West Coast 2012: Yosemite

Saturday, June 2nd started off our 7 day trip from San Francisco, CA to Seattle, WA.  The first year we were together we drove from San Diego, CA to San Francisco, CA in about the same amount of time.  Needless to stay we were excited to get started on the rest of the west coast.

So our trip started with a 4am departure from my mom's house in SF.  I would say we hit our goal when we drove out of the driveway at 4:10am.  3 hours and 20 minutes later we found ourselves entering the oldest national park in the country - Yosemite National Park.  

GORGEOUS and big!  20 minutes later we pulled into Camp 4 - a first come, first serve camp site for tents only that is known for being the jumping off spot for many rock climbers.  NO, we do not rock climb but it's the only campsite in Yosemite Valley that you don't need a reservation for and we decided that's where we wanted to stay.  C and I stood in line for 45 minutes and as the 38th & 39th people we got a spot at campsite 31!  We were very excited.

After setting up camp and putting our food and "perfume items" in our locker (to keep safe from bears - ah!)(some guys car got ransacked by a bear the night before for his sunflower seed shells... Ew clean your car!) C and I headed out for a 3.5 hour 3 mile 1,500-foot gain hike to see Yosemite Fall a little better.  It was steep!  In the guide book it said "strenuous" and all I could wonder is "what is very strenuous" which is the next level of hiking.  It was WELL worth it at the top when we got to see the upper and lower parts of the Yosemite Fall which is a staple waterfall throughout the park because it can be seen from so many places.  C and I have learned that we were definitely not what you would call "prepared hikers".  People have some intense gear!

We've also learned that once we're on the way back down from these hikes we are in a great mood because "we've done it!".  Next we decided to jump on the free shuttle around the park, rent rafts and float down the Merced River for an hour and a half or so.  The weather was beautiful but that river water from melted glaciers and snow was FREEZING!

We made a charcoal fire in our fire pit and ate yummy turkey burgers - thanks for the help prepping mom!

Since our day started early, it ended early too.

At 7:30am on Sunday, June 3rd we began what we thought was a "nice flat 3 mile" hike to see Vernal Fall which is at the end of the Mist Trail.  Nope, not at all, we completed a 2.5 hour, 3 mile 1,000 foot-gain hike up to the very tiptop of Vernal Fall and back.  Amazing all around including several rainbows through the mist!  C compared the said "mist" to a light rain so we definitely got a little wet but we didn't mind!  We had to get through over 600 granite steps and at the very top was a thin rocky path that had been built on the face of a rock, and I DID NOT like it - almost had an anxiety attack on my way back down it.  But I made it, and then had to face the steepest set of stairs I've ever seen. Oh and they possibly might be wet or soaked so be careful!

The steps...

Again, we descended the trail two very happy people, broke down our camp site, went to the shower site, grabbed a hot bite to eat and were on our way!  Where to next?  Napa.... Wine country..... Until there's something worth posting...