On our 2nd day we decided to get an early start so we could do an all-day hike. We drove to the valley at 8am and had a picnic breakfast and coffee at Curry Village. Then we took the shuttle bus and started on the John Muir Trail. This picture is later, at the junction to the Mist trail to Vernal Falls:
We really tried to encourage Leilani to keep hiking, with stories about John Muir, the John Muir trail, and where she could go swimming later. But she still wanted to take “breaks” so she could climb on the rocks near the trail. She is really a good climber, finding the right hand and foot holds.
This was a crowded weekend in Yosemite. The campgrounds were full, the parking lots were full, the shuttle buses were full, and we chose the most popular hike. So it was rather strange for us, who usually avoid crowds, and we were amazed by the number of hikers more than a mile from the trailhead:
Leilani loved hiking on the stairs: hiking and climbing on the same trail. Soon we reached the bottom of the waterfall:
We left the trail to explore, and soon found a big flat rock at the bottom of the falls, with almost nobody else (except someone to take our picture):
The rocks and the water are fascinating to watch, we stopped at several places on the way up to take more pictures.
And the rainbow was amazing:
Leilani continued to climb the steep steps up the side of the waterfall. This was Leilani’s first hike of 1000 feet (300m) of elevation gain and she really surprised us with her strength and stamina:
At the top of the waterfall:
We stopped for a picnic and a splash in Vernal Pool, a small lake above the waterfall. Swimming in the lake is actually forbidden, and we taught her never to swim above a waterfall, so she was happy to just splash in the water.
On the way down, we stopped for more pictures of the waterfall and rainbow:
By the end of the hike (a little over 4 miles), Leilani was tired but we talked her into finishing the hike on her own, so that she could say she did the whole hike “on her own.” This may sound patronizing, but I (Andy) wanted her to really feel the sense of accomplishment instead of being carried. And I was really proud of her for doing the whole hike, especially the 1000 feet. Her reward was another shuttle bus ride and a trip to the Yosemite swimming pool.
Waiting for the bus, what a great view (“Volcano Dome” again):
The swimming pool was more of a disappointment. Sonja and Leilani spent most of the time waiting for a shower in the locker room, and the water felt cold because it was in the shade of the big cliffs already. And then we got stuck in the 5 o’clock traffic jam in Yosemite Valley.
But we made it back to our campsite plenty before dark, and made a nice fire and cooked potatoes and veggies wrapped in foil on the coals (thanks to Lisa for showing us that recipe).
