We stayed at the motel in El Portal with this view of the Merced River off the balcony.
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.
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.
From left to right, here are Cloud's Rest, Half Dome, and North Dome.
Happy hikers with the face of Half Dome.
