Yosemite National Park: A Forced March

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Since leaving the UK, often has been the case when i've been forced to try and make things sound awe inspiring, fantastic, all that jazz. I think in the early days me and claire kept on finding places that were clearly like paradise. Well, i'm nearly going to be home soon (and i think, although i'm extremely fond of dear old Coventry, paradise it ain't). Hence it seems only fitting that i got to go there once more.

Yosemite National Park, is without doubt one of the most scenic, picture perfrect, and downright lovely places i've been. The trip began with myself and Uncle Nick making the 4 (or if you were to trust the cars onboard route finder, a bit longer) hour trip out from San Fran on the night of the 16th. Arrival ended up being past midnight and so we set up the tent by torchlight, had a (well earned after finding the place we thought) nightcap to keep out the cold and looked forward to a day of hiking in the morning.

Wake up was early some time as the sun was rising, and after a breakfast of bagles and muffins (and tea...still loving the fact i can get proper tea again) we set off from Upper Pines campground (situated in the wonderfully named 'Curry Village') on our march. The planned route was reasonably 'fluid' and several options were possible.

In the event adventurousness got the better of us early doors and we decided to tackle a huge pice of granite rock that rose up from the valley floor called Liberty Cap (a true American name if ever there was one). Sitting 7076ft (apologies for the hieghts in feet, the US will catch up with the rest of the world one day im sure) above us it was no easy plod at 10am, and a certian amount of scrambling, thron bush wading and 2 handedness was required. Slightly battered and bruised, it was worth it when we got to the top to see an awe inspiring (shock and awe one might say) panoramic view up to a massive peak called Half Dome (see pictures as to why) and all around the Yosemite Valley.

The decent was much faster than the climb (although to my decrepid knees it seemed a lifetime) and happy with a peak under our belt, the rest of the morning was spent hiking the 'Panoramic Trial', admiring some huge waterfalls (well, huge to an Englishman..some fo the drops were 500+ft), and for me, just trying to take in the hugeness of everything.

Luckily we had a humdinger of a day for it. Bright blue skies, a few wisps of high cloud and an occasional breeze to keep us from getting to hot. An so as the afternoon loomed it was perfect to walk, look and enjoy. Lunch turned out to be a highly civilised smoked salmon bagle because as Uncle Nick pointed out .."just because we're hiking it doesn't mean we cant have a proper lunch..". Then into the afternoon we reached 'Glacier Point' where there were yet more stunning views of the valley, and a collection of onlookers who refused to believe we'd walked as far as we had without some kind of gas guzzling RV to help (some of the aboninations that pass for cars in this country are untrue).

Darkness was beginning to fall by this point and we still had 7 or 8 miles to go. So we hot footed along '4 mile trail' which took us steeply down into the valley floor (passing by El Capitan - the famous climbing mecca. To me however it looks thoroughly unclimbable), though sadly at the wrong end from where the car was. Then finally with sore knees, sore feet, but wide smiles we headed back to San Fran to endulge in a well earned beer and a soak in the hot tub. A perfect days hiking all in all.

As a foot note also on the way back we listened to the music of a genius called Martyn Bennet who manages to fuse dance music with bagpipes and folk melodies. Full respect to Nick for knowing about such a concept. I urge you all to check him out.

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Photos

At the top of Liberty Cap
Finding a friend

Liberty Cap
We climbed up the jonny - hoorah

Summit of Liberty Cap
Admiring the view

Half Dome
Looks like a budgie from side on

Big Waterfall
Water falling..hence the name

Above said waterfall
grand weather as well as everything else

Yosemite Valley
From somewhere high up

Touching the void
A conservative sized wtarefall at Illioette Gorge

On the hike
On a bridge no less

El Capitan
Just to the right of my shoulder as you look and illuminated by the sun as if by a spotlight. Around 3000ft of climbing fun. Yes it is as stupidly hard as it looks

Panoramic of Yosemite Valley
Clearly terrible views all day

The hugeness of the Valley
Good views, good times. The curves in the bottom middle of the picture are called the Royal Arches and have many a climbing route

The end of a Grand Day Out
The outline of El Cap with some crimson clouds.