11th April: Yosemite
From Wd
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Gavin's diary—5.30pm 11th April 2007, Ahwahnee Hotel, Yosemite NP
It seems extraordinary to be here again after a gap of 27 years—more than half my life ago. (Back in 1980, on holiday and freshly graduated, we had arranged to camp in the Valley and have dinner one night at this hotel.)
This afternoon we're drying out in front of the hotel's massive fireplace after a mixture of snow and rain in Maripose Grove and on the climb to Vernal Falls. It was tiring and somewhat precarious at times. Several of us fell away before reaching the summit.
Jinny's Blog
The next day we had a quick breakfast, packed sandwiches for lunch and left by 8.00am (early morning departure was to be quite the norm, with couple of exceptions thereafter). We went to see the giant sequoias at Mariposa Grove. It had started to drizzle a bit when we got out of the van, then there was light snow and before we knew it, it was snowing steadily. We walked a mile or so to see the Giant Grizzly, took pictures and were glad to get back into the van. Off to Yosemite where it was raining. Collette and Tim (the only married couple) realized they didn’t have rain proof gear so they went shopping, the rest of us started off towards the Nevada fall on the Mist trail.
Vernal Falls
The first major stop on the trail was at Vernal Falls (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernal_Fall). People in the group started getting left behind very early in the rain and the added mist of the fall itself. I forced myself to climb up the very steep steps to Vernal Falls at the end of that portion of the trail. My hair and hands and gloves were wet. I was cold by the time I reached Vernal Falls and had developed a foot cramp. By then it was James, Gavin, Aussie couple, Natalie (Londoner who bunked with me, she has done the Three Peak Challenge in the UK), Dan and his college friend Bevan. Other than Gavin and James, I will refer to them as 'the super five' hereafter because they were super-good as compared to me on hikes.
Bevan hiked in a fabric sling bag—kind of like a laptop bag—and loafers and two thin layers of shirt and regular pants that didn’t look waterproof to me. I so wanted to send his picture hiking like that to Jeff since he had warned me about being underprepared compared to others. As it turned out Bevan did some hikes and the Zion Narrows (a walk through the very cold river water) in flip-flops and was agile like a monkey. I asked what was up with him, Dan explained that Bev was in the armed forces and has been through much worse.
Anyway, I was beat and wet and cold. James and Gavin wanted to turn back and the super five decided to go on to Nevada Falls. I was happy to turn back with G and J. There was no way I was going to risk being left behind alone by the others. That was my worst hike of the trip. I didn’t like the steep steps—I prefer a steady incline—and I got terribly wet and cold, but I already said that, didn’t I? I decided that I need to find waterproof inner gloves since my fingers are always the coldest. I was also a little disorganized in this hike getting confused with where I put things and having too many layers on at one time and with a bulky ski jacket, the only jacket that I had for protection against rain. My legs and feet were remarkably dry though in my water-resistant cargos and overpants and the gaiters on top of it all. Thank goodness for small mercies! (Jinny's commentary on her hiking kit goes on for another 29 pages which have been excised from this blog for the sake of the readers' mental health—Ed.)
On our way back, ran into Chuck. (A little about him: he is in his 50s and has recently travelled to Peru and Russia). Off we went to the Ahwahnee Hotel which has a huge, roaring fireplace. Others arrived there soon after us and we pretty much took over one section of the fireplace with our wet bags and clothes. We dried our things by the fire, had hot chocolate. Peta (Aussie girl) came in and told us the Nevada Falls trail was closed due to fallen rock and she had turned back but that the other four (Dan, Bev, Nat and her boyfriend Chris) had gone ahead anyway. I felt glad I had turned back earlier since I would never risk hiking with that warning sign. I love my life and have my own bills and loans to go back to! I spent hours and hours by the fireplace, I didn’t want to leave.
Dodgy Video Footage
- Trek, Day Two, in Yosemite NP (Duration 3:40)
