Chilnualna Falls Hike
	Mark (solo) 2009
	June 8th I began a series of three canyon hikes starting with Chilnualna Falls in south Yosemite. I read about a swimming hole off the trail, and I had the gps coordinates for the spot. My hike was mainly about finding this swimming hole carved out of granite by a little fall above it. Click photos to enlarge.
1. I drove past Clear Lake on the way to Yosemite. This sailboat caught my eye and I swerved off the road to watch it for a while.
2. There are numerous falls along Chilnualna creek. This is one of the lower falls, which is just 10 minutes from the road. This one is part of a nice cascade with several drops above it.
3. Wawona Dome. As you climb the trail, which is always uphill for the first 4+ miles, you get an idea of your increasing altitude from the views of the Dome.
4. Here is one of the first glimpses you get of the second fall down from the top. Notice the deflected plume, and refer this to picture 16.
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7. This is one of many ancient-looking granite stairways along the trail.
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11. The top of the fall in picture 5.
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13. First glimpse of the upper fall.
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16. The deflection plume in picture 5. There is no edge of the cliff here; it's round, and it invites you to inch farther down to see what is below. Scary.
17. A giant sequoia.
18. A glimpse of the trail near the point where I became lost searching for the mysterious swimming hole. The gps coordinates in the book turned out to be wrong.
19. Here is what I discovered at the wrong gps point. And here the gps lost the signal and I had to bushwhack a bit.
20. I boulder-hopped a ways up the creek and found even more beautiful cascades. Then I was partially lost for half an hour. I say partially lost because I knew that I was somewhere between the creek and the trail.
21. I had given up the search and was content with the hike, when I impulsively took a side trail near the end of the hike, and VOILA. There was the swimming hole. I then marked the correct gps point.
22. The rock formation beside the fall above my swimming hole looks exactly like an Easter Island version of our lop-eared bunny Jaspur! Can you see mr. bunny in this granite chunk?
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26. This stream runs through the Summerdale campground where I spent the night after the hike. It's a good idea to check in early in the morning and then hike afterward, as the place fills up every night.
	Can I run Chilnualna in my creek boat?