Feeling a bit sore from my walk to the top of Yosemite Falls so I plan an easier day today. The falls are a consequence of Yosemite Creek dropping off the edge of a 800 meter sheer granite cliff. Yosemite Creek, as explained previously, only works half of the year and is fueled purely from ice melt. An unusual snow year has Yosemite Creek still working, which is great for the tourists.
Today I do a short circuit trail up to Vernal Falls and the Mist Trail. The Mist Trail is so named because it is constantly wet from the spray of Vernal Falls. It is beautiful and green but the many steps are steep and constantly wet. This doesn’t stop the ‘billions’ of tourists here from attempting it. I’m still trying to cope with the volume of tourists here. The stairs are clogged with people going up and down to the falls. I feel so uncomfortable amongst all these people but this is what the iconic national parks in America are like at this time of year I am told. Anyway I try and see the wonder of Yosemite beyond the mass-human element. You can escape many of them by taking the steeper trails. Verana Falls are impressive and there is a look-out area right at the edge of the falls where I fight for space amongst the masses.
I get back to the camp and the English climbers haven’t had a great day. They did a climb that wasn’t quite as interesting as they were told. This climbing is a specialised sport. Climbers scale seemingly impossible sheer rock walls using just the cracks in the rocks and crags they can find for a foot-hold. For protection the are attached to ropes that have to be put in place first. They use a lingo that I can’t follow. I admire their skills and the mental side of this sport must be huge. Lose focus and it could hurt!
angusmccoll 