Yosemite National Park Challenge
Date Started: 12/04/22 Date Finished: 12/23/22
Yosemite | ||
44mi (70km) | ||
6 Virtual Postcards | ||
5 Landmarks | ||
Located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range is the internationally recognised Yosemite National Park. Designated a World Heritage Site, Yosemite is characterised by its granite cliffs, deep valleys, giant sequoia trees, grand waterfalls, streams and expansive meadows. Nearly 95% of Yosemite is a federally protected wilderness area, which means it is still wild and free from human development. It is home to black bears, bighorn sheep, coyotes and marmots.
With five vegetation zones including woodland, montane forest and alpine zones, Yosemite has mixed forests of conifer, pine, cedar and fir. As the landscape elevation increases, vegetation becomes sparser, trees become smaller, and granite cliffs become more dominant. The long-distance Pacific Crest Trail travels through the park.
The Ahwahneechee People led by Chief Tenaya were the indigenous tribe living in Yosemite. Most tribe members were driven out of the area after John D. Savage led the 1851 Mariposa War and European Americans settled in the area.
Four years later, Galen Clark moved into the area to recover from tuberculosis and stumbled across the giant sequoias in the Mariposa Grove. He fervently lobbied for the protection of Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove and by 1864 the Yosemite Grant was signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln which was "the first time the US Federal Government set aside land for use as a park". Handed over to the state of California for preservation, Galen spent the next 20 years as the guardian of Yosemite Valley.
Galen was a friend of John Muir, the "Father of National Parks." A prolific writer, he picked up the reins from Galen, campaigning to further protect the area. He succeeded with the creation of Yosemite National Park in 1890. However, the park did not include the valley nor the grove. Muir, never one to give up, continued lobbying and, following a camping trip with President Theodore Roosevelt, made a compelling pitch for Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove to be returned to federal protection and added to Yosemite National Park. Roosevelt agreed and signed a bill in 1906 doing exactly that.
Another notable conservationist was photographer Ansel Adams, who is considered the "spiritual father of American landscape photography". Ansel shared the same great love for Yosemite and spent significant time in the park capturing its essence and moodiness. His dramatic black and white images "aimed to evoke its vastness and sublime grandeur". Adams' photography was often paired with Muir's writings, illustrating their passion for Yosemite.
Despite the park's vastness, most visitors, including myself, spend their time in Yosemite Valley. My journey begins at Nevada Fall, a 594ft (181m) waterfall with a bent shape. After a freefall for the first third of its length, the waterfall hits the sloped rockface tumbling down into the Merced River. A pool at the top of the falls is a popular swimming hole.
As a photographer at heart and inspired by Ansel Adams' photographs, I consider the composition of Nevada Fall and the story I want to tell through my images. After a handful of vertical and horizontal shots, I head towards Vernal Falls on the John Muir Trail.
Crossing the bridge over Merced River, I entered woodland on a narrow and well-maintained trail, albeit a bit rocky and uneven. Occasional openings between the trees afforded views of granite domes and the green landscape below. The sheer granite wall on one side of the trail was met with a sheer drop on the other with either no barrier for safety or just a very low wall separating the trail from the edge. As I progressed, the terrain became more rugged and rockier but the picturesque view of Nevada Fall's bend and the adjacent granite dome called Liberty Cap was worthy of a break and some well thought out photographic moments.
I turned right at Clark Point and descended on a wild section of the trail down to the Emerald Pool for a dip in the cool water. The Merced River continued to move around and over large boulders until it tumbled once again down Vernal Falls. A lookout sat at the top of the fall with views across the narrow canyon. A fun sidenote, Vernal Falls was incorrectly shown on a 1932 stamp. A set of seven stamps depicting landmarks in the Philippines were produced by the US. One of the stamps was originally supposed to depict Pagsanjan Falls, but because the designer could not find an acceptable image, Vernal Falls was substituted. It was discovered when a philatelist with a keen eye recognised the falls.
I continued with my hike to Glacier Point where John Muir and President Roosevelt stood on a rocky outcrop admiring Yosemite Valley during their camping trip in 1903. Many of the park's landmarks are visible from this viewpoint including the imposing Half Dome with its sheer cliff-face on one side and rounded dome on the other.
Connecting to the Four Mile Trail, I began my descent into the valley. Constructed in 1872 as a toll path, the trail was very steep, with plenty of switchbacks as it wound its way down. Hard on the knees going down, I took plenty of breaks filling my camera with panoramic shots of the valley and its many landmarks.
I ended this section in the valley at the Four Mile Trailhead and turned left toward Bridalveil Falls.
I spent the next 3mi (5km) on an uneventful meander, enjoying the beautiful forest and having the Merced River's company as it wound its way beside me. I took a little detour to Bridalveil Fall. It is known for thundering during the spring so much that reaching the trail's end is sometimes impossible because of the strong spray created as it plummets 620ft (189m) from above.
I crossed the river on its northern side and stopped at one of the valley's viewpoints. The granite cliffs rose above the treelines with a commanding presence whilst Bridalveil Fall tumbled in the distance from a hanging valley. Here I sat in silence, listening to the birds singing, the river babbling and feeling the trees filling my lungs with clean air. It was easy for me to imagine the valley's summer color palette of green and grey slowly changing to a warm palette in autumn and a cool palette of white, grey and icy blue by winter.
My next stop was the 100-million-year-old, granite rock called El Capitan ('the captain'). A million years ago, glaciers carved this vertical rock formation. Whilst the summit of El Capitan can be reached via a trail hike, the challenge is in the technical climb up The Nose, a route ascending 2,900ft (880m) up the central buttress of the monolith. The first ascent was completed in 1958 by Warren Harding, an accomplished rock climber who succeeded in climbing some 28 first ascents in Yosemite. It took him 47 days to summit El Capitan and it would take another 27 years before The Nose was successfully completed in one day.
Leaving the climbing to the experts, I chose to enjoy this grand rock formation from the meadows adjacent to it. Laying out a picnic blanket in the centre with snacks and drinks, I took in the splendid 360 degrees of towering cliffs and surrounding trees. I think I may while away some time here in the sunshine amongst this magnificent landscape.
Passing Devil's Elbow and El Capitan Picnic Areas, I turned off Northside Drive back into the valley and the meadows. Trekking along an unmarked path, my greatest joy was whenever I was walking beside the river, ever so peacefully flowing on its way.
I crossed the Swinging Bridge over the river which ironically was not swinging since it was made of solid wood. However, prior to 1965, crossing this part of the river was done on an actual swinging bridge made of narrow wood planks and a couple of cables holding it together. Any cheeky individual wanting a heart-pumping experience could jump up and down and swing side to side on the bridge so that anyone else on it would need to either lie down or hold tightly to the cables to keep from being tossed into the river. Although the spring floods posed the greatest danger, they could often damage or wash away the bridge. I prefer the safety of a solid bridge to admire the crystal-clear water below and Sentinel Dome above.
Back in the meadows I got my first glance of Yosemite Falls, powerfully plunging over the edge of the mountain. As the highest waterfall in the park, it drops a total of 2,425ft (739m) over three levels. The upper fall, which is what I saw from the meadow, makes up nearly half of the total drop. The middle section is made up of four smaller plunges and collectively named as the Middle Cascades. Given its location in a narrow gorge with limited access, the middle section is often overlooked and visible in only a small number of places. The lower falls is the smallest of the three and the most accessible.
Looking for a bit of adventure I tackled the arduous hike up to the upper falls. The 3mi (5km) ascent was on a steep trail through oak woodland. The terrain was rocky and uneven, filled with switchback after switchback. Staying on the path was mandatory as adjacent to the trail were many steep drops. The trail was difficult but my perseverance was rewarded with spectacular scenery from above the waterfall. I extended my hike to the nearby Yosemite Point where I had direct views of Half Dome and the nearby Lost Arrow Spire, a detached pillar that became a hotspot for highlining (slackline in high places) over the valley. In 1985, Scott Balcom became the first person in the world to successfully highline from one side to the other.
Taking in the panoramic views, I mentally photographed what I saw and understood why Ansel Adams would go to such lengths, climbing treacherous trails, carrying heavy camera equipment to capture the splendour of this park.
Footage of Scott's 1985 highline.
Having left Yosemite Falls, I criss-crossed Merced River, connecting with a trail that took me to Mirror Lake. Being a calm day, the clear lake reflected the surrounding cliffs, providing gorgeous reflection-themed photo opportunities.
Whilst the lake is full during spring and early summer, the rest of the year it dries up and is often referred to as Mirror Meadow, filled with grasses and sandy spots. Taking in my surroundings, I could see Mt Watkins, Washington Column, North Dome, and another perspective of Half Dome which I was heading towards to climb to the top.
The Half Dome climb to the summit is not for the faint of heart. Rising 5,000ft (1,250m) above Yosemite Valley and 8,800ft (2,680m) above sea level, the trail to Half Dome was the longest and steepest hike in the park. There were two major components in climbing the dome. The first was tackling the sub dome which I climbed via steps in a zig-zag fashion. The steps were rugged without handrails for support or balance. As I moved to higher altitude the air got thinner and my breathing harder. Keeping myself in check for altitude sickness, I made sure I drank plenty of water and monitored my physical well being. Any sign of headache or dizziness and I would have had to return to lower altitude.
The next stage was climbing the cables. Two sets of cables are set into the rock with wood plank steps set at intervals. The 400ft (120m) climb was vertical and exposed.
Luckily there were no clouds over my head because in wet weather the rock becomes slick and the cables difficult to hold on to. Getting stuck on the cables would expose me to the risk of lightning and the cables themselves can become electrified. Thankfully, the sky was blue and I could focus on getting to the top. Reaching the summit, I was met with stunning views of the valley and the High Sierra.
Absorbing the beauty of this place, I lined up a series of panoramic shots on my trusty camera before I turned to go back down. Descending those 5,000 vertical feet (1,250m) was surprisingly much harder than going up. The risk of falling or slipping was ever-present but a slow and steady approach saw me back at ground level safe and sound.
Reaching the Half Dome Trailhead, I re-joined the John Muir Trail and made my way back to the start of my journey at Nevada Fall. Hiking through stunning woodland with the sun streaming amongst the leaves, I reflected on my last adventure hiking up the Half Dome. It took courage to tackle the cables and trust in my capabilities and fitness.
With a spring in my step and a smile on my face I returned to Nevada Fall. Adjacent to the fall was the imposing granite dome called Liberty Cap. The dome got its name in 1865 when the then California Governor thought its shape resembled the cap of liberty on the half-cent coin, the smallest US coin denomination that was minted between 1793 and 1857.
Right next to Liberty Cap was the slightly smaller dome called Mount Broderick with its rock climbing routes. It was named after David C Broderick, a US senator from California who was mortally wounded after being shot in a pistol duel following a disagreement with his opponent.
The summit of Liberty Cap was accessible from the northeast gully. Feeling brave enough, I tackled its rocky terrain with a little bit of scrambling to reach the top. Taking in the last of my aerial views and of course just a few more photos, I descended to the base and looked for an ideal spot to sit down and enjoy the end of my journey.
This journey seemed over all too soon. I truly understand why Galen Clark, John Muir, President Roosevelt, Ansel Adams and scores of other conservationists worked tirelessly and lobbied wholeheartedly to protect this pristine wilderness and keep it in its original condition as much as possible.
Farewell and see you on the next journey.
In addition to the medal below, 6 trees will be planted in my name!
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