Nevada Falls, from below
Vernal Falls, from aboveCopyright 2008 Lydia Hinshaw
YOSEMITE, CA -- Prince Charming and I still have what it takes. Saturday we did a hike that we had done once before, about a week short of four years ago. We made it back, made it to dinner and managed to download our pictures, so we're not much older than we were four years ago.
We climbed to the tops of a couple of waterfalls. Nevada Falls (top) was our high point, though these falls are most impressive when photographed from below. The water that has plunged over Nevada Falls continues downhill in a raging torrent until it plunges over Vernal Falls a few minutes later.
The hike between the two falls takes quite a bit more time than the water takes to make the trip. We spent about six hours on the trail, traveled almost eight miles with an elevation gain of 1,900 feet. We got soaked on the uphill when we took the Mist Trail, a series of granite steps along the edge of Vernal Falls. Coming down, we took another route that was dry, though graced with the occasional snow-pack in shady spots.
The water is snow-melt and at its peak about now, according to various locals we've spoken to. By August, all the snow that's going to melt will have done so, and Yosemite's waterfalls will run dry.
We climbed to the tops of a couple of waterfalls. Nevada Falls (top) was our high point, though these falls are most impressive when photographed from below. The water that has plunged over Nevada Falls continues downhill in a raging torrent until it plunges over Vernal Falls a few minutes later.
The hike between the two falls takes quite a bit more time than the water takes to make the trip. We spent about six hours on the trail, traveled almost eight miles with an elevation gain of 1,900 feet. We got soaked on the uphill when we took the Mist Trail, a series of granite steps along the edge of Vernal Falls. Coming down, we took another route that was dry, though graced with the occasional snow-pack in shady spots.
The water is snow-melt and at its peak about now, according to various locals we've spoken to. By August, all the snow that's going to melt will have done so, and Yosemite's waterfalls will run dry.
No comments:
Post a Comment