Gary-Summer: June 4, 2014 - Taft Point and Sentinel Dome

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

June 4, 2014 - Taft Point and Sentinel Dome

Title: June 4, 2014 - Taft Point and Sentinel Dome

Trail head: Glacier Point Parking Lot

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking

Trail: Taft Point and Sentinel Dome Loop

Destination: Taft Point and Sentinel Dome

Distance: 7.38 Miles

Start Time: 10:00

End Time: 4:03

Travel Time: 6:03 (1.22 mph)

Moving Time: 3:31 (2.10 mph)

Elevation Rise: 1,882'

Maximum Elevation: 8,123'

Description:
We met at Kohl's at 7am, but first, Sherri, Steven and I go and pick up Angel J in south Fresno. So our morning does start a bit early. That that is OK. This is Angel's first time hiking with our group (there is Angel B whom we have hiked with several times.) It is then off to Oakhurst and Starbucks to get a quick dose of caffeine. Then more traveling to Glacier Point in Yosemite, which we arrive at shortly before 10 with my ten walking companions: Jerry J, Angel J-no relation, Kate, Eric, Joe, Randall, Richard, and Sandra, as well as Steven, Sherri

The trail which we follow is the Pohono Trail, which stretches across the South Rim of Yosemite Valley. It ends at Tunnel View. But we are only hiking as far as Taft Point, then returning via Sentinel Dome.

Half Dome, Nevada Falls and beyond

I start off in the lead, but am carrying a pack-I am training with for a ten day trip in a couple of weeks. The pack is someplace between 35-40 pounds. I can tell this on the first mile since my lungs are doing a rapid version of suspiration. We rise up 600' in that first mile. But that is not without taking a little detour over to an overlook of the Illilouette/Merced River areas. Just a fantastic morning viewing with eye exploration out to the east, south and north of us. I think we could have stayed here for more tn the 10 minutes we got to gaze upon this view. But Taft Point is calling us.

Like I said, I was wanting more oxygen as we went up this initial slope. But when we got to the ridge at 7800', I was happy that there was another view to gawk at. This time Half, North and Basket Domes were all taking center stage. That is one of those wonderful things about the Pohono Trail, every bend gives a new view. For example, a short ways further, we see Yosemite Falls in all of its glory, well as much glory as a drought sapping winter can give to a water fall. But all three falls are visible and we get to enjoy seeing the wind spray the water around its cliff. Lost Arrow shown pretty nicely against the the cliffs in the background. Richard did not hear my rendition of the story from last week, so he got to hear my version, poor guy. Angel's comment was something along the lines of how romantic.

Blue Grouse

Up a little ways further we hear the whooshing of a grouse, and she shows up shortly with a couple of chicks. I do not know if the rest of the group needed the stop as much as me or were they just as fascinated as I was, but the grouse-Sandra says it was a Blue Grouse-certainly gave us time to enjoy itself before wandering into the bush. Then we see a deer, probably a year old, plus his sibling a few feet later. They seemed a bit shabby for deer feeding on native plant life.

Yosemite Falls

A few minutes later and we hit Sentinel Creek. But before crossing it, we take a social trail out to where we can view Sentinel Rocks. Another place which our group could spend a long time at. But we do use it as a snack break. From here we starting westward down the Valley. I show Jerry another social trail which Sherri, Steven and I took some years back which gave even a better view of Yosemite Falls. But it is heading in the wrong direction for our travels and it is a little bit of a scramble.

One of the Fissures

The trail now turns inland a bit from the Valley's Rim. This causes us to climb a 250' ridge. This is where we meet the trail from the Sentinel Dome Parking Lot. And now it is a 150' drop down a rather exposed slope from to the Fissures. The Fissures are narrow cracks, maybe about 5-10' across. But the thing which makes these Fissures impressive is the depth of them. The shortest one is about 200' deep. but the one closest to Taft Point is around 800', straight down. I think almost all of us get a case of vertigo when we stand close. I don't think anybody got closer than 4' from the edge.

Steven and Sandra going to Taft Pt

Taft Point

Taft Point is close by and out comes lunch-peanut butter and Nutella for our family. Pretty good and filling. As good as that is, it is not as good as the view. The whole Valley is before us from Half Dome to Cathederal Rocks to Tenaya Canyon. The Valley is 3500' beneath us and everything looks like miniatures even smaller than what you would find in a doll house. You understand our place in this creation, pretty insignificant. But still big in God's sight.

Sherri Climbing Sentinel Dome

Sentinel Dome

The theme of the day seems to be we need to breakaway to go to another place and so it is with Taft Point. We do not stay here as long as we want to. We come to a trail junction and find some other meetup hikers from Fresno, even Judy, a retired Fresno State professor. Some of us are getting tired so we go on the leg of the trail to the Sentinel Dome Parking Lot with the idea of some possibly waiting for us. What is the attraction of this area? Two things: first it is easier with only the 150' rise up the exposed slope. Then it is across an undulating landscape between trees, granite, and some white marble looking rock. Then we come to the second attraction: an outhouse. We form a line and everyone feels more relieved afterwards.

Conversation on Sentinel Dome

This seems to liven up those who are tired, particularly when they hear it is only another 150' ridge to climb to the base of Sentinel Dome. So everybody is going to finish the trip. I do admit with my 35 pound pack, I am tiring a bit. So when we get to the bottom of Sentinel Dome and Angel decides it is prudent to wait at the bottom, I relieve myself of my pack and Sherri and I climb Sentinel Dome. I should note that Angel later on tells me that this is already further than she ever walked before.

The view from Sentinel Dome is just so superb, 360 degrees you see everything that there is to see, except for some of the Valley floor. I guess Kate has never been up here before because she is just exclaiming how this is so amazing. She is having one of those DDG* moments. When she hears we come up here for full moon hikes, she begins to badger Jerry into scheduling a hike for the next full moon-maybe on July 12th. See the bottom for some of the pictures from Sentinel Dome.

By this time, we all are tired and getting hungry, so we hurry the mile and a half back to the cars-thankfully all down hill. Then it is off to Oakhurst. But first our car stops at Washburn Point. This is Angel's second time to Yosemite so we have to show her one of the best views in Yosemite. We eat Mexican at El Cid in Oakhurst. Reimers closed three minutes before we get done at El Cid's. So no ice cream for us. We drop Angel off at 8 and get back home at 8:15. Just another ordinary good day in Yosemite.

Trail Lesson:
Enjoy the trail and do not push people beyond their limits, but you can help them enlarge their comfort zones.

*DDG means Drop Dead Gorgeous-a term I use for a scene just so grand you cannot express it with words.

Sentinel Dome Pictures