EISPIRATEN

It has been 11 years since we were last in Yosemite. Another trip was in order. I originally planned four days of hiking, but the hurricane caused us to hurry home before the airport closed. We got in only two days, but they were a good two days.

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.

Nice trip! That's a cool view of Half Dome.

If we could have stayed longer, we planned to hike from Tioga Road to Eagle Peak on day 3 and visit the Tuolumne and Merced groves of big trees on day 4. I also considered the one mile cross country hike to the Devil's Dance Floor. Next year.

RichardK wrote: I also considered the one mile cross country hike to the Devil's Dance Floor.

I don't know why, but that hike sounds like hell.

I'm with Sean, that's a different view of Half Dome. I've never seen a photo from this angle.
How were the bugs? I just got back from a JMT section and they were out in force.

We never saw a bug.