With six full days of hiking on the schedule, this would be the best trip ever.
It would begin with a triumphant romp up a forbidden trail I had only read
about on this forum. That was the plan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJDnJ0vXUgw
I scoured the Valley Loop Trail for the trailhead for my first attempt at Indian Canyon.
I wasn't expecting a flashing neon arrow to point the way, but surely something
inviting would appear. Nothing. Eventually, I lost patience, and headed up hill.
Hear is some of what I found:
Pretty stuff. I began to suspect that I had never been on the "trail". The entire
route was either an oak forest or one of many granite avalanche chutes. The
only real landmark was a huge pine tree...
I went to the left, or the uphill side of this tree. That lead to nowhere. After
1800 vertical feet, I got "that feeling". Not wanting to become a missing hiker
on the first day of the trip, I threw in the towel and headed down. Eventually,
the Valley Loop re-appeared, and I headed west.
Beaten, I headed for Columbia Rock. Somewhere beyond it, there is supposed
to be an "off ramp" that would lead to a view of the entire Yosemite Falls, guarded
by a railing. My route finding skills are non-existent, but I did find the trail, and
this view...
This sight prevented the day from being a total loss, but as I headed for home,
I kept hearing a version of a Matt Hooper line from JAWS..."This is not a
hiking trail!"
I have learned one thing from this forum: When the heavy weights hit the trail,
their hikes have a couple common threads:
1) Back country
2) Lake or lakes
In the morning, I would see for myself.