Warren Fork Hoover Wilderness

July 17, 2017

On my way to visit friends in Bishop, this seems like a good time to explore a little-visited spot featuring a substantial cascade that will have plenty of water in it right now.  Nearby, the principal attraction along the Tioga Road also is doing well in this season of excessive snow pack:

Lee Vining Creek Falls

At a big curve in the highway is a trail that clearly has been unmaintained for a long time.  The old signpost is bare, and no other indicators are present.  There is, however, a big parking area on the other side of the highway; this is good.

The trail is not well marked

I start up what was a road at one time; but no clear route is evident.  I opt to follow a steep little creek up toward the right, avoiding the manzanita bushes as much as possible.  There are no recent boot prints in the sand; but then I didn't expect to find any, either.  Within short order I have climbed a good three hundred feet toward nowhere in particular.

The Tioga Road ascends toward the Yosemite Park entrance.

Across the canyon is the view that I had hoped for, of an ephemeral yet beautiful cascade that has no name.  Naturally, I must give it one:

Gardisky Lake Falls are an estimated 800 feet high

The cataract plunges directly out of Gardisky Lake itself, which lies just out of sight at the top of the cliff.

I am getting nowhere in this direction, though.  Finding a place to cross the rushing creek is no easy matter; but I locate a spot that requires just a three-foot leap, with some little bushes to grab on the other side.  Soon I am back down at the canyon bottom.

There is a use trail leading upstream

Almost immediately I encounter an old campsite with a picnic table that might not have been used in a great many years — at least, not for a picnic.

Perhaps a mountain climber actually camps here now and then

I continue up the canyon well to the right of the big creek, where any semblance of a trail has disappeared.  It hardly matters, though; I'm just marching onward to see whatever might lie ahead.

Cross-country travel is easy here, so far

I pick up the trail again near another little stream.  Soon I must ford it in order to avoid some serious bushwhacking.

Although I didn't bring a map, I recall there being a big meadow not far upstream.  That will be my objective for the day.

Just as I suspected

Heidi, where are you?

The Warren Fork winds around and under the snowdrifts

Stopping for lunch here proves delightful, for I am not bothered at all by bugs.

I'll try to keep track of the trail on the way back

Remaining near the big creek does have its advantages:

Beautiful

Monkeyflowers

Wavyleaf Indian Paintbrush
Richardson's Geranium

Someone still cares about this trail

Smokey Mariposa
Nice colors in the creek

Several detours are required through here

The ridge top to the east

This must be the Hoover Wilderness boundary

Not far from the highway I run into two more campsites.  I find it rather sad to discover such a resource that is seemingly unsupported (see Addendum).

My guess is that this facility was effectively crippled by the modernization of the Tioga Road in the mid-1960s.  Not wanting pedestrians to have to cross the highway on a blind curve, the powers that be abandoned this trail and campground rather than construct a new parking lot on the near side of the road.

Warren Fork

The end

§: This outing, albeit relatively unremarkable, was quite pleasant nonetheless.  Exploring any new place has its appeal.  Another way to partially view the big cascade would be to climb Tioga Peak from Gardisky Lake.

Also, this was my twelfth different route into the gorgeous Hoover Wilderness.  I wonder how many more I will try.

• Trailhead: The big bend in the Tioga Road, at the 9000-foot marker
• Distance: 4 miles
• Elevation: 9000' to 9600'
• Hikers: none
• Rating: 5

Scenery
Difficulty
Solitude
Adventure

After the walk, I must of course continue up the Tioga Road for another mile for some photographs.

Lee Vining Canyon

ADDENDUM

There is mention of the Warren Fork Trail on the Forest Service 0page for Inyo Recreation Area.  Other sources suggest that this is an official "dispersed camping" facility, available with no fee.  Old photographs show that there actually were readable signposts as late as 2013.

IN MEMORIAM

Although I had not fully realized it at the time, my life was about to change in a significant way.  Four days after this hike, I traded in the best car I ever had for a new one.

The last-ever photograph of my beloved 2004 Outback, near Tioga Pass

I'll miss that wagon.  It was the perfect size and shape, it handled its off-road duties beautifully, and there were only 30,000 miles on a rebuilt engine.  Repair costs were becoming prohibitive, however; so an upgrade was in order.

My 13-year companion had become an 'old person' such as I, wherein the mind still functions properly, but the body is slowly falling apart.