California Day 11, Revisiting Nevada Falls

Day 11

Tuesday August 25

   Sadly, my last day in Yosemite National Park.  A few months ago I put my name in for the Half Dome Lottery.  I didn’t win.  There’s also a daily lottery.  I thought about it, and decided against it.  Was it something I truly wanted to do, or one of those check it off a list things.  As you will see, I did make the right choice.  

    Taking it easy the previous day did wonders.  The stiffness in my legs was gone, as was the stiffness in my lower back.  Good thing, since I was about to revisit an intensive seven mile loop trail.

     The Nevada Falls loop begins in the same area of the park as yesterday.  It’s a short walk up the road to the trailhead.  From there it’s three and a half miles that you earn to the top of the falls.  The Park Service, citing Covid concerns, only allows travel in one direction.  You can do the short loop, or the long one.  But, after a certain point, you have no choice. You just can’t turn around. Personally, I like the idea and hope they make it permanent.  

    From the trailhead, a paved trail eventually leads you to a bridge and your first view of Vernal Falls in the distance. 

    This is the easy turnaround point.  Or you can go up to the top of these falls.  This will be the most difficult stretch of the trail.

    Imagine stone stairs, lots of stone stairs. Some of which are very high and invariable cause one to grunt.  Now imagine a mile of them.  There were a few points where I willed myself to do thirty stairs and pause.  Thirty more, and pause.  

This is the stretch referred to as the Mist Trail.  Depending on flow,  Vernal

Falls creates a light mist that drifts across the trail.                              

  The stretches with a handrail were a blessing.  But, imagine meeting people coming the other way.  Eventually, you get to a wide, flat area at the top of Vernal Falls. There will be plenty more stone steps, they’re just not nearly as tall from this point on.

     

     Vernal Falls from the hike up...

      The view from above...

           Just above the falls is an area aptly named, the Emerald Pools. 

    This is where you encounter the Clark Cutoff.  You can continue the loop down, or keep going up to Nevada Falls.

    I chose to keep going up...

    From here, the trail alternates with stone switchbacks, not nearly as tall as below Vernal Falls, and a nicely shaded pine forest.  As an added bonus, it doesn't take very long until you start seeing Nevada Falls through gaps in the trees.  

    More stairs and eventually, you reach the top.  The view from the climb's end...

   Remember, this is three and a half miles.  That’s where you go right for the top of Nevada Falls, or left for Half Dome.  Here’s the thing, it’s still four and a half miles of this to the base of Half Dome.  And you still have to make that climb.  Yeah, I made the right decision.  If you want to know what the climb up Half Dome is like, Click here:

    Turning to the right quickly brings you to the overlook atop Nevada Falls. 

To the left of the falls is a small rock outcropping that looks far more dangerous than

it actually is.  I asked a fellow hiker to take a picture of me out there.  I tried to get them to shoot me off center with less sky, less shrubbery and "more precipice."                                                         

                                                    

     Here's the shot of the falls I was taking...

   With the inevitable climb up, comes the climb down.  Fortunately, this is a lot easier and mostly looks like this…

     Nice to see some early autumn colors, too.

     And what a view of Nevada Falls and Half Dome.

     The view never does get old.

     One last stop to make before leaving the park, a place called Tunnel View.  On a clear day you can see the entire valley.  Today, not so much.