Current Conditions

[daniel banquo merrick]

I made my first trip to SoYo in two years last weekend. Saturday afternoon we drove to the Chiquito Pass trailhead and camped. Sunday morning we hiked down to the river and followed it downstream a couple miles. Then we hiked back up to Sky Ranch Road and back to the car. 7 miles and +/- 1300 feet elevation. (Not a really hard hike but too much for me and I am still paying for it a week later) Drove down to Jones Store and then took Grizzly Road and camped. Monday we stopped along the way wherever we wanted and eventually had lunch in the North Fork coffee shop.

As far as conditions go, the weather was perfect with days in the 60's and cool nights. The mosquitos weren't bad and the wildflowers were out in force - Shooting Stars, Phlox, Dogwood, Thimbleberry, Azealia, Snow Plant, Paintbrush, Penstamen, Lupine, Pretty Face, Mariposa Lily, Leopard Lily, ............

I took a near-infrared camera which is worthless for taking flower pictures but does produce weird images. The spectrum the camera sees does not coincide with the spectrum the human eye sees. What the camera sees is literally invisible to us.

[susan]

Very nice, Dan! Ive really enjoyed hikes following a stream. Can be so lush. That is a big hike! Glad to hear you got back out there recently. Two years! The tree mortality situation shocks me after every winter, so it would really throw me if I hadn’t seen the area in two years.

The photos are curious. Are those trees mostly healthy or not? Am looking at this on my small cellphone while camping right now so will check this out again later on a big screen.

Been meaning to post some cellphone shots of flowers as we’ve stumbled past so many varieties this year. I mean they have just been ridiculous. Of course me and my skimpy photos don’t do justice but I’ll post some soon anyhow.

Here’s one at least

Fawn Lily

[daniel banquo merrick]

The wildflowers are fantastic this year.

The camera sees near-infrared light. Which is a range of light between visible and what thermal cameras record. Things that reflect heat show as white which is what living green plants do. The white trees are healthy and green to the eye. The water is cold and absorbs heat so it tends to look dark even though it is crystal clear.

[susan]

Indian Paintbrush

[mike a]

I was at the swimming holes at Lost Eagle yesterday project temps for swimming! looks like not many people have been there this season, it is hot here now and going to be hot this week, I am going to hang out at the Balls the next few days to escape the heat in Oakhurst!

[mike a]

Smokey in Oakhurst, but in the high country not smokey, was at the Balls Sunday it was not smokey and at Shuteye yesterday with no smoke, so far the wind is blowing the smoke south west. It is super hot here tho!!!

[DaveyTree]

Thanks for the update Mike. Any idea for the Fresno Dome area? Lunesta Fiesta is less than two weeks away. If the smoke is bad I may have to move it to Courtright. I would hate to change the location but wouldn't want to hang out in the smoke all weekend.

[wr_mizzard]

Hi everyone, I was up at Fresno Dome this past weekend, Friday PM to Sunday AM. Conditions were great Saturday until the evening when ash started to fall and smoke filled the air. Sunday morning was smokey so we beat it.

We had a nice time climbing Saturday though... finally got over to "Dr. No", nice little easy trad climb. Then did the first pitch of "Whiskey Bill" and setup a TR for a friend who had never climbed before. She got up it without falling and had a great time. Then I made the move to the first bolt on "Welcome to Fresno Dome" before heading out and chilling at the swimming hole with a nice cold beer.

-James
http://www.southernyosemiteclimbing.com/SMF/photo_album_resized/Sunday AM_resized.jpg

[DaveyTree]

Raining ash will def be a no go. Hopefully something changes soon. The fire is growing and only 5% contained so it seems at the time that it will only get worse. Dang!

[susan]

Well, sounded like a lot of fun until it wasn’t. curious how smoked out the rest of Soyo is.


Link to a map of the Ferguson fire:
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/photos/CASNF/2018-07-14-1535-FERGUSON-FIRE/picts/2018_07_17-07.42.12.529-CDT.jpeg

Wow this is a scary one. So close to El Portal! Etc ...


“San Franciscan Ashely Watkins captured this image of a giant smoke cloud rising up from the 12,500 acre #FergusonFire near Yosemite on her flight to Vegas.
The clouds can develop their own weather - they might even produce thunderstorms.

I wonder if the Balls were also  getting hit with smoke-and-ash too.


Too bad if Lunesta Fiesta.needs postponing! Or what of a different venue?

[daniel banquo merrick]

We were at Balls (for some reason the name on the USGS map is Balls, not The Balls) Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It was hazy but didn't smell smokey. We did watch the flammagenitus cloud which developed and dissipated several times with surprising rapidity. Sunday was hotter than it usually gets up there.

[DaveyTree]

Tks Banquo for the update.

Sue, It won't be postponed. The beer is ready....hahaha.

Looking at different venues. Leaning toward Courtright. I would love to do it at the Balls but it feels like a slight wind change would envelope that as well. Anyone have any other suggestions?

[susan]

Balls or Big Sleep - how is getting to Big Sleep this year? Only issue with Courtright is a forecast like this weekend’s:

•   Friday
  
  Chance
  T-storms High: 74 °F
  
•   Friday
  Night
  
  Chance
  T-storms
  Low: 52 °F
  
  
•   Saturday
  
  
  
  Chance
  T-storms
  
  High: 72 °F
  
  
•   Saturday
  Night
  
  Chance
  T-storms
  
  Low: 53 °F
  
  
•   Sunday
  
  
  
  Chance
  T-storms
  
  High: 73 °F

[susan]

Scratch that. Forecast calls for haze though significantly less of a chance of t-storms all around Soyo/Shuteye this weekend at any rate.


Just bring tarps and canopies to Courtright and hope that 30% chance of t-storms will behave!

[DaveyTree]

Pop ups may be a good idea tho just in case.

Made the decision. Courtright it is. Need to give everyone a chance to see thee change.