Hey folks!
I'm looking for some advice and would appreciate any information. I will be travelling through California in May and stay two nights (May 27 - May 29) in the vicinity of Yosemite. One of the things I'd really love to do is taking a sunrise picture from the valley as the rising sun strikes the walls to the west. Some kind of reverse tunnel view. Right now, the only good location I've found is a point along the 4 Mile Trail, in the zigzagging section. Therefore, I need to hike down there (starting from Glacier Point) before sunrise.
I will be travelling on my own, and so I also need to do the hike on my own.
From what I've found out so far, I've been told it's not a good idea to do that at night, because the trail is dangerous and steep (even though it does not look so in Google Street View, but that might be misleading I assume). I'm not new to hiking, and I will be equipped with headlamps and a torch and proper footwear. Any thoughts on my plans?
And the other thing, which might seem ridiculous to some, but I'm a little bit afraid of a mountain lion or bear encounter at night when hiking alone. So, if it doesn't turn out that night hiking the 4 Mile Trail is completely lightheaded, I would be happy if somebody (especially with a interest in photography) would like to join. Either the night 27/28th of May or the night of 28/29th of May (also dependent on the weather and astronomic seeing conditions as I'd like to shoot Half Dome & the milky way from Glacier Point around midnight), starting from Glacier Point at around 4:15am (sun rises at 5:40am).
Any easier night-accessible alternative locations for my wanted photo (look here: https://www.google.at/maps/@37.7326913,-119.586688,3a,75y,251.69h,73.94t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sAkREZf0cIlIlL_mhtzCMNw!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DAkREZf0cIlIlL_mhtzCMNw%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D234.25243%26pitch%3D0!7i13312!8i6656!5m1!1e4!6m1!1e1) would also be appreciated.
Appreciated.
Greetings from Austria,
Thomas