A Walk In The Park

[YH]

My daughter calls me and says she and her husband don’t have to work this week-end… “Would I be interested in a hike in Yosemite?” I’m not sure I answered her as I ran to get my trekking poles! She probably took the WooHoo! in the background as a yes, because they showed up late that night.

My son-in-law and I did the Panorama Trail out of Glacier Point (my favorite day hike!). The two ladies dropped us off and headed down to the valley to meet us later in the afternoon.

Glacier point is a cliff that rises about 3200 ft above the Yosemite Valley. It gazes out upon Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, Vernal Falls, Nevada Falls, Tenaya and Merced Canyons and the high Sierra. Truly inspiring! You might have seen the old picture of Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir standing on a high rock; that picture was taken at Glacier Point. (JM’s way of ensuring that Yosemite would be designated as a National Park…it worked!)

The Panorama trail starts by passing through an old burned area with sweeping views of the afore mentioned. It descends rather quickly and each switchback seems to ad a different dimension to the view. The falls progressively become louder…Half Dome changes shape as the trail circles around to the backside.

About 2 miles down the trail you encounter your first waterfall…Illuette Falls. This is the only trail that gives you a front on view of this pretty falls. Though smaller than it’s sisters, it still fans out beautifully. Water flow this year is about half of what the previous two years has been (only a 35% snow pack this year), but even with the reduced flow it was beautiful. We continued a short distance to the creek that produces the falls and enjoyed the sparkling bubbles of the water sliding over granite. This would be a great water slide!

We then begin climbing up away from Illuette creek. The shade from oak, pine and fir trees is welcomed. We are soon rewarded with views down into the valley, as well as upper and lower Yosemite Falls in the distance, and Royal Arches and North Dome directly across from us. One rarely looks at the tail when walking along here.

The sound of water again fills the air and before long Nevada Falls comes into view. It spreads out like the train of a beautiful wedding dress. We pause for pictures and then make our way down to the falls. I am always captured afresh by her beauty and power. “Look but don’t touch” she seems to say. Tragically there are those who foolishly do touch and are swept away. The water thunders down in an explosion that pictures just
don’t seem to capture. I find it exhilarating and frightening at the same time.

We chose to descend the remainder of or hike along the Mist Trail which goes past the base of Nevada Falls and Vernal Falls. The name comes from obvious reasons. This section is brutal on the knees because it is what feels like an endless section of granite stairs to descend. The close up views of two of the world’s premier water falls make some temporary pain worth it. And after looking at Stan’s blisters I will never complain about my puny aches again! (He’s the man!)

Before long we are standing at the top of Vernal Falls, but with time slipping away we cannot linger so we continue down more stairs that give my knees…umm…never mind!

Our minds now shift from beautiful views to pizza and a tall frosty one! Funny how you can’t even see the crowds in the valley as hallucinations of a “Newcastle” waft before your eyes. We walk along the paved trail in the valley about a mile into Curry Village and spy two beautiful women sitting alone at a table. “This looks promising” I tell my son-in-law. “You better let me handle this one.” I tell him as I confidently stroll up to the table and fire off a great line… “Hi honey, you got my wallet? We’re starved!” “Yes, it’s in my purse. Have a seat and I’ll order.” What a smooth operator!

A great hike finished, pizza and beer ordered, and two beautiful women to shuttle us home. Ah, life is good!

Some pics are up and I'll ad a couple more of El Capitan and Cathedral Rocks from the Valley floor after I get them resized.

[evenstar]

Yeah, I remember all those stairs! Actually didn't bother me on the way up. If I trip and fall, I'm gonna fall forward and little chance of getting seriously hurt ; it's on the way down that scares me. My problem is poor balance, not knee problems, but if I trip and fall forward, it's serious hurt time. Dreaded the return climb down the stairs, but just as I left the top, got to talking with a couple who were just finishing a five day backpack from Tuolumne Meadow and it was so interesting talking to them, before I knew it I was a the bottom.



This was in Sept. so no mist to speak of. Notice the swimmers coming out of the cave on the left.


_________________
John Richardson and Richie Rich, El Perro de Playero
http://members.tripod.com/~evenstar/index.html
http://www.arizonahikers.com
When the Man waked up he said, "What is Wild Dog doing here?" And the Woman said, "His name is not Wild Dog anymore, but the First Friend, because he will be our friend for always and always and always. Take him with you when you go hunting."
--Rudyard Kipling, from Just So Stories, 1902

[kurthzone]

Nice photos and nice trail. I'd like to do that hike some day. I remember doing a hike up to Yosemite Falls when I was quite young. The thing I remember most about the hike were the obese squirrels begging along the side of the trail. They'd come right up to you. I can only imagine what their diet consisted of.
_________________
;o)>

[Hikngrl]

What a wonderful impromptu hike! You are one lucky guy to have your play ground so close to you! Can't wait to see your pictures! You are the smooth one YH! I'll bet that line you used doesn't work on just anyone does it!?
_________________
~~~Diane~~~

I want to shine!

[YH]