SEQUOIA & YOSEMITE: THE LAND OF BEARS

Don’t worry, I didn’t get to see any bears… is it wrong that I’m just slightly disappointed by this? I mean, I prepare my campsite and put my food and things with scents in a bear box… I hike on common trails with a loud whistle and mace… Is it wrong to just want to be actionable?

I started out first with Sequoia. I was only doing one day in Sequoia so after setting up camp (down to 20 min for tarp, tent, sleeping bag, amenities!) I trekked out around some old big trees. Maybe you heard of these sequoia trees before? Either way, ginormous doesn’t begin to explain. Literally I put my car in one (that had fallen over a road so they cut a tunnel into it) and there was still room to fit 2 other cars. I hiked out to the largest tree in the park (according to Wiki, in the world!), General Sherman. I could take a picture anywhere around this tree without anyone else being in it! Aside from the ‘front’ with the sign that everyone else takes their pictures. Where would the front of the tree be? The side which faces north?

That night, I make myself cozy into camp, fire and reading, two of my most favorite things lately (and always, duh). A couple of fellow campers coming romping through, I say hello! The girl has a brace on her wrist, no unlike the one I wore close to this time last year. “Did you break your wrist?”

They both sigh, “Yes, up in Yosemite, which is why we’re a little late getting here…”

“Oh no! That’s actually where I’m headed next, did you end up falling? I had a similar brace from a fall last year.”

“I did, hiking up one of the falls trails…”

We talk for about 20 minutes, inform me that they’re on their way to LA (where I had just come from) for Coachella and were on a mission to find weed. Who knew you could find that in a campground? Maybe I’m just naive.

The next morning I set out for Yosemite. I had actually booked a correctly timed campsite here (surprise!). Driving in takes nearly/over an hour. There are a ton of people here. I finally make it to my campground and talk for about 20 minutes with the volunteer and ranger at check-in. I love when people like what they do so much they just want to share it with anyone who comes their way. This guy definitely loves his (volunteer) job. He recommended several hikes (for a solo traveler like me), suggested I hit up the lodge and the old hotel and the deli and the grille and the pizza oven and the store (what?? parks have all these things?). I was amazed at how easy they try to make it to get out into the ‘wilderness’. I make it out to one short beautiful hike to Mirror Lake (is this where all those Apple images come from??) and make my way over to the store, mostly intending just to check things out. I check out the deli (free wifi!) the grille (a veggie burger maybe later?!) and the shop where I ended up buying a chocolate bar (for s’mores!).

The next day I plan out my hikes, the longest in the morning, with a couple easy 2 milers afterwards, a veggie burger as a reward at the end. The volunteer recommended I check out the falls nearby (not the namesake Yosemite Falls, that’s later) and especially to do the Mist Trail… “This time of year you should get a good mist while hiking up…”

2 miles up the Mist Trail and I’m absolutely drenched in ‘mist’. Its close to 45 and barely warming. But none of that matters when I make it to the top. The sun is shining, there’s rainbows in the mist and I can finally catch my breathe… Until I continue on to the actual top of Nevada Falls. This is where it gets a little tricky. This is bear country right? Oh and snakes and mountain lions and whatever else wants to eat me and it seems like no one else has started or been on this trail yet this morning. I hesitate but say “F it. I’m going”. I get lost. I find the trail. I hesitate, was that twigs snapping? I get lost. I find the trail. I see other people! But going the opposite direction. I finally end up somewhere at the top. Not all trails are marked quite as easily. I stop for lunch/insert generally accepted meal of the time here. Everything is wonderful. I made it to the top, going down is generally the easier part plus I’m taking the easier trail not through mist and slippery steps for a mile! Alas, I was wrong. Not even half a mile into the descent, I’m crossing small to large streams, most with rocks or fallen trees as a quasi bridge. On the last and biggest stream, it’s only mostly wet rocks… but I can see the wet footprints of someone who has done this shortly before me! There’s hope! First rock, second, third, no problem. I hesitate, this one is a slanted wet rock but there’s no other way. Immediately slip and fall into the stream. Catch myself on my other foot. Falls into stream. Alright well then, I’ll just walk through this bitch.

THREE AND A HALF MILES later down the mountain. I make it to the bus and to the campground. This is no big deal I tell myself, I’ll change shoes and socks and dry out my feet for a bit. No visible signs of horrific abuse later and I throw on my new dry socks and shoes on and head out to the other trails. Not even a half mile into the super easy trail to the lower Yosemite Falls and I’m dying. Every single crevice between each toe is on fire. Blisters. On top of blisters. In between nearly each toe. I limp over to the deli for free wifi (of course to update Facebook), to the grille for my reward #veggieburger, and then finally back to the bus to my campsite and spend the rest of the day with sandals on.

In the end, I loved Yosemite, I will definitely come back on day and do some of the more intense trails I didn’t hike, maybe with some of those hiking poles! It’s crazy to think that people took horse wagons up to the falls so long ago. Not only is it awe-inspiring in beauty and size, but in history (stop and read the plaques on the trails!).

I have so many pictures from these two parks/three days that I've tried to include a variety, if you want more, track me down! Also, be sure to check out my instagram which shows more small scale travel fun finds!

That’s all for today, I swear I’m going to get better about updating! (eventually)

In the next post: San Francisco, yes it gets it’s own post and it will mostly be about the food

Up next in travel: Colorado! The land of snow and things? Or according to the highway signs, Colorful Colorado!

Rain showers so far: 12+ (how many showers while driving can you count?)

Snow showers: 2, not nearly as fun or easy as rain while driving