Tag: Yosemite

  • June Lake and Yosemite

    June Lake and Yosemite

    This evening, I returned from a long trip away from home. It’s nice to be back.

    On Tuesday, I hiked up the trail above June Lake and Gull Lake. Yost Meadow was beautiful. That afternoon, the rest of the group joined me. There was Uncle Ben, Andrew, Lynette, Wing, and Gabriel. I gave devotion on Romans 1.

    The next day, we set off for Yosemite via Rafferty Creek. The hike to Emeric Lake was beautiful. We paced it well and had no problems, since the climb up to Tuolumne Pass was very gradual. Emeric Lake was very nice. We had a meaningful devotion, where Uncle Ben shared a message with us—about metaphors drawn from the trip itself.

    The next day took us to Florence Creek Junction. The boys caught five fish but did not end up eating them.

    On Friday, we worked our way up to Vogelsang Pass. This stretch was quite strenuous, but we made good time. Our campsite was on a ledge just past Vogelsang Lake. Our amphitheater-like view of the entire canyon was spectacular, both for sunset and sunrise.

    We spent the next day traversing high country to get across the Evelyn Lake basin and down into Lyell Canyon. Dew settled on everything, and I ended up packing up most things while they were still wet.

    The hike out was nearly six miles, but it was almost completely flat along Lyell Canyon. We saw a coyote this morning.

    I’m glad to have made it home safely with only one small blister above my right heel, at the Achilles insertion.

  • Sawtooth Ridge Loop

    Sawtooth Ridge Loop

    A week ago Thursday, we head up to Bridgeport. Although the invitation had gone out to so many people, only Lynette and Jessica managed to RSVP.

    At the beginning of the trip, just a few steps into it, Jessica’s backpack strap fell apart. We patched it up with a needle and some dental floss. It held up for the whole trip.

    This big loop took us through the northeast corner of Yosemite National Park, traversing Kerrick Meadow to Benson Lake and the Matterhorn Canyon. During the ascent to Burro Pass, we took shelter under the tent’s rainfly during a sleet storm. The next day, at Mule Pass, we had the most spectacular view of the Sawtooth Ridge. The way down passed Slide Mountain was beautiful, and we took a short spur hike to Rock Island Pass.

    We completed the loop and exited via Barney Lake and Annette’s Mono Village.

  • Tuolumne Meadows to Happy Isle

    Tuolumne Meadows to Happy Isle

    This is the trip when Ryan forgot his shoes, but we still made it up to the top of Half Dome.