Four Mile Trail

The yellow line represents the Four Mile Trail on this 3D model on display at the visitor center.

On Thursday we did the hardest, longest hike of the trip.  Of any of our trips for that matter. It is called the Four Mile Trail and goes from the valley floor to the top of Glacier Point.  It is actually 4.6 miles one way, starting at 3980 feet elevation and going up to 7240 feet.  An elevation gain of 3260 feet!

The day started out much cooler than those before it, and for once we got on our way a bit earlier.  Unfortunately we lost the early start advantage because I got mixed up and we drove at least a half hour out of the way. But the morning remained slightly overcast instead of blazing hot.

We parked at the trailhead on the valley floor and started our hike thru a forested area.  There were many large rocks that had either been left by the glacier or fell from the granite walls above.

After the first mile or so, only a few tall trees blocked the view of the walls of El Capitan across the valley.

The higher we went, the more spectacular the views.

We lost count of the number of switchbacks and rock stairs.  As I rested many, many times on boulders along the path, I thought about the men who built and maintain the trails in our National Parks.  Parts of the trail had been coated with asphalt in the past.  It was pretty broken up in places and in others the sand over it made it a bit slippery.  I was very glad I had hiking poles.

I think this was about half way up. Glacier Point is the highest place in the park, higher than the Cathedral Spires. The wonderful clouds kept the day a little cooler.  

Eventually we could see the valley floor.  The cars looked like tiny ants.

The trail was not crowded, but there were other hikers. Many people take a bus up and walk down. Some walk up, and take a bus down.  Some just drive up, or take the bus both ways and don't hike the trail at all.

This is part of the panoramic view from Glacier Point, with Half Dome in the middle.  The last time we were here we drove up and it was a memorable experience. We were "wowed." But that had been like eating the whole box of chocolate all at once. Hiking up and stopping to look and rest a hundred times, was more like savoring the most exquisite treat bite by bite. Each bite better than the last.

As we approached the top, we met a ranger on the trail.  He encouraged us and told us we were almost there.  Great words to hear. We knew about the bus, but hadn't bought tickets. We had heard they were available at the top. The ranger told us the last bus left at 3:30, so we still had a little time to see the view and eat our lunch. 

We asked at the visitors center about tickets, and   learned they cost $25 each, and had to be bought from the bus driver.  The park employee I spoke with said we had to pay cash.  Oh dear, we didn't have $50 in cash along.  Then another employee told us we could talk to the driver and ask if we could pay at the other end with a credit card.  The problem with this was the end was at the Yosemite Lodge which was a long way from where our car was parked.  I was concerned we would get there too late for a shuttle ride back to the trailhead.

We took a deep breath, sat down in the amphitheater, enjoyed the view, and ate our lunch. 

What to do?  We were both pretty tired, but the day was not hot and the return trip was all down hill.  

We wandered over to the observation area and took it all in.  By this time we had both gotten a second wind and decided to hike back down.

The first couple of miles down weren't too bad.  I enjoyed seeing  the views I had seen before from a different angle and with different light.

The next two miles got harder and harder.  The parts of the trail that were the hardest going up were also the hardest going down.  

Craig said I did the last mile or so in slow motion.  One step at a time.  

From Craig: watching Merikay come down at one point, I was inspired to hum Lohengrin's wedding march as loud as I could.  You know, the slow, stately "here comes the bride, all dressed in white...".

But we made it.  We figure that with walking around the top and walking to and from the car, the total hike was 10 miles.  I was exhausted, but proud. 

As we left the valley the Cathedral Spires were glowing in the late afternoon sun. We saw many people waiting in the meadow for sunset, but we didn't have the energy or desire to join them.  

Another time, another trip.  We will catch the sunset in Yosemite then.  Something to come back for.

Crane Flat and Tuolumne Grove

I think both Craig and I were a bit nervous about the unknown 46 miles between the Fairgrounds and our campground.  I had read posts on several forums about the roads and felt our choice of taking CA 140 was the best option.  As it turned out it was.  The road surface was smooth and the shoulders were reasonably wide. There is a spot where we had to unhitch the Accent to cross two one-way, narrow bridges, but Craig did fine driving the Alfa.  After he crossed, I led the way in the car for the remaining miles. 

image from web

One place that was a scary for Craig was a series of tunnels.  The first two had signs that read clearance 13' 10" at curb.  Fine, the Alfa is 13' 1" at the top of the sat dome.  But the last tunnel had a sign that read 10' 3" at curb.  I guess I didn't notice it because I went thru.  Craig saw it, but knew this was the tour bus route and just stayed in the middle of the tunnel.  All was O.K., but I think I would have stopped rather than risk getting "topped."

Crane Flat campground has a mix of RV sites and tent sites.  I think our spot was one of the better RV sites, but it was none too level!

This was our first "dry camping" experience. For my non-RV friends, this means no water, no power, and no sewer hookups. We carry 100 gallons  of fresh water with holding tanks of equal capacity.  We don't have solar panels, but they wouldn't have done us much good in this shaded campground anyway.  Instead we ran our onboard generator a few hours each day to keep the coach batteries charged.  This allowed us to use the lights, microwave, and any plug-in appliances. Our refrigerator,  hot water heater, and furnace run on propane or electricity.  Our stove and oven are always run with propane.  Some experienced campers claim they can go for several weeks without hookups, but I think our limit would be about one. 

The campground was much cooler than the valley fairground so we did not need to use the air conditioner. The morning temperatures were in the 50s and Craig turned on the heat for a short time.  

The biggest hardship was the lack of Verizon coverage, hence no internet.  We did get a cell call when we were in the valley, but up at the camp there were no bars.  

We were settled in our spot by 1:30 and decided to take the 3 mile round trip walk in a nearby Redwood grove. We both forgot our cameras. But we have plenty of big tree photos already. Although there were several bus loads of people also walking the trail, it did not feel crowded.  It was interesting to catch bits of conservations in languages other than English, particularly German.

That evening we joined a group of about 25 other campers for a ranger-led "Starry Sky" program. We both know our stars, but this was an opportunity to go up to a fire watch station that is not open to the public without a guide and get a good view of the dark skies without trees getting in the way.

picture from web

The Milky Way was quite visible. The ranger told several good stories about the constellations, and managed to relate them to the park. The early evening was fairly warm,  and we were all quite comfortable. 

Because it is very dry there were no mosquitos. How good is that?

Sanding, and Planning next trip

After spending a couple of weeks power washing the decks and driveways, Craig started sanding the smaller of several railings. He has decided to only sand and stain the top rails and the floors of the decks, and hold off on deciding if all the 2x2s also will need sanding and stain. 

This is the upper deck that is just outside our dining room. We took in all the furniture except for the glass table.  Sun, rain, and power washing has worn off most of the stain on the floor surface.  We re-stained the top rail, but will wait until we are back from our trip to rent the floor sander.  Craig says he has to check the screws before he sands, and tighten any that need it.  I just counted them.  There are 672 screws, and this is the smallest deck! He'd better wear his knee pads.

I, on the other hand, have been planning our next trip. 

We leave on Tuesday for a long haul down to Los Angles.  We are going to get the little ding that we incurred on our drive on CA Highway 1 fixed, and then take the Alfa to get her oil, transmission fluid and probably coolant replaced.  We have no records from the dealer on past service, so we think these things may be overdue.  We will also have them check all belts and anything else they recommend.

Because of our harrowing experience on Highway 1, I bought the Big Deluxe Motor Carriers' Road Atlas as a planning tool.  

I like it because it is laminated and I can mark a route or area with a dry marker and erase it when the trip is done.  All truck routes are marked in orange, and other roads are marked with two thicknesses of red for thru roads, and blue for roads that are not suitable for trucks (nor presumably RVs).

I did a lot of searching on RV forums before deciding on our route to the Yosemite campground where we have a four day reservation. From the West, there are two routes.  Hwy 120 looks like the easier, but according to the forums it is not.  Although there is a permanent one lane bridge around a slide area where we will have to unhook the toad, Hwy. 140 is the route the tour buses take and is better for a 36' Class A. I figure that since the campground accommodates 40' rigs, it has to be possible to get there!

Other than our Yosemite reservation, I have not booked any campgrounds.  I have several in mind, and they are of the "find a spot when you get there" variety.  It is unlikely that they will be full, but I will bring along my Woodall's, Good Sam book, and KOA book.  

I know we can stay at Alfateers for two nights, and possibly at the Freightliner service center as well, but again I have an alternate location in mind. I also plan on boondocking at the Camping World in Bakersfield on the way from LA to Mariposa, which is our stop outside of Yosemite. There is a garden I want to stop at in Fresno which is half way between Bakersfield and Mariposa.

I've used the internet to find thing to do and see in LA.  A Historic House and Garden, a downtown walking tour, and a hike in a park are possibilities.

I've also found a couple of things in Mariposa including a Mining Museum and a river walk.

Tonight I am going to spend some time reading about the hiking options in Yosemite.  We will not climb Half Dome, but we are up for something more than the walks around the valley floor.

I used to be wary of mentioning our travel plans on my blog.  But now I figure if anyone breaks in while we are gone, perhaps they will cart off some of our stuff for us.  Heaven knows it is all old and not worth much!  

Has anyone ever had a break-in while you were traveling?

What resources do you use to find things to do in a new area?