Tuesday, August 1. After a late arrival -- a last minute trip rearrangement and a minor car glitch led to a late start, then some forgotten items required a bit of en-route shopping -- I set up at Campsite 5 in the Hetch Hetchy Backpacker's Campground among the gray pines, oaks, and manzanitas.

Wapama Falls was still running energetically ... interesting since the first three days of the hike follow it source, Falls Creek, upstream.

Plenty of water is still running over the spillway too.

Lots of chop on the water as the last of the sun illuminates Kolana Rock. That's the lake side of the spillway at the right.

How about a nice moon shot?

Wednesday, August 2. Heading in. I'm across the dam, through the tunnel, and on the lakeside trail beyond. I'm out early today -- it's 7:30 -- to beat the heat on today's 2700+ foot climb. It will be less hot up top: 80 instead of 90.

Heading up the switchbacks, eventually leading toward Beehive, but I'm still quite low: about 4000' elevation, only 200' above the water. Still in the oak/gray pine belt. Although the Rim Fire did pass through here, damage was localized on this first part of the climb.

Stephanomeria sp., probably S. exigua (small wirelettuce). This and next few were all shot at around 4700.

Zeltnera venusta (charming centaury), in a slight moister spot on this otherwise dry hillside climb. When I saw this, which I didn't recognize, I certainly was not thinking "gentian relative". But it is.

Collinsia tinctoria (tinctureplant).

Clarkia williamsonii (Fort Miller fairyfan), although C. purpurea ssp. viminea isn't that different and is possible. The location supports the former a bit more.

I met this fellow at around 5000', and I saw him or his cousin lower down too. Quite a rack.

HIgher now: about 5,500'. The Rim Fire hit harder above the junction with the Lake Eleanor Trail. And note that while there are still some black oaks -- no more live oaks -- gray pines have been replaced by Ponderosa pines and and incense cedars.

Higher still ... 6,270', just past a little pond. This hillside, mostly firs, obviously saw lots of fire. This area may have been hit by both the 2006 Frog Fire and the 2013 Rim Fire. Up here, the meadow was moist until recently, so we have ...

Symphyotrichum spathulatum (western mountain aster). Identification is purely by pictures and location. Erigeron glacialis would be the second guess, but they seem to have denser ray flowers.

Solidago elongata (West Coast Canada goldenrod). Plenty of bracken too: I'm going to see that all over on this trip.

I made a short detour to where Alex and I camped in 2013, just 3 months before the Rim Fire began. That camp was on Frog Creek. It's more crossable now than it was in 2013, but still running fast. I had lunch here.

The pond just upstream where Alex has some fishing success in 2013 was a little lower too.

The campsite had some use, but not too much. Note this area area was burnt only in 2006 Frog Fire, not again in 2013.

Huckleberries nearby.

Back on the main trail. Here too, the Frog Fire (not the Rim Fire) killed these trees ... and made that carpet of bracken possible.

Erythranthe moschatus (musk monkeyflower) near Beehive Meadow. The last 2/3 mile before Beehive followed a stream, and there was lots of wet ground and even some standing water ... plus the attendant wet meadow plants.

Rudbeckia californica (California cone flower) as I approach Beehive Meadow ... with a monarch. Another wet meadow plant.

Prunella vulgaris (self heal) along the boggy trail through the Beehive Meadow as I begin on the one mile lateral trail to Laurel Lake.