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Wapama Falls, Hetch Hetchy, Yosemite by
Special
Photography Terri Metz
More Yosemite:
Photogallery
An Aerial
View
Yosemite Tips & Activities
A Winter
Yosemite
You can buy a National
Parks, Interagency Pass
online. Then choose thecash lane when entering
the park, it will
save you
some time.
Tuolumne River is renown for its world class
white water river rafting, just a few miles
below the dam
Tuolumne River, from Ward's Ferry Road
The Dam Controversy:
Some say that John Muir died
of a broken heart shortly after Congress passed the bill that allowed for
damming of the Tuolumne River to make the Hetch Hetchy water system. Many
still feel it should come down.
Here are some links that will give you more info on the
background of Hetch Hetchy and the active debate:
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The two top photos on this
page were provided to us curtsey of
Special Photography by
Terri Metz
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 Groveland and the surrounding area has had
three distinct
lives. First the Gold Rush brought many people to the area, some of whom
stayed on after the ore, and the lure of ore, was gone. Next came the
building of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, providing the drinking water for all
of San Francisco and many surrounding communities, including Groveland. This watershed, dam, reservoir and water transport
aqueduct to the Bay Area lay claim to the engineering marvel label.
Third was the building of the local planned community of
Pine Mountain Lake, another great
destination.
Hetch Hetchy is located at the northwestern corner of Yosemite National
Park and is a part of Yosemite. Although by road the two areas
of the park are physically separated from each other, your entry fee/pass
for Yosemite Valley is also good for access to Hetch Hetchy. If you are
visiting the area for several days be sure to save that receipt stub! Two
of the tallest waterfalls in North America are at Hetch Hetchy!
There are different explanations for the name of the valley. The name may
originate from the Miwok Indian word hatchatchie, having to do with
a type of edible grass that grew in the valley which was harvested for
food. Or it might come from an Indian word hetchy, meaning tree.
There
is a tale of two yellow pine trees that once grew at the end of the valley
which led to the name, hetchy, invoking two trees.
 The O'Shaughnessy dam was built to provide a water supply for San Francisco, raising the
water level some 300 feet above the riverbed and creating a reservoir
about 8 miles long holding some 117 billion gallons of water for millions
of SF residents. The water travels from the Sierra Nevada to the San
Francisco peninsula completely based on gravity. There are no power pumps
involved in transporting the water, however there are two hydro electric
plants along the way that produce energy from the water-flow.
In 1912, John R. Freeman published a preliminary design for the Hetch
Hetchy system, the Freeman Plan, which included the gravity concept, a
major step towards the Hetch Hetchy reservoir. The project required an act
of Congress and construction began in 1914,
following the Raker Act, which granted San Francisco rights-of-way and
public lands use for the Hetch Hetchy and other public works projects.
The dam is named for Michael Maurice O’Shaughnessy, who arrived in San
Francisco in 1885, having sailed around the Horn from Ireland with a
Bachelor of Engineering degree from the Royal University of Dublin.
O’Shaughnessy took over the job of City Engineer for San Francisco in
1912, and was The Boss of the Hetch Hetchy project. The first phase of the
dam and reservoir project was completed in 1923, and a second phase
raising the height of the dam was finished in 1938.
There has always been controversy about Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, from back
when it was first being planned to today. Should it have ever been built?
Should it be removed now to restore the Hetch Hetchy valley? We won’t
touch on those topics here, there are plenty of sources of opinion and
debate out there for you to review, we just want to share information with
you, the traveler to our lovely area of the Central Sierra, about this
locale. So, with that in mind, lets step away from the reservoir and its
water for a minute, and walk off into the land itself.
There are many opportunities to hike in the area surrounding Hetch Hetchy
reservoir, and while there is no swimming in the reservoir to maintain its
pristine quality for drinking water, fishing is allowed in
season. There are streams and rivers nearby for swimming, and there is
lots of natural beauty to enjoy. In addition to the Ranger Station at Hetch Hetchy, there are informative displays about the dam & reservoir,
and a parking and picnic area by the dam (dogs are allowed ONLY in this
area).
Sources of information on hiking in the Hetch Hetchy and Yosemite region
abound, but especially for our local visitors here are a few tips on hikes
in the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir area.
Wapama Falls – Begin at the reservoir, across the dam and through the
tunnel, for this 5 mile round trip, moderate up and down elevation change
300 feet, trail. Hikers enjoy moisture from the falls that mists the trail
in spring, but be sure to carry water as it is hot in summer, enjoy views
of Wapama and Tueeulala Falls.
O’Shaughnessy Dam to the Tuolumne River – Begin at the reservoir near side
of the dam, 2 miles round trip elevation change 250 feet.
Lookout Point – From the ranger station at the Hetch Hetchy park entrance,
this hike is 2 to 3 miles round trip, elevation change 500 feet, offers a
great view.
Rancheria Falls
– These falls are 4.2 miles past Wapama falls on the same
trail, it
is a very strenuous day hike at 13+ miles, a great overnight backpacking
trip, or do the 29 mile multi day loop hike to Rancheria and Laurel &
Vernon Lakes.
Poopenaut Valley – On the way in to or out of Hetch Hetchy, about 4 miles
past the ranger station/park entrance, this 3 mile round trip hike is very
strenuous due to the steepness of the trail, elevation change is 1,250
feet, but the reward is a stretch of the Tuolumne River seldom visited.
Carlon Falls – This 3.6 mile round trip hike, elevation change 200 feet,
takes you from Evergreen Road to Carlon falls where you can swim and
picnic.
There are many more trails at Hetch Hetchy for the hiker & backpacker than
those listed here, such as Smith Peak which is the highest pint in the
area, the Tiltill Valley northeast of Rancheria Falls on the way to Lake
Vernon. See the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne river from the canyon rim
near White Wolf Campground on the Tioga Road, connect with the Pacific
Crest Trail for longer backpacking adventures.
Always BEWARE of Rattlesnakes and
Poison Oak when hiking Hetch Hetchy, be sure to get a Wilderness Permit
for overnight backpacking treks.
Besides the natural aspects of Hetch Hetchy, there is a
great deal of lore surrounding the installation of the dam and the
Hetch Hetchy
railroad that had to be built to bring materials and supplies
up the hill. Wikipedia has a brilliant section on this with a great
deal of detail, though somewhat dry in its presentation.
Text researched and compiled by Carolyn Botell, executive
director for Hetch Hetchy Board of
Realtors and outdoors enthusiast and then totally changed by me.
Reference: Day Hikes in Yosemite National Park by Robert Stone, copyright
2002 Day Hike Books 2nd Edition
Reference: Yosemite National Park Service website – Hetch Hetchy Valley –
Day Hikes in Hetch Hetchy – and – Hetch Hetchy Site Bulletin
Reference: City & County of San Francisco, San Francisco Water & Power, A
History of the Municipal Water Department and Hetch Hetchy system.
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