Well, this trip report took longer to complete than we planned, but better late than never right?!?
What was planned many months ago as a snow shoe trip turned out to be two wonderful hiking trips out of the valley over Presidents weekend. The first day we were starting around 11 am after driving from the Bay Area, so we went out of tunnel view up to Dewey Point and back. There were a few small patches of snow but otherwise the trail was completely dry without much evidence of winter. It was a beautiful day with a couple of snow flurries in the beginning and then completely dry the rest of the day. There were a few times when the valley became enveloped in clouds with just the peaks showing through. It was great to see that from above.
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On the way back through the valley there were a few people setting up to shoot horsetail falls. Nothing compared to last year when there were well over 50 people set up to shoot the phenomenon.
The second day was set to be a longer hike. We caught the second shuttle of the morning which was about 20 minutes late and were dropped at Happy Isles. We passed the one other couple at the beginning of the trail and didn't see another person until the first bridge. The falls had a bit more water than expected and there were two hikers at the bridge when we arrived. Not another sole around so off we went up the Mist trail.
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We had the Mist trail to ourselves which was a first! There was not much by way of mist but the falls were glorious and it was a treat to take some photos without trying to shoot around people.
At the top of Nevada falls we took in the amazing views. Looking down the Mist trail without people was a shock. There were two backpackers resting near the pool that were on their way down. (we thought) The trail was in great condition with minimal patches of snow. The weather was just perfect- crisp enough to keep the body temp regulated.
From here we headed up the Panorama Trail to Glacier Point. We passed a couple of sets of backpackers coming down and one day hiker during this section.
Once again, it was so nice to be on the trail without the masses of people. We had a nice gentle climb up to Glacier Point and were staying mindful of the time to ensure we could complete the "point to point" before dark.
We reached Glacier Point at 1:30 and had the ENTIRE PLACE TO OURSELVES. I don't expect that this will ever happen again. Normally there would be winter sport enthusiasts in this area or people staying in the hut. But with the lack of snow the place was empty. What a treat. We took in the always amazing views and had a lunch break. All by our lonesome- yipeee
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Just as we were packing up to leave at 2:00 the two backpackers from the top of Nevada Falls showed up. We were surprised to see them- they seemed pretty knackerd' and were stopping for a break. We wished them well and gave them the solitude that we had just enjoyed.
We headed down the Four Mile trail from here and back to the valley. It was a lovely walk down with epic views. Once again, the trail was clear and free of snow and ice. Really amazing (and very sad) for the middle of February. We felt grateful to be able to make the most of the clear trails and put together a nice long day of around 13 miles!
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The Moon is Waxing Gibbous (80% of Full)
Re: TR 2/15-2/17 Mist-GP-4 Mile
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