For most of the summer, I have been trying to find another weekend to get down to Yosemite and hike to the lofty Clouds Rest, which overlooks Yosemite Valley from the East. I've read the hike is challenging, but not in the same league as Half Dome. I've also read that the final approach is a narrow strip of crumbly granite with 1000 foot drop offs on either side. All of this proved to be true. In addition to the challenge of another hike, I needed to consider some professional opportunities that have become available to me. What better place to consider job offers than 1500 feet above the most scenic valley on Earth.
Getting an early start, I made the drive to the park. I love living only a couple of ours from Yosemite. It means that I can do day trips without to much of a hardship. This time of year, its a little brisk in the high country of the park in the early morning hours, but it wasn't too bad today. I would guess it was about 60 when I hit the trail at the Sunrise trail head.
The first section is well traveled and quite easy, as it passes through the evergreen forest. I note that in my research of the trail, two early water crossings were mentioned. In this, the 6th(?) year of the drought, there was no water to be found to pose any difficulties.
The trail then takes a turn and begins climbing over a granite spine running parallel to highway 120. The path is steep and filled with granite steps that kill the knees, but luckily, my bad one feels strong this morning. I push my pace pretty hard during these early miles, as I'm hoping to complete the 14.1 mile trail in about five hours.
After crossing over the spine and dropping back down, the trail becomes tame for another mile or two, before starting the final push up towards the destination, Clouds Rest. As I get near the top, I notice a couple standing at the beginning of the narrow path and inquire as to their condition. The nice lady explains that she is a little scared of continuing on any further. I can't say I blame her as I gaze ahead at the climb I'm about to make. Several overlapping slabs of granite make for a rag-tag stair case leading to the top. On either side, I can see the tree-painted valleys far below with a sheer wall of steep granite between me an them. I push forward.
From the top, the view is amazing as so often reported. I can see Half Dome, Tenaya Lake, the corner of El Capitan. In all directions, I can see for miles and miles. It offers me a little time and a great venue to think about my future job prospects and the fact that it may be the time to make a change. After taking a few snapshots and chatting with some of my fellow hikers, I make a hasty retreat, still trying to complete the trail in my planned time frame.
The way down is pretty uneventful, but I do manage to take a wrong turn and only notice it when I see the first of the Sunrise Lakes, which I didn't remember seeing on the way up. All in all, it only added about a mile to my overall hike, which was still less than the described distance. In total, I hiked just over 13 miles. I think the final markers are a bit off, but it was a still a fantastic high nonetheless.
It's a lazy kind of Sunday, but even so, I wanted to get some trail miles in. Originally, I had considered driving down to Yosemite today and hiking up to Clouds Rest, but drive time + hike time would have resulted in a 12-14 hour day, and I just wasn't feeling like that today. Instead, I decided to hike up to a small peak overlooking Donner Lake just across the Nevada/California border.
As I reached the trail head, a group of 20-ish teenagers and a adult guide were starting up the trail, but the guide graciously allowed me to skip past them. It's probably a good thing. While I probably have 25-ish years on those kids, I hike enough and am currently in good enough shape to maintain a pretty quick pace on the trail. The trail itself is pretty easy as a number of switchbacks make their way over a crumble of granite. Eventually, the trail enters the forest and diverges from the PCT, which it had been following to this point.
This is a popular trail and I encounter a number of other very friendly hikers out today. All of them, offer to allow me to pass as they recognize my pace is significantly faster than theirs. Eventually, I reach a point where the trail splits with one branch going out to Donner Peak and the other continuing to Mount Judah. I head out part of the way to Donner Peak and take a couple of snapshots, but as I don't see a clear path to Donner Peak and don't want to take the time to search for it, I head back and shoot for Mount Judah.
A short time later, I arrive at the top of the barren Mount Judah, which has a terrific vista of Donner Lake and most of this particular part of the Sierra Nevada. I take a couple of minutes to take in the view, including a great view of Donner Lake, and then start back toward the trail head. However, I encounter a couple of gentlemen I had passed earlier and after a little discussion with them, I decide to try to continue the loop around back to the PCT, instead of coming back exactly the way I had come.
After a about a mile, the loop trail is clear and I see that I will rejoin the PCT and dump out at the trail head I came in on. It has been a quick hike, but I never miss a chance to get out here and take in the fresh air. It helps me clear my head and get back to reality. In total, the trail was only about 5 3/4 miles, but my pace was fast and it was enough to get the blood flowing a little bit. It would have been a great hike to have some company on, but I survive on my own.
Several months ago, I was lucky enough to get camping reservations for Watchman Campground in Zion National Park. While I visited the park a few years ago with my friend Nick, I was unable to knock out the premier hike of the park, Angels Landing. That was my goal on this trip. Angels Landing is a precarious perch of a wedge sticking out into Zion Canyon with 1200 foot drop offs on either side of the narrow trail. Seems like great adventure to me.
As the day of the trip approached, a few plans changed, but I decided to go forward with the quick trip. With some of things going on in my life at present, I was desperately in need of some time to get my head clear and a death-defying climb seemed a great place to do just that. Waking early on Saturday morning, I started the long trek from Reno to Zion National Park in Southwestern Utah. It's a nine hour drive, but I like driving. It gives me time to think. The trip is perhaps the greatest expression of the beautiful desolation that is the great state of Nevada. From Fallon to Tonopah, down the Extraterrestrial Highway, and finally entering into the states of Arizona and Utah, before arriving at the park.
Parking the jeep at my reserved campsite, I quickly set up my tent and begin thinking about what I want to do next. As it is mid-afternoon, I'm not really considering any hikes, but food is at the forefront of my thoughts. The tourist town of Springdale serves as the entrance to the park and provides a number of dining and drinking options. A foot bridge crosses the Virgin River from the park into town. The last time I visited the park, I found a great place called Zion Pizza and Noodle. I finally decide to give it a second try, but to my dismay, they don't reopen for dinner for another 45 minutes. No worries - a saloon across the street seems like a perfect place to spend that short duration. Oddly, the bartender tells me that Utah law prevents the purchase of alcohol without the purchase of food. I order some french fries, which meet the requirement and then enjoy a sampler of some of the local craft brews. A short time later, I wonder back across the street and have a magnificent Mediterranean vegetarian pizza for dinner. The remainder of the evening involves me finishing off a growler that I brought with me and falling asleep under a cool, calming breeze.
I wake early and decide that it's going to be a hot day. Hitting the exposed trail early to avoid the heat seems like a wise plan, and so, I make my way to the shuttle stop by 7:30. Beyond the Zion Lodge, only shuttles and park-authorized vehicles are allowed. This is the NPS's attempt to help preserve the pristine nature of the valley. Arriving at the Grotto shuttle stop, I depart the bus, eat a snack, and start up the path. The first part of the trail is easy and I'm greeted by a flock of wild turkeys looking for food along well-traveled walkway.
The trail soon starts up a series of switchbacks as it climbs the side of the canyon and enters a the crag between the canyon wall and the wedge that is Angels Landing. It's pretty steep, but I feel that I'm in very good shape right now and so, it wasn't terribly challenging. However, reaching the top of the canyon, the true test of the hike is about to begin - the chains!
The remaining third of a mile or so to the final destination is challenging to say the least and very far from horizontal. The 'trail' such as it is winds and weaves its way around and up the sandstone formations. Heavy chains are placed nearly the entire distance and for inexperienced climbers, such as myself, are a near necessity to keep from falling. Worse, there is only one narrow 'path' through the obstacles, and so, passing hikers going in the opposite direction poses significant logistical challenges in places. At some points the trial is only about two feet wide with steep 1200 foot drop-offs on either side. As I make my way up this deadly course, my mind wanders to my personal issues and thoughts of falling. If I figure out nothing else on this trip, I did reaffirm that no problems in life are so bad that one should ever want to end it. I grip the chains tightly and finish the climb to the top.
Viewing Zion Canyon from this point is magnificent. I think this must be one of the great view points on the face of the Earth. I can see miles and miles down the Virgin River, which with the slow march of time and erosion is responsible for carving this place. I think of all of the other divine views of other parks and natural places that I have been fortunate enough to be able to absorb over the last several years. I am truly blessed.
I don't linger long, as I'm concerned that making my way down the chains will be more difficult than coming up. I was correct. Finding gaps in the uphill traffic is difficult and the polished tree-roots and dusty sandstone make for poor foot holds. The going is slow, but I eventually reach the end of the chains and then start down the foot trail. My knee is bum knee is starting to act up a bit and I feel it with each impact going down the switchbacks.
Eventually, I reach the bottom. Total mileage is a meager 6.5 miles, but the danger level of the trail definitely puts it high on my list of accomplishments. Compared to the cables of Half Dome, I this is far more dangerous. At least with Half Dome, you can see where you are going. Not so here, as the trail bends and flexes around that the sandstone on that final section. I can't say that I have had any great revelations, but perhaps a renewed lust for life is a good foundation to build other things on. Not being able to see the future is a cruel reality and we never what tomorrow brings. Perhaps, the greatest lesson is to always push forward, to reach for those things that bring you happiness, and to be true to yourself.
