After a really nice camp and play outside of Happy Isle, the boys and I woke to begin our hike. There was incredible hesitation to get started, in all of us. We toyed with going into Curry Village for one last huge breakfast, and then impatiently teetered back and forth at the Yosemite shuttle; unable to decide anything- hike? eat? go home?
It was uncomfortable.
I watch this a lot: the adjustment period. Watching it in your own children is both educational and torturous. Not knowing. It was all over me this time, and I was the leader...it feels like that lump in the heart and throat before crying. Scared.
So we went for hike. Happy Isle begins the John Muir Trail at 4000ft. We immediately ascended through the Boulder Garden, and climbed a very steep hill. We broke for a power drink and tortillas at the top and set a goal of walking for two hrs for ourselves.
The next two hours took us up almost 2000ft, with El Capitan and Half Dome always in sight. We threaded through countless switchbacks and thank god, had the most stunning and magical view ever to keep us from hating every bit of it. The packs were hard. The elevation was hard, but because everything was so crazy hard (the footing, the incline, the heat), we didn't feel it until we rested. It was hard to breathe, I decided.
Once level with Nevada Falls, we were on top of everything. We were dead-tired, and pulled out our sleeping pads to nap right on the side of the path. Totally fell asleep on the mountain. The rest gave us energy to push on to Nevada Falls, where we were rewarded with swimming, ispy, water and sun bathing. It was a really great prize; like nothing I have ever seen. Just beyond the edge of the tall falls exploding with swooosh! crash! were my boys playing in the water. It was this lovely serene pool, where many hikers collected and just beamed in the fairy like scene.
We had another 3 miles to camp and plowed through it silently, dumped our stuff at camp and headed off for the lake. There we washed, swam and filtered water for Mac and cheese and drinks. Bed was at 7:45 for all of us. Beat. I should have brought a flask.
Reviews: our Marmot teeny sleeping bag is perfect; warm and so squishably light. The platypus water filter has been the envy of fellow hikers. We have filtered water to save the day three times already. Real fast and effective. Jetboil is small, and I should have gone for a pot. Sleeping pads are awesome, Z-Lite thermarest. I wish I could remember the name of our speaker, it ruled.. as does our sole charger Suntactics-5.
This is hard.
From inside the tent
Kindles
