Yosemite July 2017 - Day 3/5

Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Up at 5:45, packed up camp, down to the car, drove around to Camp 4 - pretty cool moon-sighting on the way:


I got to the line at Camp 4 at 6:30. There were a lot of people already there:

(I must be a real hiker/camper dude!)

I read my book and did some sudokus. Somewhat after 8 AM the Ranger came down the line, handing out numbers -- he gave his last two numbers to the 2 guys RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. I burst out laughing (OF COURSE, ITS ALL GOD'S WILL)! So "it was now decided" that I was going to camp up near Hetch Hetchy this evening. And since I was already parked in a main parking lot across from Camp 4, I decided to day-hike Upper Yosemite Falls Trail:

The sign behind Camp 4 (where the trail begins) says that Upper Yosemite Fall is 3.5 mi - so how come I hiked 11.07 miles!?!?!?

You can't read it,

but that middle area at Camp 4 restrooms says "Potable Water"

You just turn the faucet and FRESH WATER COMES RUSHING OUT! No filtering!!

I started hiking around 9:30 - not a cloud in the sky (which means it is hot, so keep drinking water!). 45 minutes later, looking back down west into the Valley:

Hikers, and our first sighting of Upper Yosemite Falls:


I will eventually wind up on the peak in the upper-right - Yosemite Point.

After many switchbacks I arrived at the top of the trail (at noon). This open area

is just to the west of the falls, and you go out along the purple line to some great views:



I followed the black-dotted-line down/over to Yosemite Creek, which becomes The Falls





Filtered-and-filled-up my two water bottles, and continued up the dotted-black-line to Yosemite Point:




I LOVE seeing the snow on the mountains in the distance.

Heading down from Yosemite Point, looking north at the "back country":


Heading back down the trail, I say goodbye to Yosemite Valley:


I got to the car a little after 4, returned my bear canister at the main Wilderness Center, and headed out to Evergreen Road and the Hetch Hetchy area:

It is a 2-hour drive to the Evergreen Lodge, and ALL THE CAMPSITES WERE FULL. Since I was planning on dinner at the Evergreen Lodge anyway, I walked to the front desk and asked for any room they had - they were SOLD OUT. Wait, wait - there is ONE OVERFLOW TENT SITE AVAILABLE:

Can everyone say "THANK YOU GOD"!!

Excellent dinner at the bar ("Deconstructed Venison Stew"), plus smores at the campfire afterwards. Brushed my teeth, and crawled into the tent as it got dark.

Music for driving around today was albums from my iPod:

Joe Jackson - Blaze of Glory, 1989


Simon & Garfunkel - Bookends, 1968


Paul Kantner and Jefferson Starship - Blows Against the Empire, 1970