Weather Control of Choice: Visiting the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoia through Rain, Hail, and Snow

Date: March 19, 2022

Place: Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoia, Yosemite National Park, California

Coordinates: 37.506950, -119.630043

Length: 10 miles

Level: moderate to strenuous 

Last a coupe of weeks ago we had a visitor from overseas. We didn't need to direct him toward Yosemite National Park - he already had it on his itinerary. His original plan was to go there on his own but since transportation turned out to be an issue and since it has been a while for us since we've been there ourselves (an even longer time for Pappa Quail), we decided to go all together. We stayed for three nights in Mariposa and toured a different part of the open areas of the park each day. On our first day we did sightseeing and hikes in the Yosemite Valley, and on the second say we entered the park from the south entrance and went to see the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoia. 

It is a few years now that Mariposa Grove isn't accessible to private vehicles and visitors need to park at the welcome plaza and take a free shuttle bus from there. The shuttle bus is active only in season and our recent visit there was out of season so we resorted to walking the two miles distance between the welcome plaza and the base of the Mariposa Grove. 

Our hike as captured by my GPS

Right by the parking lot, the elder chika found a cool bird - a white-headed woodpecker, busy looking for bugs. The woodpeckers are year-round birds there and this time of year they are getting ready to nest. We saw many woodpecker nesting holes on this hike, but no activity in or near them yet. 

White-headed Woodpecker, female

The 2-miles connector trail passes through forested areas and some open areas as well. It was sad to see so many trees that looked sick or were dead. The invasive boring beetle, combined with the recent droughts had wreaked havoc in the California forests. It isn't news anymore, and it is heart breaking to see the sick forests. In my mind I still expect to see it pristine when I go to the Sierra Nevada.

We were walking on the south-facing slope and there wasn't much snow cover on the trail. On the other side, the north-facing slope there was still considerable snow cover on the ground. On the open areas we could also see the looming clouds - the forecast for the day was rain.

I was surprised at how many people were walking this trail. It was actually a challenge to get trail photos that didn't include humans. I thought that the cold and the forecast of rain would deter people but I guess that just like us, they chose this day to be in the forest rather than to go to where grand views matter.

The only wildflowers that I could see were the manzanita blooms. Sill I was the slowest person in our little group. On recovery from an injury, I was taking it slow and easy. Thus it happened that when the elder chika and Pappa Quail noticed the Douglas squirrel on the offside, I was the closest one to it and my photo came out the best.

Douglas Squirrel

They didn't linger on that squirrel for long though. A few steps further up the trail they saw a chipmunk and gave it due attention.

Long Eared Chipmunk

When we arrived at the base of the Mariposa Grove we found that there are massive renovations going on. There was no actual work happening when we were there, but large areas were fenced off and there were piles of building materials everywhere. A new visitor center and a new display are being built there. It should look really nice when done.  

There were wood benches near the closed off area and we sat down to have some snacks. A large raven was strutting around, like a ranger checking out the park visitors. The elder chika photographed the raven. 

Raven

Our day was very winter like but spring was already in the air, certainly for the squirrels who were chasing each other fervently.

Douglas Squirrels

Our main goal for the day was to see the Grizzly Giant - the biggest sequoia tree in Yosemite National Park. Me and my family have been there numerous times but our young visitor has never seen the giant trees and we couldn't let him go back home without seeing them. 

The direct trail to the Grizzly Giant was blocked off for renovations so we started up the longer arm of the giants loop. Soon enough we came upon the first giant sequoia, which was a very impressive tree but a small one relative to the Grizzly Giant.

Giant Sequoia, Sequoiadendron giganteum

There were other signs of spring all over the place. Lots of new germination in the exposed ground where the snow receded, for example.

I was delighted to see yet another flower besides the manzanita, and a ground flower too - a wild strawberry! There was only one flower, but still.

The construction bypass is the trail we used to hike when coming back down from the upper grove. Now we were aiming directly to the Grizzly Giant. While sequoia trees are the most striking beings in their forest, they are not the most common conifers there. There were plenty of ponderosa pines, firs, and cedars too. It was encouraging to see nurseries - patches of young trees growing to fill in the spaces left by the dead trees.

The saying is that trees die upright. For many it is true, and it is a sad sight to see a stand of upright and very dead trees. When a tree falls down however, the hole in the ground left by its uprooting becomes a receptacle for water and a nursery for algae and insect larvae.

Turning around the curve we came within view of the Grizzly Giant. It was impossible to miss even from a distance - so huge it looked relative to the nearby trees, which were not small by any standard either.

I sent off everyone to approach the Grizzly Giant while I stayed at the far view point so I could photograph them as tiny human specks beneath the giant sequoia. While I was taking the photos It started to rain. The rain very quickly changed to hail, and soon the trail was covered with tiny ice balls.

Hail

In the past I had laid down on the ground beneath the tree in order to capture it base to canopy. I wasn't about to do it today so I moved as close as I could while fitting the image of the Grizzly Giant in a single frame.

The Grizzly Giant

It seemed to me that by the time it took me to get closer to the giant tree the number of people below it had dwindled considerably. I assumed the hail prompted them to start on their way back. We on the other hand, started uphill toward the Upper Grove. On our way there the hail changed to snow and everything turned very quiet all of a sudden.

For our visitor from overseas it was the first time seeing falling snow and he was utterly delighted by that experience. Light fresh snow started accumulating on the vegetation and on us. Less so on the trail - the exposed trail was warmer and the falling snow melted on contact with the trail ground. The large snow patches we crossed were of leftover old snow.

The snow's transformation of the scenery was magical. It felt like we had stepped through the wardrobe right into Narnia. I was looking for Mr. Tumnus to come hopping down the trail too.

We were all alone on the trail now. There were a few more people in the higher area of the Mariposa Grove, we did see them later on, but for a long while it looked as if we had the mountain all to ourselves.

We hiked most of the way up on the wide dirt road where the tram usually goes in summer. When we reached the Clothepin Tree, a giant sequoia with a naturally burnt tunnel at its base, we took the turn directly to the Mariposa Grove Cabin.

Clothepin Tree

We knew there would be precipitation that day and we came prepared. As soon as it started to rain we wrapped ourselves in plastic ponchos. We kept these on for the rest of the hike. I thought that the ponchos gave is a fitting look of forest elves. 

One of the hard sights along that trail was the area of fire devastation which left so many trees damaged or dead.

Manzanita bushes in their spring bloom where quickly covered with snow. It's a good thing that their flowers are bell-shaped, facing down.

Manzanita sp.

We reached the Upper Grove and made our way around to the cabin. I was hoping that the cabin would be accessible because we all wanted a food break. The cabin was closed shut but the snow had ceased, so we found a snow free area on the stairs leading to the cabin and we sat down to rest and eat. I noticed the fire hydrants that were placed in the Upper Grove. I don't remember seeing them in my last visit. I may have simply missed them, or maybe they're a new addition in effort to combat the forest fires that are so common in California these days.

I took a photo of the cabin from a distance, showingit dwarved by the giant sequoia trees around it. There was a lot more snow around the Upper Grove, most of it old, leftover snow.

Mariposa Grove Cabin

There are numerous trail loops around the Upper Grove, many of them we've hiked in previous visits, including the trail up to Wawona Point, the top of that mountain. It was pointless to hike up to the top on this very cloudy day, and we did have a limited time to get down because off the additional trail we needed to walk to get back to the welcome plaza. We therefore didn't go on the Guardians loop to visit any of the other landmark sequoia trees but started directly downhill. The snow resumed and for most of the way down I kept my camera protected under my plastic poncho.

Giant Sequoia, Sequoiadendron giganteum

We came across a few people on the way down. Most of them were also on their way back. At the bottom the snow changed to rain, then stopped altogether. The light snow that fell previously was already melting. On the way out on the connector trail, we did came across a sudden wave of incoming visitors. We were very surprised at that because although the rain had subsided, it was getting late and much colder. I couldn't imagine how the new visitor would make it in as far as the Grizzly Giant and back in daylight. I especially worried about families who hiked in with little kids with them, most appearing too lightly dressed for the wintery conditions. I didn't say anything of course, it was their business and I assume that once it got too cold and dark they would turn around whether they had reached the giant trees or not.

As we passed the open area again I took another look at the hill south of us. the cloud looked like it settled right on top of that hill and wisps of cloud or fog connected the ground with the very gray sky.

We neared the exit of the trail where the mostly conifer forest changed to a mix of conifers and broad leaf trees. The cloud cover darkened the day much earlier than sunset time and still there were people heading out to the Mariposa Grove. I hoped they'd make it in in time to see the giant trees and out while they could still see their way.

 

Another Douglas squirrel was ushering us out of its forest. The forest was its home, we were merely transient visitors.

Douglas Squirrel

The rain resumed when we were driving out of the park. It was a very good day in Yosemite, and we hiked the perfect trail for that day's weather and got to see  the sequoia grove while wearing its festive white. 

On the following day it was as if the snow was but a dream -it was cloudless and warm, and we had planned to visit a part of the park where  it would be really difficult to get to without a private vehicle - the Hetch Hetchy Valley.

The End of Summer at Tenaya Creek

Date: September 18, 2016
Place: Yosemite National Park, California
Coordinates (of the Mirror Lake Trailhead): 37.739507, -119.560160
Length: about 5 miles (from the Mirror Lake Trailhead)
Level: easy

On the second day of my trip to Yosemite with my friends G, and Y, we woke up early enough to get going at a reasonable time. After yesterday's strenuous hike up Murphy Creek to May Lake, we were ready for something a bit easier. Both of my companions had not had enough of Yosemite Valley in previous visits I suggested we'd go there on our second day, take one of the common trails but continue it further than what is usually done when touring the park on a more general trip.
We departed our campsite early enough, but we had to drive the entire Tioga Road to get to the western side of the park.
on our way we stopped at Olmsted Point to take a look on Tenaya Canyon, its lowest part running right below Half Dome before merging with the Merced River. It was that lower part of Tenaya Canyon that I had planned to hike.

View south from Olmsted Point

After that short stop we continued driving west, not planning any more stops. We did, however, came upon a traffic jam, and I immediately knew what it was about and looked for a place to stop.
It was a bear jam. It had to be. No traffic jam would form for any other animal in the Sierra Nevada parks. A jam caused by a more sinister reason would not have all the excited people crowding the road shoulders, waving their cameras and pointing.
Within a few minutes we were also standing on the shoulder, straining our eyes to see the bear.

Bear Jam

I have visited Yosemite many, many times, but despite all the signs and warnings and all the local folklore, I have never seen a bear there. I held to the belief that Yosemite's bears are but a mirage that everyone else sees but me. I have seen bears plenty of times at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, but never in Yosemite.
Last year I got to see my first Yosemite bear. It was a very thin mama bear with two cubs, along the road to Hetch Hetchy.
Now, for the first time, I got to see a bear in the main area of Yosemite National Park. I now believe that Yosemite's bears are for real :-)

Black Bear wearing a radio transmitter

Not three minutes passed since we had spotted the bear that a ranger came by, blowing his horn and yelling at everyone to get back into their cars. Satisfied, I obeyed the ranger's calls and made my way back to my car with my friend Y. On our way we saw the ranger run at the bear, yelling and waving his arms. The bear got the message and trotted heavily away.
We got to the car and found out that our friend G wasn't with us.
I remembered how concerned she was about the possibility of meeting a bear, to the point of insisting to sleep between Y and me. But there she was - striding happily towards us, wearing a huge grin and waving her phone - she had managed to film a short clip of the bear as it looked around.
When all the excitement was over we got into the car and continued the long way west and then south and entered Yosemite Valley.
We made straight to the eastern parking lot of what used to be called Curry Village and since my last visit there last January has been renamed Half Dome Village. From there we headed in the direction of Mirror Lake.

Our hike along lower Tenaya Canyon marked in yellow

We crossed the Upper Pines campground and continued to the trail and the bridge across the Merced River. On the way we made our first wildlife encounter on that hike - a very well fed ground squirrel.

California Ground Squirrel

Many other people were walking that village trail with us. some had asked for directions. None stopped to look at this pretty spider web illuminated by a ray of light that pierced through the pines.

There is a free shuttle that runs around Yosemite Valley. We took the shuttle one stop from the Happy Isles stop to the Mirror Lake stop, and continued on foot from there.
Mirror Lake lies between the North Dome and Half Dome about a mile before north of the merging point of Tenaya Creek and the Merced River. It used to be a year-round lake, a spectacle that was one of the main attractions to visitors of the Yosemite Valley. 

I wrote here before about the way to Mirror Lake, which is now seasonal. thinning down to a shallow, somewhat wider part of Tenaya Creek.
This hike we did in mid-September so I had no expectations to find a lake in the Mirror Lake location. I didn't expect, however, to find a dry gravel bowl. Not even a trickle of water was there. Nada.
I know it's seasonal but it was sad to see.

Mirror Lake

We sat for a few minutes, facing the dry lake. After that we continued north, somewhat lazily, along the trail on the eastern side of Tenaya Canyon.

Narrow groves of pine and fir trees lined the creek side and we were passing through intermittent sunlight. On one sunny spot sat a pretty butterfly and waited for me to take a photo before flying away.

California Sister Butterfly

At times the trail left the trees and the view opened up to reveal the lower Tenaya Canyon and the towering granite walls that close on it.

Except for the trees everything else seemed fairly dry and very still, under summer-fatigue spell, waiting for the rain and snow. A few hardy plants were blooming yet and naturally, I took the time to look at them, as closely as I could get without climbing out of the trail.

Cardinal Monkeyflower, Mimulus cardinalis

The reds dominated the flowering scene. In addition to the Cardinal Monkeyflower above (which was the first one I've seen in bloom) there were also a few shrubs of California Fuchsia in full boom, standing our in bright contrast with the pale granite rocks.

California Fuchsia, Epilobium canum

Although there was no serious slope to ascend the trail did go up in a steady grade that was mostly gentle, but every now and then it became steeper, with stairs. for the most part the trail on the eastern side of the canyon isn't too close to the creek, but it does, in places, get close enough to the dense riparian vegetation that lined creek.

After a good walk uphill along the edge of the vegetation the trail finally entered the shade of the trees again. Along with the pines and firs there were also many maple trees, wearing green still, yet looking very tired, that made part of the forest we were waling through.
Below the trees near the trail grew dense patches of horsetail - a plant of an ancient order that has evolved before the conifers and other higher plants did.

We reached another flight of stairs, this time leading down. We were finally descending to the creek itself and to the bridge that would take us from the eastern side of Tenaya Canyon to the west.

I have hiked this loop tail about 15 years ago with Pappa Quail, before we became Mamma and Pappam and before we knew the significance of the Quail to California. On that high we were like the wide eyed tourists, taking in the sights, but not photographing much. It was on that trail when we first saw our first western tanager bird. It was also the first time we've seen and American Dipper, and we were awed by the little gray bird which dived again and again in the rushing rapids under the bridge.
On this hike we saw no dipper. In fact, we barely saw any stream. A shallow and thin ribbon of water gleamed between the pebbles - the remains of a greater spring flow. I don't know if this trickle is normal for the fall season or if this is an outcome of the long California drought.

Tenaya Creek, view south from the bridge

The flow was low but lovely. It was the perfect place to have a nice, long break. We climbed down to the water and sat on the rocks, enjoying the afternoon sun. We had peace and quiet, for very few hikes made it all the way to the north bridge whilst we were there.

Water of Tenaya Creek

Eventually it was time to go. I was eager to finish the trail early enough to catch the sunset at the Tunnel Viewpoint to Yosemite Valley. We gathered ourselves, climbed back to the trail, and started downhill on the west side of Tenaya Canyon.
We were walking at a quicker pace now. The mild downhill slope made it easier to go faster. This side was closer to the creek and much more shaded. There were many pine and fir trees like on the east  side, but also broadleaf trees such as maple and poplar.
Some of the trees we saw there were marked with the activity of sapsucker birds.

Feeding wells drilled by a sapsucker.

For most of the hike we didn't get to see the creek itself. At the places where we got really close to it, however, the vegetation became thick and dominated by horsetail.

Horsetail, Equisetum sp.

Farther from the water the trail was dry and had much thinner undergrowth below the trees. The air fas still and no breeze came into the narrow canyon. Little lizards darted from under our feet. One stopped and and looked back at us.

The creek came back into view and we could see the narrow, brown stream flowing lazily through the sand sediments and piles of driftwood.

Tenaya Ceek

Fall time can be a very dynamic season but here it may not have truly started because everything seemed still and waiting. Leaves of deciduous plants were changing color, but not in an healthy autumn manner, but in spots and blotches indicative of fungus consumption.

Fall Maple

We came back to the Mirror Lake Area. The western side of the canyon has the best view of Half Dome from below.

Half Dome

As we approached Mirror Lake we came upon an interesting place: on a flight of stone stairs leading I don't know where there where many cairns built by I don't know who. Artistically speaking, the result was quite interesting and shrine-like, even pretty, but I'm not sure a National Park is the place for such a display.

From the west side there is an easy access to the lake bed, now a dry gravel bowl. We walked on the dry earth where there should have been water, and I wondered what had happened to the water we've seen earlier flowing down Tenaya Creek. Flowing under the gravel, I assume.

Mirror Lake sans water

We stayed for some time at the site of Mirror Lake, until the time came to finish our hike. Somewhat reluctantly we detached ourselves from this serene place and started down the paved road to the Mirror Lake trailhead.

Undergrowth

There were many of people waiting for the shuttle at the Mirror Lake bus station. As we arrived there we saw a shuttle arrive and pass by without stopping: it was already jam-packed with people. We had no intention of taking the shuttle: its route is a one way loop, which meant we would have had to ride through the entire Yosemite Valley just to get to the one stop before Mirror Lake. So we crossed the road and continued on the dirt path that paralleled it on the west.
Along the way we encountered this lovely doe who didn't mind us at all :-)

Black-tailed Deer

There, along that path, I found one of the last remaining flowers of the summer.

Sierra Lessingia, Lessingia leptoclada

Less than a mile down the road we were once again walking along the flow of water - this time it was the Merced River into which the Tenaya Creek flows, when it flows.

Merced River

The Merced did flow, but very poorly compared to what I have seen in previous years.  I had expected that after finally having a good rainy winter there would be more water in the creeks there, but apparently the temperatures have been too mild and there was no good snow pack to continue feeding the stream through later in the year.

Merced Reflections

We made it back to the car and immediately took off to catch the sunset at the Wawona Tunnel Viewpoint, for that place is the best spot to see the whole of Yosemite Valley, in all of its majesty.
When I came to Yosemite for the first time I had arrived from the south, seeing the Valley for the first time from the Wawona Tunnel Viewpoint. I will never forget how amazed I was, and how awe-struck at that view, of one of the most breath-taking places in the world. I have never failed since to take there any of my visitors for whom it was the first time seeing this park.
Yosemite Valley was no less majestic last September, painted red and orange by the last rays of the setting sun. But it takes no expert to see that something was wrong there. That so many trees in that magical Valley were dead. From the drought, or from the attack of the boring beetle, I don't know. Either way it was sad to see.

Yosemite Sunset

We finished our trip to Yosemite. The long road home was still ahead of us, but we weren't so quick to leave - we had to make another round through the Valley to verify a few things that were on our minds before finally leaving towards El Portal and the way home. 

It was about midnight when I was back home, but the views and the feelings remained with me for a long while. For years I had been taking my mountain getaways in other places, wishing to avoid the crowds that hoard Yosemite's trails. This trip, however, had finally whetted my appetite to further explore Yosemite's backcountry. I made up my mind to enter the lottery for a Yosemite wilderness permit for next summer. I have one to several hundreds chance to get it. Keep your fingers crossed for me please!