We stayed at the motel in El Portal with this view of the Merced River off the balcony.
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Needing to acclimate from flat Florida, day 1 was a light hike to Mirror Lake. We had never been there before. It is a pretty area although crowded with tourists. Bring a bathing suit and swim in the lake.
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On Day 2, we hiked from Tioga Road to North Dome. There were a number of other hikers on the trail, but sections of solitude as well. This trail is all ups and downs with a net vertical gain over 1400'. As the dome came into sight, the view is stunning. Other hikers and a ranger warned us that North Dome itself was steep and slick. I don't do well on that type of footing. So, we omitted the top of the dome from the hike.
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From left to right, here are Cloud's Rest, Half Dome, and North Dome.
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Happy hikers with the face of Half Dome.
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