October 29, 2014 - Yosemite Valley West

Title: October 29, 2014 - Yosemite Valley West

Trail head: Valley Chapel

Hike Info:

Type:  Hiking

Trail: Valley Loop

Destination: Complete Loop from Valley Chapel to Pohono Bridge to Yosemite Falls and back

Distance:  12.23 miles ¹

Start Time: 9:52¹

End Time:  16:06

Travel Time: 6:13 (1.97 mph)

Moving Time: 5:32 (2.21 mph)

Elevation Rise: 1,670'

Maximum Elevation: 4,164'

 ¹The mileage and time is a bit understated. The first quarter to a third of a mile the GPS did not pick up a signal. Also by its nature a GPS has a certain amount of inaccuracies which I try to compensate for. Another GPS on the trip obtained a reading of 12.8 miles. On a previous trip, I had a reading of 12.48 miles.

Jerry, Carly, and Eli

Description:
This is the complement of the trail I hiked on Saturday, Oct 18th. Instead of heading towards Happy Isles and Mirror Lake, we go westward to Bridalveil Falls, the Pohono Bridge and El Capitan. It is a good hike to do in the Fall when the dogwoods, maples and cottonwoods are turning colors. We have done this same hike the past coupe of years and it has become our favorite Fall hike. This is my first hike as a meetup organizer. So we shall see how things are at the end of the day.

Gary back to pontificating

 At 6:40, I got to Kohl's where we are gathering. First ones there. Amazing! People started coming in and all had arrived by 7. So we were able to leave by 7:05. I think that is a record for any meetup hike I have been on. Then it us up to Starbucks in Oakhurst. We meet Sonya, Jerry, Carly and Eli there and are away by 8:15. I am looking at the coordinates on my car's GPS for remnants of the Old Wawona Road. Don't think I found anything so I will need to go back and piece everything together. But we do get to the Valley Chapel at 9:30. We are 17 adults plus Eli, Jerry K's two-year old grandson. It will be a good group.

Autumn along the trail

The excitement of our hike starts even before our feet hit the trail. A coyote pays us a visit. It seems unperturbed by our group, that is until some of us turn a camera lens on him. He turns camera shy and trots off. 

We start out at 9:45 with the trail right in back of the Valley Chapel. We quickly turn west and get a fine view of the Cathedral Rocks through a break in the trees. The weather is cool-I start with my pants legs and a SmartWool shirt on. I hike with Eli, his grandfather and his mother. It is fun watching him walk along this gentle path. He experiences this path for the first time.

Gary on the trail

 
As I mentioned, the air is brisk, but the skies are clear allowing us to enjoy the Valley experience the best. Almost all of this trail is a gradual down or gradual up.  On the average, less than a hundred feet of gain or loss a mile. As we pass along the south side of the Valley walls, semi-paved path is an easy walk, mostly sandy gravel or pine needle covered. Pine trees line the side with a few broad-leaves, such as dogwood. Just a most excellent time to walk.

As we come close to Cathedral Rocks, the trail does grow more rocky and we experience an incline. This is said sort of tongue in cheek as it is only an incline of maybe 150'. Still when a 2 year old is doing it, I had better buck up and look strong. We all look at the climber's routes up to the Rocks. Each of us says that those routes are not for us, but evidently this is right up Carly's husbands alley.

El Capitan

Our first rest stop happens at Bridalveil Falls parking lot. I think this is rated as the smelliest outhouse on our trail today. Most of us gather a safe distance away from the outhouse. This parking lot is where I almost always lose the trail. While today I did not lose the trail-I knew right where it was-I just did not want to go through a tangle of thorn-covered vines to regain the trail. So we walk an eighth of a mile along the roadway where we find good access to the trail. From here, we walk along the Merced. Most of the time this river is rushing long its long journey to the ocean. But today, it is pretty laid-back. We see the reflection of the trees and rocks in the shallows. This is what the end of year will do to a mighty river, particularly the third year of a drought.

Our Path

Around noon, we round the west side of the Valley on the Pohono trail. I really like the section we just passed through, between Bridalveil and Pohono. The trees drape over the trail, the river flowing beside us, the colors and reflections are there for me to enjoy. Just so good to be alive and experiencing all which God gives us during this season.

Merced River

  

But now we are past noon and it is time for lunch. We go along on the return trip. With the afternoon sun, while not hot, the shadows have disappeared under the more direct light. Still there are the Fall leaves still being attractive. The pace is still good and conversations still flow-a good sign that people are still enjoying the hike and it has not become a trudge.

 

El Capitan

Climber Tent suspended in space

Under El Capitan, we stop for lunch. Most of us take up the time-honored occupation: watching for climbers. Sure enough, there is one party going up the west side, under a heart-shaped overhead.  Later on some of us will see a tent hanging from the east side of the nose. In the meantime, I am learning a secret to being a good organizer: cookies! I brought some Golden M&M Bar cookies and Black Cat cookies. They were enjoyed. Long time ago Sherri and I learned that a well fed group is a content group.

Sentinel Rocks, not Dome

With two-thirds of the trail behind us, we still need to continue on. Now our eyes are focused on the big rocks of Yosemite: El Capitan, Half Dome, the Three Brothers, Glacier Point, and on and on and on.  Seeing them is always awe-inspiring. Makes me feel so privileged to live so close to this beauty. Even with the grass golden, not green, Yosemite has a magical air to it.

Now that we are under a mile of Yosemite Falls, we are seeing people-something which we have only seen around the parking lots and road. Sort of jarring to have voices besides our own. Still, it is not nearly as much as it would have been just a month ago. We cross Northside Drive again and come to the Native American exhibit area. We see a couple TeePee's on the hill side and where they are building a roundhouse. Then we come to Camp 4-where most of the great climbs of the Valley started out from. It is always a good thing to breath that air. But we do notice a few campers giving us side-glances: Are they thinking what is this trail rift-raft doing here? We only stop to use the bathroom and enjoy watching someone climbing a large boulder.

Fawn in meadow

Now it is off again and we shortly come to the Yosemite Falls area-no Falls today so we fore go the side trip and cross back over for the final leg back to the Chapel. Some sharp-sighted people in our group spot some deer in Cooks Meadow. Then we head over Sentinel Bridge and finally into the Chapel parking lot.

So good to be back after 12 1/2 miles. All hikers accounted for and there is even smiles on faces-so I think I have passed the first test of being a meetup organizer. About half the group needs to be getting back home so they take off. But we stop at Todds in Oakhurst. Not only do we get good food, but we even get to  root for the Giants in the World Series. What a day! Sherri and I get home at 7:30.

Half Dome

Trail Lesson:
A well fed group is a content group.

Autumn and Cathedral Rocks

Autumn Trees

Gary on trail

El Capitan

Merced River

September 10, 2014 - Taft Point and Sentinel Dome

Title: September 10, 2014 - Taft Point and Sentinel Dome

Trail head: Glacier Point

Hike Info:

Type:  Hiking

Trail: Pohono Trail

Destination:Taft and Sentinel Dome

Distance: 7.13 miles ¹

Start Time: 10:05

End Time:     3:57

Travel Time:    5:52 (1.22 mph)

Moving Time: 4:17 (1.66 mph)

Elevation Rise:  1,867'

Maximum Elevation: 8,114'

 ¹I forgot to turn on my GPS on the leg between Taft Point and the Sentinel Dome parking lot. I substituted the GPS data from our June 2014 hike, modifying the time and date of the hike on the spreadsheet. The rest of the data is from the Sept 10, 2014 hike.

Description:

Fire! Smoke! Sweat! Aircraft!  Companionship!

 The story of our hike today.

Got up at 4:45am, not needing to get up that early. After having my quiet time, I noticed that the calendar said to meet at Kohl's at 7. But that cannot be! John's hikes always start at 6. But after going back and reading the particulars, yep, I have an hour to be lazy this morning. At Kohl's I acquire John P and Lewis as riders-later on in Fish Camp we will also add Sonya to our collection. Many interesting discussions on the way up: state law and appeals, hiking-of course, and pharmaceutical customer research. It is always amazing what you learn on these hikes.

The Pohono Trail

We get up to Glacier Point just before 10 and by the time our feet hit the dirt, it is 10. I do not know why, maybe it is doing a 600' slope in the first mile, but whenever I walk the Pohono Trail starting at Glacier Point, I feel like I could die as we climb up this part of the trail. It is not as bad as other trails I have been on. Maybe it is psychological or something. For the most part of our hike, it is a fairly easy walk, once we get beyond the first mile. Later on as I was talking with one of my fellow hikers, I pointed out that when I think something will be really hard, it usually is an easier climb than I prepared my self mentally for; the converse is true too.A bit of rolling over ridges with some great scenes opening up on the valley and the backcountry. What more could a boy want?

Smoky West End of Yosemite Valley

Once we do get beyond that first mile, the hiking gets fun. We get to the trail junction from Sentinel Dome. Do we climb that first? Or go on to Taft Point. Wise hikers will do this counter-clockwise; masochists go to the left. By going to Taft Point first, you get to do your ascension gradually. I am all for that.

Right before Sentinel Creek, we get our first good view of the Valley. But I am waiting till we get to the creek as there is one of the better views in my book there. A well worn social trail of about 50 yards goes on the east side of the creek. After the creek starts falling, there is a flat stone-our family has had lunch there before. This view looks down and up the valley-not a view found in the guidebooks I have read. We stop for a few minutes and then continue on, because, in Yosemite, there is ever so much more to see.

And one of those things is coming up soon as we crossed over Sentinel Creek and climb a ridge or two. But along the way, we see squirrels and deer. The deer seemed a bit unusual, in fact there is two of them. When they spot us, they do not run, but they climb up about 20 yards up from us and then it stalks us as we go along.

Taft Point

Fissures

We top a small ridge and drop onto Taft Point. The smoke from the Meadow Fire is clearing out with the Valley air heating. We pass by the Fissures-always a good thing to gawk at. At times I think of them as cracks into doom-but they do not glow red like Tolkein's Crack of Doom. A good sight we see, being able to see most of the north drainage into Yosemite Valley. From El Cap to  the Three Brothers to North Dome. Just a good sight.

Clouds Rest and Half Dome

Sentinel Dome

Now it is onward to Sentinel Dome, via its parking lot along the Glacier Point road. Once we re-climb the 200' up the ridge we descended, the walking turns easy as it is a gentle three-quarters mile walk to the parking lot. Most of us make use of the facilities and then it is onward to the base of Sentinel Dome.  While I have climbed this several times, it is always exciting to see the 360 degree view. It is even more exciting to go up it with a person who has never been up here. To see a friend through new eyes is always a blessing. I do fold up my hiking poles, as well as Becky's. On the granite like the dome is, they tend to get more in the way, at least that is what I think.

Meadow Fire-Sept 10, 2014

The Meadow Fire is what draws my attention. Sherri and I saw it a week ago when it was just in back of the Mt Starr King-it was only 4 acres then and just puffing out a bunch of smoke. But now is a thousand times bigger, making national headlines. We have seen helicopters flying overhead all day long, about one ever 15 minutes or so. They are serious about this mission. I understand that about 570 people are on the ground fighting the fire.

Meadow and Clarence King Fire on Sept 2, 2014

But the hours is getting late, so down we come. Somehow going back to the car is so much easier. Of course it all downhill. But even downhill can be a strain. For some in our group, today was just a walk in the park; to others it was stretching them to their limits. But by the smiles on all of our faces when we got down to Glacier Point, all had a good time. Even better was the smiles we had in Oakhurst when we stopped at Reimer's for some mouth watering ice cream. We did get back a bit later than John anticipated, but I did not hear anyone complaining.

Trail Lesson:

Imagine conquering the hard hike-the trail turns do-able.

Fire Fighting Helicopter

Fire Fighting Helicopter

Fire Fighting Helicopter

Meadow Fire = John Muir Trail

Meadow Fire - towards Mt Clarence King

Place: CA-Three Brothers

Three Brothers-6,713' (Half Dome) (37.7415923,  -119.6151663)

Description:
“The Indian name for the three rocky peaks near which this capture was made was not then known to any of our battalion, but from the strange coincidence of three brothers being made prisoners so near them, we designated the peaks as the ‘Three Brothers.’ I soon learned that they were called by the Indians ‘Kom-po-pai-zes,’ from a fancied resemblance of the peaks to the heads of frogs when sitting up ready to leap. A fanciful interpretation has been given the Indian name as meaning ‘mountains playing leap-frog,’ but a literal translation is not desirable.” (Bunnell: Discovery of the Yosemite, 1911, p. 152.)

“Three points which the Indians know as ‘Eleacha,’ named after a plant much used for food, but which some lackadaisical person has given the commonplace name of ‘The Three Brothers’!” (Hutchings: Scenes of Wonder and Curiosity in California, 1860, p. 94. See, also, Hutchings: In the Heart of the Sierras, 1886, pp. 67, 395.)

“Wawhawke. The Three Brothers; said to mean ‘falling rocks.’ The usual name given as that of the Three Brothers is ‘Pompomposus,’ equivalent to ‘Kompopaise’ given by our interpreter as the name of the small rock a little to the west of the Three Brothers. It was said to mean ‘Leaping Frog Rock.’ . . . The common idea is that the Indians imagined the mountains to be playing ‘Leap Frog.’ It would remain, in that case, to show that the Indians practice that, to us, familiar game; we have never caught them at it.” (Whitney Survey: The Yosemite Book, 1868, pp. 16-17.)

“Kom-pom-pe'sa, a low rock next west of Three Brothers. This is erroneously spelled ‘Pompompasus,’ applied to Three Brothers, and interpreted ‘Mountains playing leap-frog.’ The Indians know neither the word nor the game.” (Powers: Tribes of California, in Contributions to North American Ethnology, III, 1877, p. 363.)

[Web editor’s note: the correct translation is “a couple copulating”—dea. ]
Place Names of the High Sierra (1926) by Francis P. Farquhar

    In Yosemite National Park, on the north wall of Yosemite Valley, consists of three peaks, Eagle Peak, Middle Brother, and Lower Brother, 1.6 km (1 mi) west of Yosemite Lodge and 2.2 km (1.4 mi) northeast of El Capitan. (US-T121)  From the GNIS database

According to Browning, Peter. Yosemite Place Names. Lafayette, California: Great West Books, 1988. p144, the Three Brothers are also called: Wawhawke, Kom-po-pai-zes, and Eleacha

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