-PM only!

Let me know if anyone is serious about going?

Getting into the Valley, past the construction isn't that bad. In April, the construction zone traffic signals were in operation both in and out of the Valley; last Saturday, they had the "human" traffic controllers working around 5pm, and the sugnals working again as we drove out around 9:30-10pm. It's only about a seven minute delay.

I'll be heading up there Thursday through Saturday (Thu/Fri were the only nights we could get campsites).

The Glacier Point road is now open; it could be a good place for moonrise Friday evening (5:20pm), and if sunset looks like a dud there (too clear), a quick drive back to Tunnel View might yield the moon cresting the walls of the valley near Half Dome in the warm evening light. A quick trip down to Valley View might catch it again, although with the Northside Road closed the hike to it will slow progress getting there.

Glacier Point might be good for dawn on Saturday as well, but if I make it there Friday dawn I probably won't have the energy for that long drive again. I may stay until sunset Saturday, but only if the sunset may turn out to be spectatular (clouds in the sky).

Generally speaking on this trip during the day I'm going to try to avoid most of the usual views and see what I can find along the lines of dogwood trees, small cascades, reflections in Spring pools, etc. I'd love run around taking night shots and try to catch a moonbow or two as well (Friday night).

Jeff
('96 Ford Explorer red w/gold trim and bike rack on back)

Here's an interesting writeup FYI:

10 Interesting Things I Learned About Ansel Adams
http://www.flickr.com...

Sun and Moon Data for One Day

The following information is provided for Sonora, Tuolumne County, California (longitude W120.4, latitude N38.0):

Friday 16 May 2008 Pacific Daylight Time
SUN
Begin civil twilight 5:20 a.m.
Sunrise 5:50 a.m.
Sun transit 12:58 p.m.
Sunset 8:06 p.m.
End civil twilight 8:36 p.m.

MOON
Moonrise 4:20 p.m. on preceding day
Moonset 3:44 a.m.
Moonrise 5:20 p.m.
Moon transit 10:48 p.m.
Moonset 4:08 a.m. on following day

Yosemite Weather Forecast:
Friday: A mainly sunny sky. Very warm. High 86F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday: Mainly sunny. Highs in the mid 80s and lows in the upper 50s.
Sunday: Sunshine. Highs in the mid 80s and lows in the upper 50s.

Yosemite Moonbow Forecasts for 2008-2010:
http://uweb.txstate.e...

take a raincoat to enjoy the falls...

Bridalveil will DRENCH you (at the end of the asphalt path) in only a couple of minutes (or less)..it reminded me of getting soaked one spring years ago at the pathway bridge that you can view the Lower Falls from...it was like a seriously wind-blown drenching mist/fog/spray (like a storm on the beach) that simply overwhelmed you.

This would be a time when the Mist Trail could actually be a bit on the dangerous side to walk, unless your footwear had exceptional "wet" traction.