Hike Info:
Type: Backpacking
Trail head: McGurk Meadow Trailhead
Trail: McGurk Meadow, Pohono Trail
Destination: Bridalveil Creek
Distance: 2.12 miles
Start Time: 10:45End Time: 12:04
Travel Time: 1:19 (1.61 mph)
Moving Time: 1:06 (1.93 mph)
Elevation Rise: 334'
Descent: 507‘
Maximum Elevation: 7,084'
GPS Tracks
Type: Hiking
Trail head: Bridalveil Creek
Trail: Pohono Trail
Destination: Dewey Point
Distance: 5.23 miles
Start Time: 1:57
End Time: 7:05
Travel Time: 5:07 (1.02 mph)
Moving Time: 3:42 (1.41 mph)
Elevation Rise: 1,266 '
Descent: 1,203‘+
Maximum Elevation: 7,351'
GPS Tracks
I get to go backpacking with
my kids. Well, at least two of them-Rachel and Steven. It did not
work out for us to backpack last weekend when Andrea was with us.
Still, it is good to be out there. Two more things: they are no
longer kids and two, we do not know if we are really going to be able
to backpack. When I go to recreation.gov,
it shows no permits are available anyplace in Yosemite. Our plan is
to go to Yosemite
and see if we can find availability. If not, we will do a day hike
today, return to Fresno and go on a hike tomorrow with Sherri.
The three of us say our
farewells to Sherri and leave at 7:45. I am driving. We stopped in
Oakhurst at MacDonalds
for some substance. Then at the Visitor’s Information. Both the
Park and Sierra National Forest no longer have a presence there. All
which the docent can tell us is that we will need to go into the
Valley to get our permit. We enter the Park and go to the Wawona
Ranger Station,
which is closed. But I notice they have a bulletin board out in
front. Is it possible we can do self-registration? Yes!
Now the question is where to
go? I proposed a couple of places: Alder
Falls or
Bridalveil
Creek.
We chose the more relaxing trip to Bridalveil Creek. We set off for
the McGurk
Meadow Trailhead
and arrived about 10:30. It takes us a few minutes to get ready, but
our feet touch dirt at about 10:45.
 |
| Rachel's Log Crossing |
Sherri and I have gone down
this trail all the way to Dewey Point as a day hike. Also
nine years ago,
Sherri, Sonya and I did an overnighter on this trail after an aborted
JMT
and
Chain Lake
trips. Memories. That is one good thing about taking a walk down a
trail you know well.
But today is a day for new
memories with my son and daughter. We go the first ¾ mile down to
McGurk Cabin. Here I make my usual comment that McGurk must have been
a pygmy as the doorway to his cabin is only about 3’ tall. Then we
see the beginnings of the greens of his meadow. Somehow this meadow
which does not look that big continues for over a mile. It is a
breath of refreshment, especially since so far we have not attracted
any mosquitos.
There are two notable things
about the trail today. First, there are good patches of snow, even
about 10-15 yards long. Nothing which causes a problem, just being on
the alert for any ice under the snow. Then the other thing is the
trail crew, if we have any things year, has not been out yet. It is a
bit early for them. There are numerous logs across the trail. Some we
go around, some we go over and one tree we do a limbo under. I guess
I am going to get my exercise today.
We get to the junction with
the Pohono
 |
| Looking east from Dewey Point |
trail pretty quickly-after all it is mostly downhill. It is about a
quarter mile to Bridalveil Creek. Once there, the mission is to find
a campsite. While the area is pretty level, there is a slope to it.
For Steven, that does not matter as he sets up his hammock. For
Rachel and I who will be sharing a tent, it does. But we find a place
which is reasonable and pitch our tent. Then it is on to lunch as it
is a little past noon now.
We discussed what we wanted to
do. It was decided to go to Dewey
Point,
only a little more than two miles away. The trail does have some
debris, but not the number of downed trees like we encountered from
McGurk. The trail leads us around the Valley rim, but never at a
place where we have a few. It is mostly forested.
There is a sense of a rolling
uphill towards Dewey Point. I am breathing hard, but by stopping
occasionally I make it to the Point a little after 4. The view is
spectacular. Anytime you look into the Valley, it is enough to take
your breath away. Today it is not only figuratively, but literally.
But Yosemite provides even a better backdrop. The snow is still heavy
above 8,000’. Tops of mountains show a bit of granite but their
flanks are coats of white. One can stay here a long time just gazing.
God does know how to paint a picture.
Rachel takes a picture of our
conquest. Then I leave a few minutes ahead of them. I realize that I
am the weak link of this party, so I leave a few minutes before the
others. I start off following some footprints to the southeast of
Dewey, but quickly realize this is not the way. I spot the mileage
marker just 20 yards away and head towards that.
When I got back on the trail,
something did not seem right, so I stopped to let my body catch up
with what I wanted to do. The next thing I know, Steven is asking if
I am OK. I am wondering where I am, as in why am I on the ground.
From what Steven said, I was out for about ten seconds. After a
couple of minutes I got up, a bit concerned about what happened.
Rachel puts her Apple watch on me to get some heartbeat and O2
readings. I looked at my CGM to make sure I did not go low.
Everything looks good. Heart rate 115-130, O2 low 90’s and blood
sugars at 180. After some discussion, we decided to call my brother
David who has had some EMT training. We described the situation. He
walked us through some of the concerns and possibilities.
With David’s input, we
discussed what to do. I am feeling better, so the decision is to try
to walk back at least to the junction, about two miles and see how I
am doing. Rachel keeps David on the phone until we leave the service
area. But that is not too much of a concern as both Rachel and I have
PLB’s. Steven walks in front of me, pacing me, with Rachel making
sure I look OK. The pacing is slow, very slow with lots of breaks.
We get to the junction and I
am doing OK. So Steven goes quickly to camp to draw water for dinner.
By the time I get to camp, it is 7pm. Fortunately there is a lot of
sunlight left. I rest while Steven and Rachel prepare dinner. Dinner
is freeze dried lasagna and chicken pot pie. We have a little bit
more than we needed. Still it is better to have too much than not
enough.
By this time, the sky is
darkening. But even more which we are aware of is that it is getting
cold. Around 8:20, Steven retreats to his hammock while Rachel and I
duck into our tent. Even in the tent and sleeping bag, the
temperature gets a bit brisk until the bag warms up. I read for a bit
and then go to sleep around 9:00.
Trail Lesson: Realize what is important in your life.
