Yosemite 2016
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California Countryside
Vernal Falls Footbridge
The bridge over the Merced River on the Mist Trail is a popular place.
Refraction
The pool at the base of Vernal Falls is a popular place to cool off. Surprisingly, no one was swimming there when I arrived.
Merced River
There are many sandy beaches along the Merced River in Yosemite Valley. They are extremely popular with the car and RV campers (and day visitors).
Yosemite Falls at Dusk
Valley Loop Trail
The Valley Loop Trail circles Yosemite Valley, as its name suggests. I took the VLT from my campsite in the valley to the Pohono trailhead, my starting point. In my planning, I overlooked this minor detail, not including it in my daily mileage. My pre-hike hike ended up being over seven miles.
Bridalveil Falls
Pines
Extremely large trees (to my eyes anyway) are common in the Sierra Nevada. Here are some tall sugar pines along the Pohono Trail.
Pines
Extremely large trees (to my eyes anyway) are common in the Sierra Nevada. Here are some tall sugar pines along the Pohono Trail.
Yosemite Valley
After ascending 3,000 feet from the valley floor, I could look back down into the valley from Old Inspiration Point.
Crocker Point
Campsite
My first campsite in the backcountry was located next to a footbridge over Bridalveil Creek.
Bridalveil Creek
The footbridge next to my campsite. There was a nice swimming hole underneath the bridge, but I arrived too late to cool off. I had time to set up my tent, refill my water, and eat dinner.
Wildlife
In the chaparral eco-zone that is found at certain elevations within Yosemite (and California as a whole), these lizards proliferate.
Taft Point
Here, I'm looking toward Taft Point. Yosemite Falls is in the distance, to the left. Mount Hoffman can be seen on the horizon.
Yosemite Falls closeup from across the Valley.
Pohono Trail
You get used to the large boulders everywhere in Yosemite pretty quickly, but its still easy to be impressed by them.
Western Yosemite Valley
From a place near Taft Point, here I'm looking back towards Tunnel View and where I started.
