Four Mile Trail
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Kim and I spent last Thanksgiving in Yosemite...but we didn't even know each other at that time! We met in January, 1999. Kim spent the long weekend in Yosemite Valley with her brother Robert and friend Ana Garanito. They took this hike, coincidentally. Antoine Guitton, Olivier Meynier, and I took a 2-day backpacking trip out of Yosemite Valley, on the 22-mile "North Dome Loop". This year it was Antoine, Olivier, Kim, and me.
I came down with an ugly, flu-like virus before even getting there, which didn't bode well. In spite of this, we took a quick hike up to Vernal Falls before the end of the day. We camped in one of the RV-compatible campsites, and in the dense forest, the sunlight hardly touched the camp all day. This made for a very damp, cold 3 days. Our next door neighbors had a 55-foot RV, four rottweiler dogs, and argued and fought loudly while under the influence of methamphetamines. I'll leave it at that!
As I had proposed to Kim on her birthday, November 11, we had work to do. Reconnaissance of the wedding site (in the valley) and photographers. "Representative" photographs of Kim and me for the invitees. On the first day, my sickness seemed to abate long enough to leisurely make our way around the valley and get a couple nice pictures [ #1 | #2 ]. By 2 p.m. or so, the reality of my sickness caught up with me, and I came down with a horrendous fever. We retired to the tent for the night.
In the meantime, Olivier and Antoine left for an overnight trip to Glacier Point, via the Panorama Trail. This was definitely the right time to do this spectacular hike, which passes Vernal Falls, Nevada Falls, ascends the south wall of Little Yosemite Valley, crosses Illouette Creek, and finally ends up at Glacier Point, 3500 feet later. Our plan was to rendezvous with the two guys at Glacier Point for lunch. We planned to ascend the Four Mile Trail, a popular 4.5 mile route which gains most of 3500 feet over the first 3.5 miles. We weren't sure if I'd be able to make it with my malady.
I don't know if I was well enough to hike, but we did anyway. And fast, for some reason. I guess I reasoned that a strenuous hike would clear the virus out of my system. That's worse logic than an old wives' tales -- it's pure hogwash! We made it up the trail in 2 hours and basked in the pleasant temperatures and spectacular scenery. Somehow we managed to elude the two Frenchmen, as we found them impatiently waiting at my truck back at the trailhead.
The hike down was a bit hairy on high, north-facing slopes, due to icy conditions, but we were treated to beautiful displays of foliage [ #1 | #2 ].
In retrospect, I highly recommend this hike...between October and the first
snow of the year. You'll have company on every day of the year that this
trail is open. But the views from Glacier Point are stellar. For you
"flatlanders" out there, I can think of few better scenes to make your jaw
drop and stick in your mind for years.
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Department of Geophysics Stanford University |
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