I decided to go on an adventure out west to Yosemite National Park, with a brief stop at San Francisco, to (El) cap off the year of 2018. After a long trek out, it was a worthwhile trip for beautiful views, difficult but rewarding hikes, and great interactions with fellow hikers on the trail.
Day 1:
The long haul to reach the park, ending with stunning first impressions of the most famous location in the park. I flew home to visit the family in Florida for Christmas, so I hopped on a 6 hour flight into San Francisco, where I picked up a rental car and got on the road for the 4 hour drive to Yosemite, where I arrived just before sunset. After checking into the hostel where I'd be staying for the week, exhausted from my travels, I decided to make the most of the time that I had by continuing the drive into the western gate to see Tunnel View and watch the sunset. Tunnel view is located at the western end of Yosemite Valley, and is the classic view made famous by photographer Ansel Adams that most people think of when they picture Yosemite in their minds. From this spot, you have a clear view down the valley, highlighted by the enormous granite faces of El Capitan to the left, Half Dome straight ahead, and Bridal Veil Falls flowing to the right. After driving through steep, winding roads with high valley walls on either side for some time, and turning to go west along Wawona road, I was finally greeted by the view. The sun sets at your back from this point, but as the shadow of the southern valley wall begins to engulf El Capitan, the sunlight hitting the peaks turns a vibrant red and orange color that is beautiful to see.
I decided to continue to stay for a time after the sunset and watched as the light faded and the sky gained a faint pink hue, followed by the deep blues of blue hour, followed by the stars peaking through as twilight ended. A dynamic time at a unique place.
All in all, a success! At this point though, I was cold and needed sleep. After a quick phone call home, it was time to pack in for the night.
“When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence.”
Day 2:
The highlight of today would be Yosemite Falls. Despite numerous waterfalls in the valley being present, this one gains the name of the valley itself from the being the tallest in North America, and one of the tallest in the world, falling over 2400 feet from the top of the upper falls to base of the valley. It is actually split into 3: Upper Yosemite Fall (1,430 feet), the middle cascades (675 feet), and Lower Yosemite Fall (320 feet). Peak flow for the waterfalls in Yosemite is during the spring due to snow melt, and Yosemite Falls actually stops running completely during the peak of the summer time, but at this time during the winter it was still flowing, enshrining the walls of the valley in layers of ice and producing a deep cone of ice at its base. As I would come to see each day this week, the falls changed throughout the day as the ice that forms over night melts and crashes down from the wall each morning as the sun comes up, accompanied by a deep rumbling noise that I could hear as I walked. Both the upper and lower falls also sometimes gain a rainbow visage. I opted to make a day of it, starting with a walk around the easy 1 mile lower Yosemite Falls Loop, followed by the 7.2 mile round trip, 2,700 ft climb to the top of upper Yosemite Falls. Its an impressive place, and a steep hike to see it. Along the way up and down I chatted with other hikers, some from the area, and some from far away.
With the short days of winter in Yosemite, again I stopped at Columbia Rock to see Half Dome as the sun set, and then searched for a place to watch the stars. This stop was at Valley View.
Valley view is another, lower, viewpoint at the western end of the valley. It was difficult to see much as I stood at the edge of the water, but a little bit of patience was rewarded with a view including the reflection of the stars and El Capitan.
Another full day.
Day 3 and 4:
The next two days would be filled with a lengthy trip for another expansive view of the valley, this time at the upper rim. Glacier Point is a popular and easily accessible destination most of the year, but during the winter the road is closed to vehicle traffic and is only accessible on foot (be it boots, snow shoes, or skis). It's about 11 miles each way along the snow covered road. This hurdle makes it a wonderfully quiet place to come see. A Ski Hut with beds, a warm fireplace, and some food to make it through the night is also open this time of the year, so I stayed here. It was a long day in the snow, mostly shrouded by tall trees, and with a shallow uphill gradient for much of the way, followed by a steep descent at the end.
I finally made it in time to see the vista before the sun went down, and again stayed to watch as the daylight disappeared and transitioned to night.
From here, you can see Half Dome standing prominently ahead of you, with Yosemite Falls far on the other side of the valley to the left, and Vernal and Nevada Falls to the right. More pink skies, twilight, and stars among the clear night air. After standing out in the cold for a bit on my own, I came inside and met the others staying at the hut, and spent some time helping a fellow traveler take photos of the night sky. After taking one final photo of the stone Geology Hut near the viewpoint under the stars of Orion, I headed in once again for the night, and prepped for the return trip the next day.
The next morning I woke up early enough to stay out again and watch the sunrise.
After the trip back the next morning, I had just a little daylight left. I took a drive more casually around the valley and saw some more places, including Sentinal Bridge, Swinging Bridge, and the edge of Cooks Meadow, before taking a quick stop at the Majestic Yosemite Hotel, where I found a red carpeted entrance, an enormous fireplace, and a pianist playing, fittingly, Colors of the Wind.
Day 5:
One more full day in the Yosemite Valley! This day I would take a short trip to Bridal Veil Falls and then explore the eastern section of the valley: The Mist Trail and the John Muir trail leading to Vernal and Nevada Falls. The shape of the valley leaves much of this section in near permanent shade this time of year, meaning that I would find Vernal Falls and the pool at its base covered in ice even late in the day, but this also meant that the Mist Trail steps were frozen, and I had to detour around a section of the John Muir trail to reach the top of these falls. It got me thinking about the many people that had come to these places before me when I thought of John Muir, author and advocate for wilderness preservation often known for his quote:
“The mountains are calling and I must go.”
Short daylight hours, a lengthened winter route, and additional hiking from the parking lot to the trail head, along with some hesitation and a late start from the series of lengthy, vertical trails over the previous days, meant that I would not reach the top of the upper Nevada Falls before sundown. I did still see views though of Vernal Falls from up close and Nevada Falls from nearby, along with sights of the valley itself from a new perspective.
Upon my return, worn out from a long week, I headed back to the hostel for the night, having to say goodbye one last time for an early trip back to the city for the new year before flying back.
Day 6:
New Years Eve. I spent some of the morning exploring the Golden Gate recreational areas including Fort Point, Hawks Point, Battery Spencer, Land's End, Ocean Beach, and a walk around Golden Gate Park. Much of the area I found closed due to government shutdown and the New Years Holiday, but I tried to make the most of what I could.
Finally, a drive down the windy Lombard street and other steep San Francisco streets to the hostel, some dinner, and New Years Fireworks on the Embarcadero, with the Bay Bridge as the backdrop. Then, it was time to go home, and get back to work. It was a challenging week, but I find comfort in seeing new wilderness, and new people.