Yosemite Trip Notes

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Yosemite Trip Note - by George Li:

I have to admit that I was impressed. All the participants that went on to the Dana Peak hike made it to the top and back. And Dana is not a very easy 13000 feet peak. Although the trek to the top may end with this particular peak on this trip; but I hope the Dana experience will add some highlights to your mountain quest notebook.

This trip was designed as a trip to bring you to the high peak after a week of acclimatization and the result of this plan is working quite well.

Let us do not forget we are still a hiking club to begin with, and will probably continue this way, but on the next trip, may be I should have make the sight seeing trip more effective, well organized, leaded by experienced hands, hopefully, all without me involved in it.

There are times we had some mishaps, but we were pretty lucky and nothing really materialize to any big surprise. Just like the big hailstorm on Tioga Road near the Cathedral Peak, we just get lucky and passed it with only a few scratches. (Which bears evidence on Michael Tam's four limbs)

I share some of the trips highlight with you:

1. After climbing the Upper Falls on the way to El Capitan, crossing the mosquito infested valley, and got to the top of El Capitan. The best part was taking a nap under the big pine tree. However, there were plenty of pinesap on the rock I laid on, and hence the mark stays on my short for 2 days.

2. Climbing my way up the Half Dome and watch a spectacular show of the lighting playing around the Dome. Just wish them go away and not show up so punctual every day.

3. Summit Cathedral Peak, with a few rock-climbing ledges that required some fancy footwork and handwork. But the view on top was well worth it.

4. Sun Rise on Glacier Point. Now I understood why when we were kids, the way the Sun was drawn on a picture was with the rays coming out as bundle of beams.

5. On the way up Alta Peak. Love the nice rest spot on the Mehrten Meadow with lots of water flowing and the shady protection it offered for the hiker. Cannot find a better campsite than that.  On the return trip back to the starting point: Hats off to all the woman who made their way off trail from top of Alta Peak to Pear Lake.  You gals were really brave souls. (Same for all the guys too.) This was probably the hardest off trail hike your girls did! I was surprised and impressed!

6. The quart of ice cream after the 19-mile trek from Lodge pole to Cedar Grove. Talked to a bunch of Pacific Crest Trail hikers whom also did the AT in the previous years. They still carry a ice ax with them! (For crossing some passes that still have a snow pack)

7. Nice day tour of the Morno Rock and the Big Trees. Life is so short! When you compare ours to the Sequoia tree and the Morno Rock. We make use of the charted picture of the high peaks and were honored to spot Alta Peak, which we summited the day before. Michiko also pointed out his Twin Peak, which he bagged the day before.

 8. Spent a easy, relaxed off day, feeding up on the Chinese Buffet in the town of Madera (north of Fresno) visiting fruit stands, take a scenic drive on a side road off the main highway back to Mariposa. Hey, the driving all of a sudden turn into an adventure!

10. The view of Mono Lake on top of the Dana Peak, and the Dana Glacier and Dana Lake right below the summit was all spectacular.

11. Do another off trail hike from top of Dana to Mount Gibbs. The wind was so high all the time I never took off my windbreaker jacket. Sounded like a fright train was there all the time. The ridgeline stops on the top and dropped precipitously down thousands of feet down (about 2000) and most of the rocks are very loose on the top.

12. Water Melon Ice: what is Water Melon Ice? A melon chilled for dessert?

According to Micky, it is some microorganism that grows on the ice and looked pink and tasted like watermelon. Only you cannot eat too much of it or you will be very sick.

How about yours? Please write some and let us share.

George

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