Yosemite

Last week i visited Yosemite National Park for the first time.

My guide ginger meteor took me on my first multi-day tent hike. We loaded our packs and set out from the Hetch Hetchy (O'Shaughnessy) reservoir dam. It was my first dam! Amazing. We were originally scheduled for May - our April trek meant colder temps plus fewer people (and mosquitoes).

We began with a view of El Cap - my heart went mushy as i recalled spock saving kirk's life! Our first night was the only one at an official camp, where tents and RVs intermingled. The rest of our nights were in total isolation, except for some far-off campfire smoke one night. The balmier temps at lower altitude made for an enjoyable first night. We made a fire and had time for a little bouldering.

Our first full day, we set out for Lake Vernon. We were warned by rangers that we'd never make it, as the high trails were snowed in. The sights and sounds, blooming lupins, and CA newts were delightful, and we made fine time. We saw only a few other hikers. And then we hit...the snow fields. I thought we might stop there, as we had no snow equipment and only low hiking boots, but ginger plunged in. The snow was mostly a foot deep, though occasionally two. The deep flapping of the birds taking flight sounded like the growls of large mammals. After an hour, hail started to fail! Before long, we abandoned any hope of reaching the lake, and turned back. The hail became snow, and our tracks began to be obscured. I could feel snow penetrating my boots. We finally got out, and pitched our tent. We were too cold and tired to cook. After our tent was up, i realized we were next to two enormous dead trees. It wasn't too windy, so i didn't suggest we relocate...but through that fitful night, i imagined a crushing death.

We awoke to discover our tent covered in icefrost. We had to work to get the zippers unzipped. Ginger's shoelaces were frozen vertical. The sun's rays hit us, and we quickly got on our way, eschewing cooking once again.

How quickly conditions can change in the mountains...after less than an hour of descent, we stopped at a sunlit clearing where i practiced songs on my ukulele while ginger answered nature's call. I climbed a tree, the birds chirped, i removed layers...so beautiful.

We passed Wapama Falls a few hours later, renowned for recurring rainbows. The spray left us happily wet. We made our way up switchbacks to Rancheria Falls, where we set up camp. I took a plunge in the frigid waters below the falls, and we finally did some cooking - vegan mac & cheese! It was so yummy - i seemed to be craving salt.

We slept that night (fitfully still) with the rushing of the falls in our ears. Beautiful...but i also imagined a flash flood sweeping us to the reservoir far below. The "civilized" mind can react in primal ways to isolating immersion in nature. You feel like the vulnerable, pathetic, naked ape you truly are.

Our final day, we made the long trek back to the dam. My hips hurt, but releasing my pack's buckle alleviated that. We had a yummy ramen lunch on a plateau overlooking the reservoir. I'd neglected to bring a sun hat, thinking my longish hair would protect me, but my scalp got sunburned. When we reached the car, my body was blasted and brain baked. Weariness and inaccessibility of the highest regions had us skip our fourth night - instead, we made our way to an Airbnb in Sonora. I went crazy with food lust when we reached a market. I needed jerry, and i needed ben, and i needed them now. In the morning, i played songs for goats, and then we leisurely hit thrift stores on our way back to SF.

Amazing.