Hiking Out-day 5

We woke up early and hiked down the mist trail... that is one crazy trail and I couldn't decide if I was happy to be hiking down or wished I was hiking up because it was so steep.  The views were amazing and we made good time passing several waterfalls and past much beauty!  I can't imagine how it would look in the spring!  We enjoyed a nice mexican meal on the way out and after driving all day we made it home in the evening.  

Half Dome-day 4

We got up early for our hike to half dome.  I was nervous about the top and wanted to do it without very more people.  It was a beautiful hike up to the sub dome and Cameron and I made the hike quickly.  

Here I am looking at the actual path up the half dome.  I was realizing how vertical those cables are really placed!

 I tried to go up the half dome!  About a third of the way up my feet started to slip and my hands didn't seem to grip the cables so well.  I learned that those kind of heights are not for me and have never been so happy to be back on solid ground beneath my feet.  Cameron helped me go back down and then he easily climbed up to the top.  He is the white guy without a shirt on... it was really hot!

 Here is the picture of Cameron hugging me... Can't you see me?

 After everyone else made it to the top we hiked back down, picked up our packs and made our way down to the camp.  We spent the afternoon swimming and playing in the river... it was soooo refreshing.  Cameron tried to fish too but without much success.

Yosemite Trip Day 3

The third day we planned to hike to the top of Clouds Rest.  After the day before we got up earlier in preparation for one of the hardest hiking days of the trip.  Here is Cameron almost ready to go.  

 The hike was easy for a mile or so and then headed up hill quite nicely.  Eventually the trail got pretty steep.  Cameron and I made good time and felt pretty good the entire time.

 When we got near the top of Clouds rest we ended up walking on some narrow rocks with quite a steep slope and either side.  Cameron was trying to wipe a fly away and ended up dropping a water bottle.. it rolled and rolled cracking as it went.  What a scary site!  We then quickly made it to the top!

When we continued to see lightning in the distance we decided to get off the top.   Then we began a long descent down to our campsite for the night at a trail junction.  It was a steep trail that made everyone's knees hurt.

That evening we tried to bathe in a stream... saw deer in camp and had a campfire.  Tad found out that he had cell reception and called... whoever he could much to our amazement!

Yosemite Trip Day 2

The second day we woke kind of late and assumed that we only had a 3 1/2 mile hike to the next lake called sunrise lakes.  The hike was through an enormous meadow that went on and on.  The views were beautiful!  The hike was nice and the weather... was warm.  

After hiking for much longer than 3 1/2 miles we stopped for lunch at a camp called sunrise camp.  It had running water and an outhouse which looked like a marble bathroom to backpackers.  We all had to check it out.  We then climbed over a hill and down into Sunrise lakes.  We had a difficult time looking for a spot to camp but after moving around a few times we decided to camp in a beautiful meadow.

We all put on our bathing suits and swam out to the rock you can see in the distance... then we jumped off the rock a few times and eventually all took a nap on the warm granite in the sun.  It was so nice there...  Perhaps the best part for me was swimming around in the lake for a couple laps!  I loved the way that lake felt and was grateful to get completely clean!

We enjoyed a good dinner and Cameron, Tracy and Tad hiked out to see the sunset over the valley while the rest of us were just lazy.  I enjoyed the lazy reading though so it was all good.

Yosemite Trip Day 1 and our drive day

The first day of our trip to Yosemite involved us all loading into Tad's truck and starting our drive to Yosemite.  It was cloudy and stormy looking and we had to cover all our stuff.  We drove a ways and found an IN and OUT for lunch.  Later we hit traffic, stopped to go potty, stopped to get treats,  stopped to buy extra ponchos, stopped to check our stuff since it was raining, stopped..... it was not the quickest drive in but we had a great time!

After all our stops we got to the backpackers campground in the middle of the night.  We quietly put up our tents and tried to sleep in the very hot and muggy conditions that existed in Yosemite Valley.  

The next morning it was once again cloudy and we hurried to catch the only bus to Tuolumne Meadows.  We made it with plenty of time and settled in for our two hour bus ride.  The temperatures cooled down and it became slightly cold as we got to the campsite. 

 We had to endure a long and drawn out explanation about how we should backpack in the back country.  It was seriously 30 minutes or more.  After another lunch we were able to catch another bus to our trailhead and start our hike.  The entire hike that day was my favorite.  It was cloudy and cool and it threatened rain the entire time.  Finally we had a downpour!  We hiked into our lake called Cathedral Lake in the rain.  We set up our tents when it stopped raining.

Later we put our suits on and went for a swim which was surprisingly warm despite the cool temperatures.  Cameron then went on a hike with Josh to the top of a peak.   He enjoyed some great views!  The only problem with the evening was that we did not understand how to use our water filter and ended up not doing it right... i.e.... we really drake water straight from the lake.

Chick Fil A dress like a cow day

We always try to go to the free meal day if you dress like a cow.  This year we went with the Whitakers again.  Cameron was unwilling to wear spots but we did get him in a mask. It is a fun day and a perfect thing to do in the middle of summer.  

Camping in Bishop Canyon for 4th of July

We met Cameron's parents up at Bishop Canyon for a 4th of July campout.  

The first morning I took the kids hiking while Cameron attended to some business.  We explored up the stream from our campsite.   We found a lot of interesting things and stopped to wade a few times in the creek.  

 They begged me to go back with bathing suits so after lunch we went back with our bathing suits and they waded in the swimming hole I found.  I might have encouraged them to swim even though I was unwilling to actually get in siting my lifeguard duties as the reason.  The kids made it across the rapid with all of them swimming it except Annika.

 The next day we went on a pretty good hike up to some lakes called Treasure Lakes past south Lake in Bishop Canyon.  It was hot when we arrived and everyone took a little swim except Mike and Annika.  The coolest part of the hike was that Annika hiked every step of the 5 mile round trip hike and it was steep too.  Torrey was quite the swimmer and didn't mind the freezing temperatures that came with snow still melting into the lake on the far side of the lake.

 As we were preparing to leave the clouds that had been threatening broke and it started hailing on us.  We enjoyed a rather cool hike back to the campground.

For dinner we went out down in Bishop and then went to the Bishop Airport for fireworks.  It was a great spot to watch fireworks.  Lots of people were doing their own and then the firework show was amazing... like Disneyland without the crowds!

 I woke up early on Friday and rode my bike up the southlake road making it almost all the way to the top and then turning around.  It was a quite a ride but the views were amazing!

Friday afternoon we took the kids swimming to the Bishop City Pool.  That was a refreshing thing to do since it was the hottest camping trip I have ever taken.  Saturday morning we packed up and headed home in time to go swimming in our own Lake Arrowhead for the afternoon.