SOS hike (Berry Creek Watershed)

Last week when I did my hike to Mustang Peak, I had chosen the route only the night before. Otherwise, with some simple preparations, I could have used that hike as SOS weekend hike. Coe is a state park, but with our printer out of color ink, I did not have a sign to use. Lame excuse right? So anyway, this week four of us planned a hike at Big Basin for our SOS hike. After we had already met up with Dave and Diane, and we had left for an early start, and during the actual hike, we came up with some brillant and creative ideas, but too late to really use them. Too late for this hike anyway. But we did play around and get some photos and videos we can use by just using printed signs. It would have been nice to be better prepared, but we did our best with what we had to work with.

On the way there while we were still in the valley, it seemed really warm for 7:30 AM and I was de-layering in the car. But after we got up to skyline, the fog was lying there like a great grey blanket up on the ridge. Down in the basin we had overcast and cool temps all day and my layers came back out. The sun almost came out for awhile just as we reached Middle ridge on our return trip to park headquarters, but our hike was mostly in low light and cool temps. We didn’t expect to see much water flowing. Maddock creek was almost dead, but Kelly creek, and West Waddell creek both had marginal flow. At least enough volume to make nice gurgling noises over the rocks. I always love to savor the water noises. With the blockage on Skyline to the Sea, we used the Sunset trail to get up to Middle ridge, and used the little cutoff trail to get over to Skyline to the Sea. All the trails seem to be in good shape, but some of the wooden bridges along the falls loop are beginning to fall apart from age. None of these bridges would create a major hindrance if they were out, but could cause public trail closures if they get much worse. All the more reason to be advocating for the parks I suppose. Beginning early makes all the difference on these popular trails. We didn’t see any other hikers until we had reached the Berry Creek Falls area, and the people we ran into were backpackers who had camped the night before. As usually happens, we passed quite a few hikers headed out the other way as we were on our way back using the Sunset trail. Just in time for summer solstice there were yellowjackets around, and we got some stings. I got one partial sting, but I saw it and brushed it off before full penetration. Poor Diane got stung twice. Oh for summertime joys! Luckily, the camp store at headquarters carries some kind of commercial remedy for her to use. I forget the name of it.

The 3 falls along Berry creek are still looking good if flowing unspectacularly following another overall dry year. Still this hike is always a pleasure to the senses; a really great time. It’s interesting to study the rocks that are normally hidden behind the plummeting water at Berry Creek Fall. They are polished to a near gemstone quality finish in the areas where the water and debris have honed the surfaces to a fine luster. This is one feature of the fall you cannot even see unless the water is very low, or virtually stopped like in late summer. The redwood dominated groves, and the lush green understory, thick with fern species, sorrel, and lots of huckleberry never fail to evoke a fairytale like image. The trilliums and clintonia are all gone now, but there are still a few yellow and white violets and Ithuriel’s spears around, and azaleas are still blooming in places (Sue’s favorite). Sue has a very sensitive nose and she can pick up the scent of azaleas about a mile away. This route has always been one of my bay area favorites in any season. It’s a classic worthy of being saved.

Click here to see the photos on flickr.
(Added) Click here to see Dave's pictures on www.pixseal.com.
Click the play button below to see a short video of Silver Fall.
(be sure to turn on your sound for theriputic water sounds)

Mustang Peak

I hadn’t been to the Dowdy Ranch visitor’s center before. About 3 years ago Henry Coe state park opened the new day use area and ranger station in the far southeastern section of the park. Dowdy is open only on weekends between May and mid October, from 8:00 AM to sunset. You cannot self-register before 8:00 AM to get an early start because the gate is locked. I’ve been meaning to go on a hike there, but the longer drive usually puts me out. But I really felt like hiking some new (to me) trails this week, and with Coe again under threat of being closed, I thought this would be a good time before the summer heat kicks in, and hopefully not the last. So I made plans to visit Dowdy.

To get there, you have to use the unpaved Kaiser Aetna road which is accessed from Hwy 152, Pacheo Pass Hwy, just east of the junction with 156. I found the on-line driving directions to be right on the mark. No worries. The seven miles of dusty, twisty, road is not too rough, but it is just bumpy enough to be very slow. My poor car accumulated a thick coating of dust by the time I reached the parking lot. They’ve done a nice job on the new visitor’s center there. There are no campsites, but there are some covered picnic areas with a really nice view out over the washboard terrain at about 1600 feet. I went inside and paid my day use fee, and checked out some of the suggested hiking routes the rangers had marked on copied maps. But I had already decided to head for Mustang Peak. Somehow a name like Mustang Peak just sounds really cool, so I had to go. In keeping with Coe’s reputation, you begin high atop a ridge, and to get anywhere you begin by dropping down. So how do you know you’re at Coe? When it seems like it’s uphill in both directions, right? Kaiser Aetna road is too developed to be the best choice for hiking, so Max’s Corral trail was the only other choice for going that direction.

Unless you use the developed roads, this overall section of the park has relatively primitive trail markings. The familiar printed signs and posts are few. The trails are only marked along the way with colored plastic tape tied around tree branches, bushes, and stakes. Even some junctions are only marked with colored plastic tape. The tape markings are reassuring when you see them because all of the trails on my intended route are single tracks with some quite obscure sections. One good thing is the mostly open terrain which allows for good GPS satellite reception. Rolling up, down, and around this knarly serpentine landscape could get confusing if not for those markings. You would need to use some serious orienteering skills or rely on GPS to keep from getting confused.

Max’s Corral trail begins immediately downhill through grassy hills showing signs of historical ranching. Down you go through the partial tree cover loosing altitude all the way to the North Fork trail which runs along North Fork Pacheco creek. The creek is not running and is already down to scattered murky ponds, some of which are hosting tadpoles, and tiny frogs. You need to watch for the markers along this moderately interesting creek section to keep from loosing the trail. The junction with the Tie Down trail has a marker, but it’s not a crossover like shown on the map. It’s more of a Y. I already knew that for my route I was going to keep bearing right. Heading up the Tie Down trail you get your first view of Tie Down Peak. There is no trail to the summit but I suppose it wouldn’t take much to scramble to the top of this jagged rock outcrop, but at only 1480 feet, it hardly seems worth it to slog through tick infested high grass to get to it. Heck that’s not even as high as Dowdy. You could be sitting around on your derriere in the shade scarfing burgers and get equally captivating views.

Continuing on, Tie Down trail transitions into the Yellowjacket trail almost without notice. The junctions are marked only by colored tape (see my pictures). It would be easy to miss if you’re not really paying attention. I continued to just bear right knowing I had a track log to get me out of trouble. Soon I crossed another little creek and began climbing up to 1632 feet. Monitoring my GPS, I could see I was headed in the right direction, and was undoubtedly on Dutch’s trail, even thought I was not sure where the exact junctions were. I really enjoyed Dutch’s trail as it followed along the ridge top headed north. It had an almost familiar quality with its rolling profile and long range views reminiscent of the Westridge trail in Big Basin or Willow ridge trail on the other side of Coe. As I turned around and looked south, I could just make out Dowdy Ranch behind me on the far hillside, and looking north I had the first view to Mustang Peak. Further along I could see the large pond marked on the map, and the rabbit trail leading down there marked only by an easily unnoticed stone duck. At the junction with County Line road there was a real marker, and the road is good enough to drive on. This road provided a nice change in perspective with the views now mostly north and south.

When I reached Mustang Peak I could see there was a little spur trail leading up to the summit. It was nasty steep with thick vegetation, but no scrambling required. The skies had cleared quite a bit, and I enjoyed a nice panorama. I had not seen a sole since leaving Dowdy, and there are really no suggestions of human habitation out here. There aren’t any radio or TV towers, weather stations, microwave dishes, or any man made structures visible anywhere. Except for a few old roads carved into the ridgelines, and the occasional aircraft noise, there is only you. If you really enjoy having some isolation, this is it. So why hike to Mustang Peak? At 2263 feet, it’s probably not high enough to be a peak bagger’s goal. Some might say “because it’s there”! But really this is a hike for the true rambler. For me it’s the journey more than the destination that makes a hike worthwhile. You could get here by using boring roads, but that is not really hiking the way I like hiking. And of course the roads could be used for cycling or horseback, not that the single tracks are restricted. They’re not. The next human I saw was the same ranger I had been talking to before back at Dowdy. He said other visitors were there that day, but I was the first person there, and the last to leave. I wouldn't clasify this hike as a butt-kicker, but my GPS logged 16.9 miles and 4539 feet of total elevation gain, making it a pretty good country stroll. Definately a typical Coe hike.

Click here to see my photoset on flickr

Last Chance (maybe)

Just speculating, but this weekend may be the last chance to see prime Mariposa Lilies, at least in the Bay Area. I’ve been seeing lots of them since getting back from Yosemite. The Mariposa Lilies that bloom around the Bay Area are much more colorful than the ones that I’ve seen in the Sierras. Even the white ones have brilliant color fading like air brush work inside in yellow and purple. There are also yellow and rose colored Mariposas to be found, and those types I have never seen in the Sierra. There are about 50 species all together. Last Saturday we were hiking at Sunol and there were many white Mariposas along the eastern end of the Maguire Peaks loop. The Saturday before that I even saw some yellow Mariposas blooming at Wilder Ranch. There were nice displays at Coe a few weeks ago too. If the sun comes out this weekend, that could make a fine opportunity to see one of the Bay Areas best seasonal specialties. It won’t be long before they start to fade out and go back to the earth. For me they are far more pleasing than any form of cultivation. Good places to see Mariposa Lilies; Henry Coe, Sunol, Ohlone Trail, Sierra Azul, Almaden Quicksilver, Rancho San Antonio, and many other places with grassy hills, open space, and sunshine. Oh, and if you haven't done so already, please stop over at the California State Parks Foundation and help them stop the park closures. Anyone can at least write a letter. Believe it will help!

Water Conservation Update

(the results are in)
Toward the end of last winter Sue and I began thinking a lot harder about water conservation. Three years in a row of dry conditions, and the draining of one of our largest local reservoirs for an urgent seismic retrofit project, made the specter of drought very real. And indeed state-wide the situation is dire. Both of us had been practicing energy and water conservation in our home(s) since even before we had met. This was one of the common links that Sue and I have always shared; our deep concerns about environmental causes. Since being married and sharing a common household we have been evolving our techniques for how to live greener, and to practice conservation. But considering the bleak outlook for our local water situation this winter, we refused to behave like sheep and ignore the situation like most people seem to be doing. We decided that we needed to go way beyond our usual efforts. But we needed a way to help save water without spending a lot of money for a fancy new water system.

You can read about our solution in a post I did last March entitled Low Tech Grey Water. One of the links in that post doesn’t work anymore, but the information there is still good. I also did a follow up entitled Water Conservation Tips and Update. To be honest, using a system like this is not much fun. Its tedious carting water around in buckets like a couple of dusty pilgrims. But we do it out of passion.

Recently we got our first water bill that would reflect the full impact of our efforts, so we can now place a precise number on our efforts in order to make them tangible. No more speculation. And that number it 58%. Meaning a 58% savings in total water usage compared to the same time frame last year. Not too shabby considering that we really thought we were saving water before.

It would be easy to think that all this effort is useless, or backward, or that its undignified and demeaning. In our society we seem to have a this tendency to view ourselves as modern contemporary individuals who would not stoop to such things, or accept a different standard of living than we have been taught to believe is our birthright. After all we own a computer, a cell phone, and a car-nav, why should we lower ourselves to manually bail water? I completely disagree with these kinds of sentiments, and I think our results prove that everyone can in fact make a difference if they choose to.

So how much impact will our efforts have in the grand scheme of things? The truth is; probably very little. Unless a lot of people start getting serious, the impact will continue to be very small. And honestly, even if everybody did their level best to save water in their homes, it would never be enough to save agriculture from severe impact. It is after all, agri-business that is by far the largest consumer of our states water. They will need to learn how to save a lot more, and how to protect the environment at the same time. Perhaps agriculture as a whole is really just a big polluter, and needs to be cut back. But in any case, I still think its worth it. I plan to demonstrate with my lifestyle exactly what drives my passion. We need to rein in unfettered agriculture, practice conservation, and tear down O’Shaughnessy Dam, and Restore Hetch Hetchy to its natural state. That’s the ticket.

Yosemite Spring Wrap-Up

On our last day in Yosemite for our spring trip, as Sue and I start getting our gear cleaned up and dried out as much as possible before packing up, I am already looking forward to our high country trip in July. It’s hard for me to leave here and head back to modern reality, so the best technique for making it easier is to focus on our next trip. When we got the car packed up we still had time for a short hike before hitting the road. This is too early for the best wild flowers here, but I was thinking maybe Hetch Hetchy might be starting to show some early displays. The Hetch Hetchy valley is at a lower elevation, and starts getting strong sun earlier. I have seen awesome displays of wild flowers along Evergreen Road, and in the valley beginning in June. At least we had time to hike as far as Wapama Fall for yet another drenching with cool clean waterfall spray. There is a nicely constructed footbridge at the base of the falls, and during the spring flow, it’s really intense there. The valley walls seem to retain heat in the sun, so this display of pounding, hissing, and dancing water is a welcome sight when hiking this trail.

It’s easy to have mixed feeling about this place. After all John Muir absolutely loved Hetch Hetchy, and it was a monumentally difficult thing for him when the Sierra Club lost its battle to save the valley from being dammed.

"Dam Hetch Hetchy! As well dam for water-tanks the people's cathedrals and churches, for no holier temple has ever been consecrated by the heart of man."
-- John Muir

Making use of Tuolumne water could have been accomplished differently, but in those days, the technology of civil engineering was very backward. Despite ardent and widespread opposition, and alternative means, congress passed the Raker Act allowing the dam to be built in a national park.

Today there is a movement underway to demolish O’Shaughnessy Dam, and Restore Hetch Hetchy to its natural state, which is being supported by the modern day California Sierra Club. So there actually is a slim chance they might eventually reverse the ignorance of times past provided that the funding can be raised. That seems next to impossible in today’s economy, but I’m not going to give up hope. In my view the restoration would be well worth it, even though it would probably take many decades for the valley to return to its grand natural state.

Back to the hike now. Sorry for being sidetracked. I hate the fact that there is a dam here, but at least we can enjoy this place for the many qualities that ignorance couldn’t destroy. There is a popular trail head into the backcountry here, and those trails provide some day hiking possibilities as well. I have many fond memories of back packing with my old buddies from high school out to Lake Eleanor not far from here to camp and fish. The main trail is accessed by walking across the dam, and through a tunnel hewn from solid rock over to the north side of the reservoir. The trail follows a rocky ledge around the cliff profile with gentle elevation gain and loss, but a very rough surface. In season there are lots of wild flowers and butterflies around. The cliffs, rock features, and vegetation are all captivating despite the reservoir’s imposing specter, but the one most resilient un-transmutable feature is Wapama Fall. As awesome as any of the Yosemite falls, Wapama is a hidden treasure. From the dam area you can only see one lower section, but the actually height of the fall is revealed by hiking deeper into the valley. Falling in twisted crevasse-like sections from the upper rim, this fall is difficult to get a good look at. As you enter the fall area in peak water flow you are immediately pelted with thick spray. The sectioned footbridge gives you perspective but without protection, you are soaked in seconds. And good luck getting pictures. Even our Go-Lite umbrellas were almost useless. A fitting end to a whole week of water in motion.

Click here to see the pictures on flickr
Click here to see my 2005 pictures which include Hetch Hetchy

Eagle Peak (with light show)

Up early again after a days rest we had plans to hike the Yosemite Falls Trail up to the north rim. We wanted to visit the top of the falls, but our real destination was Eagle Peak, and time permitting, on to El Capitan. Eagle Peak is part of the jagged formation probably better know as the Three Brothers. At least that’s what the tour guides call it. To hikers, Eagle is the highest of the three spires situated just above and to the west of Yosemite Falls, and the summit is accessable by trail. I’ve done this hike before, but like so many of the hikes inside Yosemite’s granite cathedral, it’s always worth doing again if an opportunity presents itself. Sue has hiked the north rim on many occasions, but we were both looking forward to getting back up there.

The trail head is right behind Camp 4. As you walk out there from Upper Pines you pass right by Yosemite Lodge, and that’s always a huge temptation for me to stop off and pig-out on breakfast at the cafeteria. Kind of a guy thing I guess, but I resisted and hung with our hiking plans. Actually I wouldn’t have wanted to get loaded down with a heavy meal anyway. Just don't let me smell those hot pancakes after instant oatmeal and yogurt in camp.

Starting up the trail we both took out or trekking poles to help out on the gnarly rock trail tread. This trail has over 100 switchbacks from bottom to top. The lower section climbs up to a rocky ledge along the north wall. This part is mostly shaded, but once we were above the tree tops we could see over to the Sentinel Fall, and out over the valley. Soon the trail begins heading east and still climbing along the ledge or “bench” as John Muir called them. We saw a few wild flowers along here. Lupine, Paintbrush, and Pussy-paws mostly. After passing Columbia Point, the trail climbs a little more and bends around conforming to the cliff. Soon the low rumble of the falls can be heard. Coming into view the upper fall section dominated our view straight ahead, the mist and rumbling sounds becoming more intense. As we got closer, the air currents were swirling around carrying the spray like rain. More rough hewn switchbacks began bringing us higher. There wasn’t much sunshine, but on previous hikes up this trail I have seen many rainbows in the spray through here.

Climbing higher, the trail enters a little crevasse-like talus slope where you can no longer see the fall. In summer this is a really hot and dry section. The cliffs are imposing looming above on one side and you can study the granite layers while watching for raptors. The views to the east open up along here, and soon the snowy high Sierra peaks began to reveal themselves above the rim. Many switchbacks later, at the top we were greeted by dense mixed conifer forest and shade. Up on the cliffs are unusual areas with isolated pine trees that seem to be growing out of solid rock. We took the opportunity to filter drinking water, and hiked over to see the top of the falls. There is a railing and some stairs to an overlook that provides dizzying views over the brink of the upper fall and down to the cascade section 1700 feet below, Yosemite Creek meandering outward another 1600 feet below that. Not recommended if you’re afraid of heights. We skipped the 1-mile hike up to Yosemite Point which provides a higher view with more range of vision.

Off we went on the El Capitan Trail heading for Eagle. There was still a lot of melting snow on the trail up here, and standing water backed up among the fallen debris. The snow melt was running down the trail making it seem like more of a creek. In some sections, standing snow made the trail hard to follow, and we hiked over top of some snowy sections, some of which were quite unstable. When we reached the junction for Eagle the trail signs were almost buried in snow. At this point it was apparent that hiking on to El Cap might not be a good idea. The trail was not in good shape, and I did not have GPS. The trail to Eagle looked clear though. We climbed up the trail and out along the rock ridge leading to some rock formations. Some really nice views open up between the rocks. A short scramble up to the top of the highest rock formation and there you are at the precipice of Eagle at 7779 feet. The views from this point seem that much more spectacular because of the sheer drop off. I could imagine an eagle would feel at home here. Takes the breath away. Eagle Peak is named for the Eagles that once inhabited this place. James Hutchings reportedly saw seven at once out here in the early days when Yosemite was truely wild.

It was fantastic for us to be completely alone amongst the grandeur of this towering jagged pinnacle and decided to take a break and have some lunch. As we sat there I noticed a funny looking kind of rainbow effect in the sky to the southeast, and the sky began looking grey. I didn’t think much of it at first, but then we saw some very noticeable dark clouds forming to the east. Soon the weird upward sort of bell shape began to appear, and I remembered something I read about thunder heads. A great read is the book “Shattered Air” by Bob Madgic. The book recounts a fateful and tragic night when some hikers were hit by lightning on Half Dome. Just when the story begins building, right in the middle of the book, he suddenly devotes a whole chapter to the meteorology and formation of Sierra thunder heads. It seemed like an unwanted sidetrack at the time, but I plowed through the chapter resisting the temptation to skip forward. This chapter came to mind while looking out across the valley to the activity in the sky I was seeing. I then (slowly) realized that those very conditions were happening before my eyes. We watched for awhile, and soon it became obvious to us that a thunder storm was headed straight our way moving in from the high peaks to the east. We began hiking down the trail fully expecting to witness a display of Mother Nature's darker side first hand. We reached the junction at the falls and headed down the falls trail and soon the first lightning flashes flickered. The distance was still very far, over 18 seconds. For awhile it looked like maybe the storm was moving across and not coming closer. About the time we were about half way down the upper section we felt the first kisses of raindrops. By the time we were reaching the bottom of the upper falls where all the spray is we were getting pelted with hail and rain, and the thunder was about 6 seconds. The darkened sky was flashing brownish yellow so closely now that we couldn’t even tell which thunder clap was from which lighting flash. We got treated to a great light show. And did we ever get wet! Between the swirling spray from the fall and the rain and hail, we were totally wet. Sue loved it. She kept saying how much fun it was to be seeing this. I think she felt privileged. What a blast! We reached a point where some other people were huddled under a rock overhang. They asked if we wanted to join them, but we didn’t. We were already totally wet and just wanted to keep going and get off the trail. It was a great experience which I was happy to have had, but I did want to get out of the wet as soon as possible. I had this happen to me on Little Baldy in Sequoia once, but that was an easy return to my parked car. This time it lasted over 3 hours. We had a good laugh about it, but wondered about our campsite. All our gear was trashed and wet, but we made the best of it. Proper tent placement had been a very worthwhile forethought.

Click here to see the photos on flickr
Click here to see my 2005 photos which include Eagle Peak and El Capitan

Tissiack

Of all the features of Yosemite Valley, the most iconic among them must be the granite titian known today as Half Dome. Millions of tourists photograph and study it every year, and its image graces endless commemorative paraphernalia. As I write this I am sipping tea from my Yosemite Association member’s mug, which proudly displays a lithograph of Half Dome. Native American legend tells of an Indian maiden turned into stone by the wrath of the gods, her tears still visible on its face, they called it “Tissiack”. At one time officially deemed “inaccessible”, the rock’s summit was first ascended by a man named George Anderson in 1875. He did it by drilling holes in the granite and installing iron eyebolts one at a time. The first official cable route was established in 1919 making it possible for park visitors to hike to the summit. Since then it has become akin to a pilgrimage for outdoors enthusiasts. The first technical assent of Half Dome’s sheer face was accomplished in 1957 by pioneering climber Royal Robbins. But thousands of hikers make the summit every year by hiking the trail through Little Yosemite, behind the rock, looping around to the northern base. Steep rock steps take you up to “the saddle” where the cables begin for the last 400 foot scramble to the summit. This hike is daunting, having a total elevation gain of over 4800 feet from the valley floor. Proper preparation is essential. If you’re planning your first Half Dome assent I would recommend perusing Rick Deutsch’s website Hike Half Dome. Rick also has a book available. There are also lots of other web resources to research, but don’t try it unprepared.

We set out early at daybreak. For this hike I packed light on water because I was carrying my Katadyn water filtration system. The section of trail through Little Yosemite passes within close proximity to the Merced River at safely accessible locations for filtering water. And what delicious and refreshing water it is. Fresh, pure, high Sierra snowmelt. This a great way to go because it allows you to refill twice along the way, but I just love the experience of superior tasting water. You need lots of water. The maps show a spring somewhere up on the Half Dome trail, but I have never found it.

Hiking up the Mist Trail in spring there is a virtual assurance that you will get soaking wet in the spray from Vernal Fall. Using the John Muir trail is an alternative, but it will add 1.5 miles. I had brought my rain anorak, but that only kept my upper torso dry. My pants and boots still got soaked, but this all part of the experience. On a hike like this, you know you’re alive, and it’s all good. The weather was still too cloudy and hazy for good photos, so I may use some of my old fall pix. When we got to Nevada Fall the air currents were carrying the spray down river making it impossible to even get my camera out without diving equipment. At the top of the falls we could see that lots of people were up there, so I began to get anxious about how crowded the cables would be. I had a bad experience one year during summer when there were so many people on the cables, I was not at all comfortable with that, and gave up and went down without summiting. This time I discovered the crowds were not bad.

The John Muir trail eventually turns off and you begin the Half Dome trail. The trail is graded very well and the climb is not bad. I always pace myself so I don’t aggravate my knees, or get too short of breath. Speed is not a goal. We spotted some nice snow plant near the trail. There were lots of young mule deer around feeding on the new vegetation. They are so used to seeing people they have lost their fear of them. The forested area on the way up is thick enough to provide lots of shade in the morning too, and the aroma of the timber is everywhere. The crystal clean air scented of cedar and pine combined with the incomparable taste of the high Sierra river water is pure heaven.

As we arrived at the base of the rock the weather had cleared with an almost cloudless sky, perfect for the assent to the top. We stopped for a snack while looking out across Tenaya Canyon, and over to Indian Ridge, the domes to the north, and Snow Creek Fall. We still had nearly 1000 feet to go to the summit, but the views were already captivating. I made my way up the rock step section to the saddle. I would swear this is the toughest part of the hike, not the cables. The steep steps and the altitude make this section very aerobic. There were lots of people on the cables, but it really was not bad. People on the cables are like a brotherhood. Everyone seemed quite affable, talking to let you know where they are, and you can work with them. If you make it this far you are not a tourist. Outdoor people are a fine community.

Up on top there was still some snow hanging around, and people were sunbathing on the rocks. The 360 degree panoramic views are not to be matched from any point in the valley. Looking down on North Dome, it looks diminutive in comparison. The perspective is completely different up here. The cool high country breeze is like a gift from the mountain gods making the subtle sunlight deceiving in its intensity. The snowy high peaks seem to be whispering on the wind, and the air smells so clean as to be indescribable. The valley sprawling out below looks almost uninhabited from this far up. If you look you can spot the roads, bridges, and some large structures like the Ahwahnee Hotel, but they seem like toys; far away and insignificant. Giant tour busses just look like incredibly slow ants. The beautiful mature forests like grasses. This is not just a hike. It’s more like a pilgrimage to an outdoor Mecca.

Click here to see my photos on flickr
Click here to see my 2004 pictures which include a Half Dome summit