Just got back from Glen Aulin/LeConte Falls.
Many THANKS to Bill-e-g and wife, who stumbled across us, for their valuable information.
On Sunday we took the camp workers trail in and had anywhere from zero to six feet of snow and had to muddle through some pretty swampy terrain. Based on reports we felt there was a high risk in a couple of spots so we went also looking for a high X-country route that would drop us down onto Twin Bridges. That effort not only proved to be futile, but also exhausted us. We rolled the dice, dropped down, and found the areas of our biggest concern were no issue at all.
On Monday we ventured down to LeConte. The left side of Twin Bridges was just barely under water and definitely passable.
We had spotty snow down to Glen Aulin and no snow from Glen Aulin to LeConte Falls.
The swamp area was submerged. We had already planned on following the trail and use old running shoes to simply plow through the water, past the rocks and onto dry land. That was a good plan as that area had many of the log bridges missing. The water had been higher and simply picked up many of the logs and floated them away. Many are still there but not connected. You may have been able to get through by going all the way to the back wall and trying to pick your way through it, but I doubt it. In the AM it was about mid calf in height on average.
Spent most of the day at LeConte, 200 pics and 15 videos.
On the way back up, the water on the river was definitely higher than in the morning, and the swamp area was much higher. Now it was mid thigh height.
Anyone trying to get to or leave the Glen Aulin BP camp was walking through a good three feet of powerful rushing water from Cold Creek and rising.
On the way out this morning the water was at least another foot higher.
I cannot imagine how difficult the 5 creek crossing are on the Glen Aulin trail at this point. Especially the first one with the BIG Tree now gone.
I would just be prepared to blast though them and not waste time trying dance around them.
Twin Bridges, I would say is still passable but barely, plan on knee deep or slightly higher. The higher volume of water was coming in at Glen Aulin or lower.
Based on the amount of snow we saw, high water is going to be good for at least another week.
It was a total blast and the best I have seen LeConte Falls running, and I have been doing this trip for many years.
Steve