July Road Trip: Devil’s Postpile and Rainbow Falls
Yesterday, we decided to catch the shuttle from the Mammoth Lodge down into the Red Meadows Valley. We wanted to take the hike from Devil’s Postpile to Rainbow Falls, an approximately 4 mile round trip hike.
The Postpile was formed when the valley filled with lava. As it began to cool and as glaciers moved across it, the lava cracked and formed basalt columns, which from above have a roughly hexagonal shape. Most of the hike was in pleasantly cloudy and sunny weather. The scenery was breathtaking, and the sudden views as we turned a corner were stunning and many.
As the day grew later, the weather suddenly made a turn for the worse. The winds picked up, and ominous grey clouds began to pour into the valley. By the time that we were a half mile from Rainbow Falls, we decided to turn around and head for the bus stop at Red’s Meadows. It was a wise decision, since no sooner did we begin the hike out than it began to rain and the temperature dropped.
Hope you enjoy the pictures from the day.
A Life of Wanderlust and Contemplation 