Yosemite National Park
The first time I saw a picture of Yosemite National Park was in the dining hall at Colorado College. On the south wall in the corner they had a reproduction of Ansel Adams' Clearing Winter Storm, Yosemite Valley from 1935 (taken from a place called 'Inspiration Point'). I remember being just awestruck. It looked like a made up place, a place out of The Lord of the Rings or something. I wanted a copy of that poster, and I definitely wanted to see that magical place!
While on the PCT in 2004, Greg and I hiked through the eastern side of park, and while it was very pretty, it wasn't the Yosemite Valley, and it sort of melted into the whole month we spent in the Sierras. So, the Yosemite of Ansel Adams remained elusive to me, and I had no distinct memories of it. (Don't misunderstand me, the whole Sierras are incredible, this isn't a knock at all on them)
Well, this spring Keri and I decided to visit Yosemite National Park for our August backpacking trip. To decide on the route, I looked at a map and anything that I'd heard of before I tried to fit into our five day hike.
What this ended up meaning was a traverse of the north side of the valley, over El Capitan, by Yosemite Falls, over North Dome, along Tenaya Canyon, and then south over Cloud's Rest, over Half Dome, and then past Nevada and Vernal falls. 50 miles, 5 days.
Keri and I haven't exactly been as active as we'd like to be this summer, so it was a bit of a mystery as to whether or not we'd be able to do this ambitious plan.
And in the end (with some very tough days) we prevailed! Sore feet, and running out of water purification drops couldn't stop us! Here's a slideshow of the trip:
(If you want to see more photos of the trip, or some photos in detail, then visit our Flickr set)
Driving into the park, hoping to see one of the most beautiful places in the world, I kept thinking, "Well, this is pretty, but I don't see what all the fuss is about." But then as each day of hiking added to the previous and we started getting closer to the more famous parts of the valley it all started to build. And I have to say, by the end of the trip I was a complete convert. My high was without a doubt having dinner on the top of Cloud's Rest with an incredible 360 degree view including Half Dome and the Valley. I got that same feeling of bewilderment and awe that I got from looking at that picture in Rastall.
Yosemite National Park is just completely incredible.
I know I complain a lot about my job, and about the amount of work I have to do in life, but it is trips like these and the ability to often take trips like these that make it all worth it. I really am just incredibly lucky.
So, that's where I've been the last two weeks, sorry I disappeared!
[Thanks again to Mike, Marina, Greg, Martha, Omer and Gigi for letting us visit you or visiting us and making the trip even more spetacular!]
1 September 2011 06:18pm UTC • 168 views • 3 comments
Tagged with yosemite, nationalparks, backpacking, trip
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3 comments
Farluffo the Great
2 September 2011 02:56pm UTC
I loved everything about that slideshow. Safe to say I'm a "Yosemite is incredible" convert as well now. I really like the pics of you guys on top of what I'm assuming is Cloud's Rest, and the one of you submerged in that super cold looking water. Thanks for sharing the slideshow! I'm really glad you guys had a great time, and a super big congrats on completing the whole 50 miles. I find you both amazing and VERY attractive. Talk to you soon!
Sailing Master Keri
2 September 2011 04:02pm UTC
Thanks, Mike! And thanks, Benj, for planning such an awesome trip! Yosemite is truly an amazing place!!
Robert
2 September 2011 10:35pm UTC
Sounds like a fun trip! I spent a day hiking there once, would love to go back.