Yosemite National Park
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Upper Yosemite Falls Yosemite National Park |
February 20, 2015
My Southern-California connections, Gary and David, have rented some tent cabins at Curry Village for a few days, hoping to incur a 'winter' experience and grab some photos of the vaunted 'firefall' effect on Horsetail Falls at sundown, which occurs only in later February.
That was not to be, however; for there is no snow to be found either in Yosemite Valley or on the cliffs above, and Horsetail Creek is dry as a bone. Gary's bride elected to forgo this excursion, leaving room for me in one of the tents. The three of us meet up at the scheduled time, which puts us at today's trailhead in late morning.
Loading up David's brand-new Subaru Forester
Our trek begins at the famous Camp 4. All of the serious
rock climbers in the world know about Camp 4, because this is where they
prepare to tackle the planet's premier challenge — the face of
nearby El Capitan.
Not being an affluent bunch, climbers would gather at this low-cost
facility and discuss equipment and strategies around the campfire.
Many considered Camp 4 their spiritual home, and some have hung out
here for months at a time.
A faction of park management, however, not caring much for either the
climbers' habits nor their sport, attempted to abolish the campground in 1997
and replace it with an employee housing dormitory. That plan was thwarted,
though, primarily through the efforts of renowned climber Tom Frost and the
American Alpine Club. Camp 4 now is permanently protected by its
2003 inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.
Starting up the trail
Approaching Columbia Rock
We three are not interested in scaling any granite cliffs, however —
just in grabbing some nice photographs. Yosemite Falls, the highest in
California at 2,425 feet, is currently rated at only the 6th highest in the
United States. Our current focus is on just the 1,430-foot sheer
drop of the upper falls, which in past decades might still have been encased
in a cone of ice at this time of year.
Yosemite Valley and Half Dome
After trudging up nearly a thousand feet of steep, shady switchbacks on boulders worn smooth by countless hikers' boots, we emerge into the sunlight. This being February, the bright sun is welcome; later in the season, it would not be.
Gary does his thing on Columbia Rock
The route peaks out just beyond here, then descends a hundred feet or so.
Around the bend are the sights and sounds of the upper falls. The sensory
effects of this initial encounter can be stunning, especially to anyone who has
not previously visited this particularly good-feeling place.
Gary captures the entire scene with a wide-angle view ⇔
Today it doesn't feel as special as I had remembered, because it still is
the winter season. In fact, doing summertime-type things at this
time of year seems downright weird. As we near the falls, the trail heads
steeply upward again, and it also is difficult to get an unobstructed view.
Gary has shot enough pictures to satisfy him, and he wants to stop here for
lunch; so I join him on a big rock slab.
Top of the falls
Valley floor
David is determined to capture a close-up of the falls with Half Dome in the background, for which he must venture farther up the trail. After agreeing to meet us back at the cabins later, David presses on up the cobblestone stairway.
Starting back
It is a good thing that we didn't begin our walk any later in the day, because shadows are encroaching upon the amphitheater. Before they arrive, however, there is time for the camera to do something with the nifty rainbow at the base of the falls.
Those nice colors merit a closer look
Now I will ask you to fill your screen with the following image, and gaze at it closely for a little while:
No words of mine could do justice to this
scene ⇔
I hope that your little reflection had a positive effect, for that
just might be my all-time favorite photograph.
Gary steels himself for the grueling descent
Apparently my warnings about this trail were inadequate; for both of my guys neglected to pack their walking sticks. With great care, Gary and I wend our way down the obstacle course without incident. Crossing the highway over to Yosemite Lodge, we catch the free shuttle back to Camp Curry.
A final look back
After the hike, David said that he really missed his trekking poles on the steep and rocky downhill; moreover, he was thoroughly exhausted, had a sore knee, and could have used more than the three liters of water that he had packed. David did get the shot he wanted, though, and it certainly was worth the effort:
A close-up of Yosemite Falls with Half Dome in
view — a rare treat
§: What a nice outing this was. I have not previously seen
a rainbow at the base of those falls, which suggests that its occurrence is
contingent upon the time of year. I might just have to return next
winter to see it again.
The best time to visit here, though, is in April or May, when stream flow is greatest, the flowers are out, it hasn't become too hot in the valley, and the big crowds have not yet arrived. I have upgraded this hike's rating on the basis of the good company and the accommodating rainbow.
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