A Lost Feather: To the Falls

6.30.2011

Yosemite National Park / Yosemite Falls / June 19, 2011

Our "to-do list" in Yosemite was: get outside, find a challenge and see it through... also, don't come back until the evening. It was refreshing to wake up every morning, have a hearty breakfast and head out for a day of being outside and challenging ourselves physically and mentally. That's all we had to worry about.. that and whether we packed enough food and water to last us all day.

I can pretty much sleep as late as I want with no problem (so long as I'm in a bed.) Waking up early is most certainly not my forte and neither is going to sleep early. Well, this holds true in New York anyway. California is another story. I think my body is permanently on west coast time even though I'm in NY 95% of the time and grew up here. At 7am on Sunday morning I practically leapt out of bed ready for the day. (We also passed out well before 11pm.)

5 hours later I was singing a slightly different tune as Matt and I had just finished 3.5 miles of the most strenuous hike I'd ever done, Yosemite Falls. I was still enamored with my surroundings, just slightly more calm about it (due to exhaustion.) We still had 3.5 miles to climb back down from our magical vista, but we spent a good hour marveling over the valley below and the rushing water of Yosemite Falls- the highest waterfall in America (above which we enjoyed our lunch of granola bars and jerky.) Matt and I each drank 70 ounces of water on that hike and would have drank more if there was more.

It wasn't the length of the hike that got me- 7 miles is a pretty average length for us- it was the elevation and the elevation gain. The gain was constant.. there were only about 5 minutes of walking on even ground. Other than that it was uphill on rocky terrain and even sand. I felt like I definitely earned the burger and fries I housed faster than Matt the day before on our way to the park.

Despite the extreme difficulty, or actually- partly because of the extreme difficulty- Yosemite Falls was an amazing hike. The park got a higher-than-average amount of snow this year, so the melting snow created an even stronger-than-average waterfall. We could hear the rushing water crashing below for most of the 5.5 hours that we were on the trail and we saw hawks flying overhead (and below for that matter) and sheer cliffs of granite on all sides.

I think it's quite possible that heaven looks like Yosemite.

23 comments:

TracyZLesh @ Then I Got To ThinkingJune 30, 2011 at 2:05 AM
Wow... that looks amazing. We have never done Yosemite Falls, but we've done Vernal and Bridal... gorgeous pictures! I need to get another Yosemite fix soon - it's just incredible. Love that you were on CA time and excited to see everything.
GentriJune 30, 2011 at 2:18 AM
How fun! And exhausting! My sister is planning on us taking a 12 mile hike when my parents get to Alaska! She said it's easy though- well see how it goes. It's supposed to be gorgeous!!!!
GentriJune 30, 2011 at 2:21 AM
Oh! And I just decided you've GOT to get to Alaska! You would absolutely LOVE it!!
JulieJune 30, 2011 at 6:15 AM
1. These photos are gorgeous and 2. I kind of want beef jerky now. Hahah.
KateJune 30, 2011 at 7:18 AM
woah! That looks like an amazing hike.
ValerieJune 30, 2011 at 9:20 AM
Just breathtaking! Yosemite just bumped up about a dozen notches on my list of places I would like to visit.
KaylanJune 30, 2011 at 9:50 AM
ahhh pics are so great! Love the first one of Matt, the close up one of the crashing falls and the last one of you! I'm sorry I missed the chance to grab a coffee with you in NYC but your trip looks amazing!
CindyJune 30, 2011 at 1:23 PM
Wow that's gorgeous and amazing and WATERFALLS, Sarah! I love them so much! lol! :D <3 and beef jerky, you had a photo of beef jerky. You are awesome.

Lol sorry for the freak out, but woah, this really does look like an awesome trip and way to be with the Pacific time schedule! I'm not a early morning riser, either so it like "ahhhhh" *falls out of bed*

I really like your first photo of you and Matt. The angle is really spiffy. :)
Nikki | The Ginger DiariesJune 30, 2011 at 1:36 PM
These photos of Yosemite are amazing. The park looks so overwhelming and the nature is so beautiful. I'm so proud you made it to the top! x
KatieJune 30, 2011 at 3:59 PM
beautiful photos!

ah, i was going to ask what that food was, but i see it has already been identified as beef jerky! we don't really eat that much over here (uk), i thought it was a picture of honeycomb/toffee or something :)

Looks like a refreshing/revitalising/relaxing trip..

Katie x
Erika Lee @ A Tiny RocketJune 30, 2011 at 4:13 PM
WOW Looks gorgeous. my hubby and i have been trying to hike a lot this summer too! I think we might go hiking this weekend and I will curse and complain all the way up to the top. lol. well maybe not curse and complain but promise myself a large icecream cone after the hike is over.
AnonymousJune 30, 2011 at 9:38 PM
I totally agree...Heaven must be like Yosemite! I love that when in Yosemite the only thing you can really hear are the birds and that beautiful waterfall..It's amazing! Glad you had a blast =)
lydiaJuly 1, 2011 at 5:37 AM
I wish I lived there! looks so beautiful! you have amazing photographs, what editing have you used for this old washy affect? :)
AnonymousJuly 1, 2011 at 10:49 AM
Gosh, your photos are stunning. Just beautiful!

Katie x
hJuly 1, 2011 at 12:33 PM
I'm doing a 3-night backpacking trip in Yosemite this summer. It'll involve Vernal Fall, Illiluoette Fall, and Glacier Point. A 3,000 ft incline, all with a 20-25lb backpack (um?).

Your photos are getting me excited for my trip!
AnonymousJuly 1, 2011 at 2:27 PM
this pics are amazing. i've got to get back to yosemite. i haven't been since i was 12ish?

i'm so glad i found your blog :)

http://luckyenoughblog.com
MelanieJuly 2, 2011 at 5:06 PM
Wow, those photos are incredible! I'm in lvoe with them! I think I will definitely have to see Yosemite some day!!
Jessica HollyJuly 3, 2011 at 6:48 PM
Ah! I'm from Yosemite! This makes me homesick! I hope you had a great time :)
KuleighJuly 4, 2011 at 9:53 AM
Amazing views! And go you for making it through the long hike! I'd love to visit Yosemite someday.
SarahJuly 4, 2011 at 5:44 PM
You visited my blog awhile back prior to your Yosemite visit. I am so glad you made it up the falls! So gorgeous, and I agree -- so hard :)
AnonymousJuly 5, 2011 at 2:29 AM
I'm inspired!! And honestly, after seeing all of those photos, I am DYING to get out there and go on a hike. Just maybe not one that's quite so strenuous quite yet. :)
hAugust 3, 2011 at 9:27 PM
Oh, and I meant to ask...'love your tank top, would you mind sharing where it came from? ;)
LibbyOctober 4, 2011 at 4:00 PM
uggg my fiance and I did Upper Yosemite Falls last year and i hated every minute of it!!! I seriously couldnt believe how hard it was! The switch backs, the steep steep hills, the narrow paths, everything! and when we got to the top I didnt even think the view was worth it, haha. this year we did Vernal Falls and then up a bit more, and it was gorgeous! A much better hike (you could actually walk side by side, unlike Yosemite Falls) and you were sooo close to the waterfall. It was amazing!

and if Heaven looks like Yosemite I will be so happy!