Yosemite Trip Report!

[Betty]

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

I WILL post an account of our harrowing, mistake-ridden, stamina defying hike very soon.

YES! Inquiring minds want to know.

My husband and kids went on a quick hike in big bear one day while I waited at the car... I read and read and read and was beginning to wonder just where they'd gone when they came up the trail - soaking wet! After "losing" the trail they went down a hill to a "pond" where they waded across in nearly up to their neck water. My son was starting to panic. All in all they are very lucky it didn't get any worse.

You're story sounds like it could be theirs on steroids and I can't wait to hear all the gory details!

[ToriBear]

Originally Posted by Disneyphile

She should totally recap the Game of Things night in verbatim.

Heheheh.

Originally Posted by wendybeth

I was really hoping she'd forgotten some of that.......

You wish! I can remember things like you wouldn't believe!

Oh, and about that bunny picture- Best watch your head when you're under stuff, Keith! *Grins evilly*

[Not Afraid]

OK, so the 6 hour hike that turned into a grueling 10 1/2 Survivor-ish challenge.

We (Stoat, Ken, Steve, Keith and I) started by getting up at 6:30 am to head out to the Mountaineering store to pick up CamelBacks (or Camel Toes, as we now refer to them). After filling them up, we got on the trail to lower Vernal Falls at about 10. The trail to Vernal is paves but is a bit steep (400 ft elevation gain). We stopped for breathing breaks aften but we all did just fine. After taking a break on the rocks to take some photos and rest, we headed on up taking the famous Mist Trail to the top of Vernal. My personal goal was to take the Mist Trail to the top then break off from the group with Stoat and head back down to concentrate on taking some photos with my new camera.

The Mist trail (1000 ft elevation gain) ended up being VERY icy and trecherous as it was slippery, narrow, steep and crowded. Think of climbing up 500 ice block steps and you have an idea of what we went through. It was slow going and involved each step being a careful one and required a bit of crawling on all fours to make progress. When we got to the top, we discovered they had closed the trail and we had to climb over the gates to continue on.

At the top, we ate our sandwiches that Teresa (ie: Saint Teresa as she is now known) had made for us. The sandwiches were the BEST SANDWICHES EVER and the brownies that Susan had made the night before were heavenly (as was the bag of red vines I had brought along).

With the Mist Trail closed, we had to look at other options to getting down. Steve is very familiar with the trail and presented us with 2 options: Taking the trail UP another significiant elevation gain to Clark Point then taking the horse trail down OR continuing up to Nevada Falls and catching the top of the horse train there and go down that way. The upper portion of the horse trail was listed as closed, but Steve didn't think that would be a problem for us. So, between the eleation of making it up the Mist Trail, being revived from lunch and wanting to see Nevada Falls, we decided to continue. Either way was up, right? Why now have the "up" result in a fantastic view? So up we go atempting another 1.3 miles and a 700 ft elevation gain to the top of Vernal. The trail is VERY rocky and consists of stone "steps" that go up switch backs carved into the side of the cliff. There were some pretty scary drops only a few feet away. (Stoat is a bit afraid of heights and I'm a complete klutz.) Part way up, I stopped and attempted to chicken out. My back was hurting like mad from my camer toe and I was simply exhausted. Steve offered to carry my camel toe and take turns among us lightening my load. Ken ended up carrying it most of the way up - and down. He's also as saint. Ken also gave me his walking stick which really helped my stamina as well as balance.

But, we made it! We colapsed at the top of the falls for a bit and those who could still walk, explored the territory. I laid on a rock like a dead person.

It was now 5 pm and we headed off to the horse trail, climbing over the closed sign and taking the trail along a cliff face. We got maybe a half of a mile before it became apparent WHY the trail was closed. There was basically an avalanch covering the trail and ice, snow, rocks and water pouring off the side of the upper cliff. Ken went further to see if there was ANY way to pass, but it was impossible.

At this point, Steve had a bit of a breakdown on the Mountain. But, what were we going to do? We had no other choice but to head back DOWN the Nevada Trail to the top of the Mist Trail (still closed), then UP the trail to Clarks Point (another 700 ft elevation gain - and where we were SPITTING distance from where he had to abandon the upper portion of the trail.) Then down the horse trail to the bottom of Vernal, then down the Vernal Falls trail to the trail head.

It became completely dark by 8:00 and were were still on the horse trail (which also had portions covered by snow drifts and required short cuts over the side of the switch backs). Ken had a headlamp and Steve had a small flashlight but the rest of us were light-less. I had taken my Petzel out of my pack that morning because "I wouldn't be needing it". Famour last words. It was after 9 pm we reached the base and caught the bus back to our car.

We arrived home about 10 to a house full of jokesters, but we were too tired to care. Susan had made a fantastic dinner of bacon meatloaf and baked potatoes and we were starting to eat and tell our tales when Steve gagged and vomited at the table. He was also crying pretty hard at the time and Wendy performed the Heimligh manouver on him. he continued crying and we were all pretty shaken by it all - especially those of us that were beyond exhausted by the trip.

It was a bad end to a day where both Stoat and I were feeling EXTREMLY successful of our accomplishments. Stoat was 4 days away from 50 at that point. I was remembering that a mere 5 years ago I had had breast cancer surgery, radiation, graves disease and radiation for that and couldn't get up off the ground without help from friends. The fact that I complete this hike - which was MUCH more than I had expected, was a miracle.

Stoat blew out his knee on the trip and I was feeling a lot of pain, but we both survived and are doing great now.

While I loved seeing the Top of Nevada, I'm glad Keith had my camera and took lots of pictures, becaue I don't think I want to have that scary experience EVER again!

[Snowflake]

Wow!

So glad you all came down the mountain, made it alive and well.

Serious hiking mojo to one and all. Really glad you're all okay and lived to tell the tale.

[~MS~]

Wow! I'm so impressed and so thankful all of you made it back down the mountain safely if not in complete perfect condition. Thank goodness for first aide training and having the skills to help out in an emergency, visable mojo to Wendybeth!!!

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by JWBear

Wait just a cotton pickin' a minute! While everyone's been distracted by the mysterious stoat at the bottom of this picture, you all seem to have failed to notice that someone's gone and photoshopped Tori out and replaced her with an image of some unknown young lady. Nice try, can't sneak that past me!

[Deebs]

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

OK, so the 6 hour hike that turned into a grueling 10 1/2 Survivor-ish challenge.

That story scares me senseless.

I don't mind heights on a ride, in a building or elevator, or on a plane. Controlled containment off the ground is fine. But looking down a steep drop from a very icy cliff? Yeah, no.

Jeebus, you guys. I'm so glad you are all okay.

[Ghoulish Delight]

BTW, 10 hour death march aside, you all are lucky Coachella was awesome. Otherwise I'd be horribly, disgustingly jealous instead of just awfully, terribly jealous.

[Strangler Lewis]

See, this is why we still need the word "retarded."

Very glad you're all okay.

[Betty]

Wow! What an experience. Why didn't you just come back down the same trail you went up? I have serious issues with heights... well not so much being up high really. It's the thought of falling. It physically makes my wrists hurt or tingle and I have an irrestable urge to curl up my hands. Even looking at a photo of someone standing on the edge of a cliff does it too me. What an accomplishment for you guys. And I'm so glad you're all okay too. And then when you finally got back to the cabin... poor ism.

Certainly an experience you will all remember for the rest of your lives.