March 27, 2013 - Wawona Point

Title: March 27, 2013 - Wawona Point

Trail head: Mariposa Grove Parking Lot

Hike Info:

Trail: Combination of trails

Destination:Wawona Point

Distance:  6.6 miles

Travel Time: 4:06 (1.61 mph)

Moving Time: 3:13 (2.05 mph)

Elevation Rise: 1,302'

Maximum Elevation: 6,885'

Description:

Another Wednesday, another meetup hike with John and Cathey. We met at Kohl's at 7 and headed to Mariposa Grove in southern Yosemite. We have Bill in our car. As an added bonus, Shawn is going on the hike. Shawn is the lady whom we met at the November  half marathon walk which introduced us to the meetup group.

We get to the Grove and start hiking around 9. John has selected a direct route, up to the Grizzly Giant. Most of the time, we have gone on the Outer Loop trail and come by the Grizzly Giant at the end. We quickly come to the Giant--ooh and ahh, then continue our upward march. When we hit the section which contains the Grove Museum, we make a right and go up the Outer Loop Trail. This circles around the upper part of Mariposa Grove and eventually hits the the junction where the Galen Clark tree stands. From here, it is a short half mile ascent to Wawona Point.

Wawona Point over looks the upper part of the South Merced River.You see Wawona Dome, straight across, hiding Chilnualna Falls. Wawona with its green golf course, lays to the north of us. The upper part of Wawona Meadow looks sandy instead of the green I expected. This is the first time which we have visited this point. We will need to make a point of coming again. Our group is in no hurry to leave as the sun is warming us and the conversation is flowing. But we do head out.

Our path back takes us via the road to the closed Grove Museum. Here John is tired of walking on the road, so we take the path across a small meadow and meet the junction of where we came up. Instead of returning the same way, we head a bit west and come across the the Clothespin Tree and the Old Faithful Couple. We continue westward and find the Outer Loop Trail, and several of our group returning from the other part of the Outer Loop trail. From here it is a short distance back to the parking lot and our cars.

Having made it down, we stop in Oakhurst at a new place for us--Crab Cakes. Like it sounds, it is sea food. I have Dana's Wrap, with salmon. Sherri had crab lingini. Pretty good and a good way to end the day.