MAY 5, 2019
Drove to our lodgings just east of Groveland and checked in but had to wait an hour until “check in”. Geez….. We took the advice and drove down the road a few miles to the Rainbow Pools. A spot to see the full river crash over rocks into a pool and then go farther downstream.. It was a pretty day and a nice start to our 3 days in Yosemite National Park.
It took a few hours to organize our approach to the 3 days in the park. We’ve read that Glacier Point road is closed we are hoping that maybe it will open this week. With the guidance from some blogs and daughter Katie, I started with the first day exploring the valley. We’d start with the visitor center and then a few short hikes to Lower Yosemite, the Cook Meadow, and then drive to Valley View, Tunnel View and hike to Artist’s Point.
MAY 6, 2019
Day 1 – Sad that Glacier Point road is closed for several more weeks at least…. and 80% of the trails to there are blocked with downed trees and snow. But we will be able to explore a bunch of the Valley. Today we hiked to Lower Yosemite Falls where it was very wet due to high spring flows. We then went across Cook’s Meadow. We had stopped to gather intel at the Visitor Center in the morning. Later in the afternoon we went to Valley and Tunnel Views for more photos. Then I hiked partway to Inspiration Point, getting about 25 min up. It was getting late so I didn’t go all the way but found a great place for more photos of the Valley.
We started the day, first for us in YNP, to learn our lodging is 38 miles from the valley. In the RV it takes nearly an hour and it’s up/down, and twisting around lots of slow curves. We saw the Yosemite Valley Lodge and asked about a room for one of the nights of our stay. We decided to book in for Wednesday night. This would give us more time in the park, and we’d avoid the drive out after a climb up towards Upper Yosemite Falls which is moderate to strenuous.
MAY 7, 2019
Day 2 – Yosemite NP. Another near perfect day – yes there were some clouds!!! We decided to stay 1 night in the Yosemite Valley Lodge and hear the rumble of the Yosemite Falls all night. Very noisy!!! Like loud waves on the shore. Checked in and learned all foodstuffs on the RV needed to come inside. Bears! Anything with an aroma, such as lotion and lip gloss!!! so we lugged 4 large bags of stuff and then went for our prime attraction today!!
We started up the Upper Yosemite Falls trail around noon. It was about 70degrees. My goal was to get to Columbia Rock, about a mile away. Thom got in about 20 minutes and said his knees and ankles wanted to go back down. I suggested his steps were too big and he was moving much faster than me. I continued for a total of 90 min with a stop after seeing my pulse hit 150. My destination was only 10 minutes farther up. What a view! If I was in better shape I would have gone on for another hour to probably have had a better view of the falls. Though someone coming down said it was very misty and wet. So maybe another time!!! LOL.
Spent an hour going back down, again small steps. And if a rock was 2″ down vs the full step of 5-6″ down, I took the 2″. My knees weren’t too cranky! (I just read I should have gone another 0.5 mile to get above the tree line and have a good view of the falls!)
It was amazing to be in the park at night. We had dinner at the pub and listened to the roar of the falls more than 2,000 feet above us.
MAY 8, 2019
Day 3. It’s nice to be in the park and not have to make the hour long drive to get here. We had a great room and got up for a nice breakfast in the “cafeteria” of the Lodge. Once organized we jumped on the free Valley Shuttle and traveled to parts of the Valley we hadn’t been to, to the stop for the Mist Trail and Vernal Falls, #16. I was hoping to go up the Mist Trail to the John Muir Trail and try to get to Clark’s Point.
We started up and it was bright and sunny. I continued on after Thom decided he wasn’t up for it, chatting with people along the way. It wasn’t long before I reached the bridge over the stream and the climb got a bit tougher. I don’t like steps/stairs!!!. I’d rather have a path but I guess here there isn’t enough room to have switchbacks. Not long after crossing the bridge there was an “info” station with Park volunteers. It was the split point where the John Muir Trail departs from the Mist trail. The John Muir Trail had an elevation change of 1000’ from where we stood. I had done that yesterday and it took 90 minutes. It seemed best to take the trail to the Vernal Falls and then up from there to Clark’s Point. Then coming down the John Muir wouldn’t be too difficult.
Off I went knowing that the Mist Trail was misty in the spring. What I didn’t know was that spring mist is more like a spring drenching rain. At a point where some down going people stopped to rest I could see how wet they were. I pulled out my rain jacket and my camera wet bag and started up.
As the mist intensified so did the water on the trail. It got to the point where the trail was a small stream of water with periodic puddles in the flat spots. Even working the rocks in the puddles and finding stepping stones, it didn’t take long for me to find a spot where the water was too much for my waterproof hiking shoes. Also the water running down my legs was getting my socks wet. I continued on nearly to the falls and got a couple of pictures while trying to keep my camera somewhat shielded from the mist.
I was 1 hour 20 minutes in and I was starting to get cold from the wet. I think I was still about 10 minutes to the top of the falls but I realized I didn’t have the energy to continue up another 500 feet in elevation to get to Clark’s Point and still have to come down from there. The stairs were exhausting and when I looked up the stairs were getting narrower and it was very crowded. I was somewhat concerned about going down on the wet steps/rocks so decided to head back before I got too much more cold and tired.
When I got back to the info spot, it was sunny and much warmer. I shed my wet jacket and hung it from my backpack. I was nearly all dry and warm by the time I got to the bottom, about 2.5 hours round trip.
I found Thom at the shuttle stop area and we went to the next stop, #17, to walk a mile into Mirror Lake. With the water flows high from the snow melt runoff, the lake wasn’t a mirror. But the view above to Half Dome was impressive. The water flow was also impressive!!!
After Mirror Lake we went back to the RV and said farewell to YNP. What a place!!! And so glad we made the effort to come here. On the way out we considered stopping at the Merced Sequoia Grove but the sky had turned greyish and the walk to see 20 or so trees was 3 miles RT, 600 feet elevation change, which would take 2-3 hrs. It was 4:00 so we decided against the visit. We turned off to see the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and Dam but learned at the entrance, 16 miles off Rt 120, that with the bikes in the bike rack we were more than 25’ long. We had to turn around.
What was so interesting though was the extensive fire damage throughout the area. Some very dense in some spots. Turns out most of the area was burned by the Rim fire in 2013. Acres and acres of black sticks of former trees standing upright. Hard to imagine what it is like to be near a forest fire.
We ended the day back in our Yosemite Westgate Lodge room which was warm and cozy. We had one of our “picnic” suppers which is easy when you have a microwave. Mixed salad greens from a bag or box topped with various things – we had seafood salad and teriyaki chicken bites. I even like to warm mine up!!! Followed by a night cap of a bit of rye and some aleve to offset the aches of 2 days of hiking.
Heading back north tomorrow
