Gary-Summer: Cathedral

Showing posts with label Cathedral. Show all posts

Sunday, May 11, 2025

May 11, 2025 - Yosemite Valley

Title: May 11, 2025 - Yosemite Valley
Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's : Flowers and Plants

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking

Trail head: Yosemite Parking Area

Trail: Cook Meadow, Valley Loop Trail

Destination: None

Actual Destination: Mirror Lake

Distance: 4.21 miles

Start Time: 11:15

End Time: 2:45

Travel Time: 3:40 (1.15 mph)

Moving Time: 2:05 (2.02 mph)

Elevation Rise: 784 '

Descent: 620‘

Maximum Elevation: 4,247'

GPS Track

Description:

It was the typical Spring day in Yosemite

Ribbon Falls

, with some exceptions. First, this is Mother’s Day. Second, all five of us were planning to go to Yosemite to celebrate this day. Third, Yosemite is not as crowded as expected. One of those did not play out. That would be Rachel did not go with us-Friday, the dog, was not doing well. So she stayed home.

Like I said, it is Mother’s Day. I got up around 5:45 and made pancakes for all of us. By 8:00, we were already ready to go. I am driving. Nothing exciting happens on the drive. Except Sherri does realize she forgot her phone. So no picture taking for her today. There is only one car in front of us at the entrance station. So we get in quickly. We do stop at Chinquapin. There was a German couple and we talked. They are going to Glacier Point. For the first time today, I played tour guide and told them about things they can see on the road. Then off we go into the Valley.

There is a lot of parking in front of Bridalveil Falls. We parked and walked up towards the Falls. There are dogwoods in bloom. We look up towards the Falls. They are coming over the lip and catching the sunlight. Not only that, mist is flying upwards, swirling around in the winds the falling water makes. This is one of the things which make Yosemite Valley special. Sherri and I go only part way up; Andrea and Steven go all the way up and get drenched. But by the time we get down to the car they are dry. It is that kind of day.

Bridalveil Falls

Then along Southside drive we go. A year and a half ago, Andrea and Lawrence got married at Cathedral Beach. The Merced River is up close to being full. The beach they were married on is covered. Andrea looks like she is going out, but her wisdom prevents her and she is content to gaze at the area.

Then it is onward. I am anticipating parking at Curry Village, but it is full and traffic control waves us on to the Yosemite Parking Area. Time to recalibrate today’s walk. Sherri wants to go past Yosemite Falls. This makes route planning a bit easier.

Bridalveil Mist

We head towards Cooks Meadow. This gives us a view of the eastern end of the Valley-nothing like it in my 71 years of experience. Half Dome to the east, Yosemite Falls to the North and Glacier Point to the South. So much natural splendor.

We cross the Meadow going towards Yosemite Falls. The walking is leisurely. We climb up to the bridge over Yosemite Creek. Once we get to the bridge, there is some spray, but not really a lot-at least by Spring’s standards. Usually at this time of year, we are drenched with spray. We look and take pictures. We are now on the Valley Loop Trail. We leave the paved trail and have dirt under our feet. We start to head upward.

As we headed up, there were two couples who appeared lost and wanted a place to eat. I tell them to continue on this trail until they come to a parking area. When they get there, they are behind Degnans where they can get lunch. They are appreciative. I guess I cannot help but being a tour guide. Turns out the instructions are slightly off, but they are in the vicinity.

Now I am able to give our own group some instructions about where we will eat lunch. But somehow what I thought I was saying did not get conveyed. We still ended up looking at Ahwahnee Meadow as our lunch time location.

After lunch, we headed towards the Ahwahnee, but did not go in. Just on the other side of the hotel, the Valley Loop Trail is closed. Why? There is some loose rock on the Royal Arches, so they have blocked off the area. But there is a route around the danger area.

Andrea and Steven travel ahead on the way to Mirror Lake

. We get to the section of trail which the horses use. There is an outhouse by the road going up to the Lake. I told Sherri that I would wait for them there. As a bonus, there is a whole forest of dogwood which I enjoy.

Steven, Sherri, Andrea

For 45 minutes I enjoy them until Andrea wonders where am I at? We coordinate and in a few minutes, I see them.We walked further on to the Mirror Lake tram stop. The tram is packed. We stay on until we reach our parking area.

We drove home after considering stopping for dinner in Oakhurst. Glad we waited as Rachel had a delicious spread waiting for us. This is a good Mother’s Day dinner. Thanks Rachel. Oh yeah, and Friday’s problem was that there was a pine needle in her paw.

Extra Photo's

Royal Arches Falls

Bridalveil Falls Mist

Sun through mist and leaves

Top of Bridalveil Falls

Flowers and Plants

Dogwood

Wednesday, November 13, 2024

November 13, 2024 - Yosemite Valley West

Title: November 13, 2024 - Yosemite Valley West

Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking

Trail head: Bridalveil Falls Parking Lot

Trail: Valley Loop Trail

Destination: Loop

Distance: 6.95 miles

Start Time: 11:14

End Time: 4:18

Travel Time: 5:04 (1.37 mph)

Moving Time: 3:53 (1.79 mph)

Elevation Rise: 835'

Descent: 843‘

Maximum Elevation: 4,061'

GPS Tracks

Description:

I went to bed with the thought we would be going to Yosemite in the morning. But uncertain what time we would leave. I got up at 6:30. Sherri gets up around 7 and we leave at 8:25. Sherri starts off driving. But we stopped in Oakhurst for a pastry at Judy's. Actually Sherri got a blueberry pastry and she got me a buttermilk glazed pastry. Judy’s threw in some donut holes as well.

South Fork of the Mered

Bridge over Bridalveil Ck

And then we went on with me driving, stopping briefly in Wawona before going down to the Valley. The stop enabled me to look across the South Fork of the Merced to see if we could cross it to see the Arboretum-the Merced is a bit higher than I was willing to attempt. Last week we hiked the East end of the Valley. Today, it is the West end. We were able to park at the Bridalveil Falls parking area. It has been revamped over the past two years and is much better, especially the bathroom which previously stunk. Probably because this is a late Fall weekday, there is plenty of parking available.

We started hiking a little after 11. I decided that we would go counter-clockwise, east along the Valley Loop Trail. This would take us up the more prominent climb first, rather than doing the climb when we were tired. To clarify, this is not a serious climb, but as the last mile of a 13 miler, it is with heavy legs we have climbed up this section close to Cathedral Rocks.

El Capitan

The air is cold. It must have been below freezing overnight as all puddles on the south side of the Valley had ice on them. About half of them were frozen solid. We have poles which help and on almost all of the frozen puddles we were able to navigate around.Between stopping every hundred yards to admire the beauty around us and trying not to slip on the ice, we were pretty slow in our hike. Slow never means that we did not enjoy our time, maybe it means we are enjoying it too much? I do not think so. You can never over enjoy Yosemite.

Cathedral Rocks

We have met several people along the way, some who know where they are going and some who do not. All we warn about the ice around Cathedral Rocks. Once beyond the rocks, the trail flattens out. We are able to walk a bit faster now, still admiring the woods.

We approached the Cathedral Beach area, where Andrea and Lawrence were married almost 13 months to the day. We leave the Valley Loop Trail and cut over towards the

El Capitan Bridge. But before crossing them, we find a nice log, sit and have lunch. Pleasant enough to rest. We spend about 15 minutes here and left about 1:15. Now we cross the trail and find the trail over to the Valley Loop Trail, under El Capitan.

Here we meet a family from Australia who are enjoying the Park. They have spotted a couple of climbers on the El Capitan’s Nose. We talked for about 15 minutes before we both went on our way; they went towards the east and we went west. When we get a clear view of El Capitan, we play the game of finding the climbers. We spot three sets of them. Always glad to see them up there and us on the ground.

The part from El Cap to the Pohono Bridge is a bit of a blur. A blur of yellows and reds and greens. This is why we hike the Valley in the Falls, to enjoy the assortment of colors. The trail itself rolls over ridges and undulates through ravines. The creek bed which Ribbon Falls runs through is dry, as expected.

We get to the Pohono Bridge and cross it. The Merced is slowly running under the bridge, allowing for the colors to reflect off of the still waters. Then it is time for the final leg back to the parking area. We travel up the Merced, soaking in its beauty. Also since we have been stung here before by meat bees, we are on the lookout for them. But it is too cold for them to be active.

Merced from the Pohono Bridge

The last obstacle is Bridalveil Creek. At times, usually in the Spring, it is running too full to cross. Today, we picked our path on rocks in the water. Then we made it back to the car about 4:15. It has been a full day.

Merced and El Capitan

Sherri starts us driving back and I take over in Wawona. We stopped at Carl’s Jr in Oakhurst. Then make it back to our house about 7pm, getting on the Zoom call at 7:10. Once it is finished, the shower calls me and I must go.