Old photos around Mammoth Pool and Balloon Dome

[daniel banquo merrick]

Calisphere is a digital collection by the University of California. A search for Balloon Dome finds some interesting images from the West Side Project before Mammoth Pool Dam was built.
https://calisphere.org/search/?q=Balloon+dome

I'm not sure if this is the same West Side Project.
https://www.westsidesjr.org/

There is a picture showing "Flat Top Dome" and "Graveyard Creek" but I don't think it is Graveyard Peak. Perhaps somebody recognizes where the photo was taken. It may be under water now for all I know.
https://calisphere.org/item/98f53d18a3522de5c932c418a67b4558/

There were plans for several dams in SoYo which fortunately did not get built. Check the third page of this PDF:
https://cawaterlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Part-Two-B3-The_Califonia_Water_Plan-May_1957-reduced-size.pdf

[John]

Hi Dan-
I looked at the proposed reservoir description. The thought of a "Chiquito Reservoir" is disturbing! 

[daniel banquo merrick]

The unbuilt projects are very disturbing.

"The works would be constructed primarily to produce hydroelectric energy and to preserve and enhance the fish, wildlife, and recreation resources of the watershed."

It's weird how in the 1950's the works of man we seen to be an improvement to the wilderness. The thought of dams and power houses at Miller crossing above Balloon Dome and at the forks below Balloon Dome make me sick.

[mungeclimber]

There is a picture showing "Flat Top Dome" and "Graveyard Creek" but I don't think it is Graveyard Peak. Perhaps somebody recognizes where the photo was taken. It may be under water now for all I know.
https://calisphere.org/item/98f53d18a3522de5c932c418a67b4558/

This sure seems like where the current dam is located on Mammoth Pool. Note that Graveyard Creek drains into Jackass Creek way down stream. One might read the arrow in the picture as pointing down stream in the direction of where those drainages are... effectively showing the flow direction of the river below?

[daniel banquo merrick]

I'm not sure where Graveyard Creek is. I suspect that the foreground of the photo is the dome at the dam looking south to where Camp Creek cascades down the cliffs. It would be easy to check if anyone went there.







I just found out that Mammoth Pool was a pool in the river just above where the dam is now. 1953 map before the dam was built:
https://danielmerrick.com/SOYO_photos/maps/CA_Shuteye%20Peak_301705_1953_62500_geo.pdf

[mungeclimber]

thx for the old map link Dan. I can't attach to posts anymore for some reason. But the creek is right near Jackass rock.