I drove to Yosemite on Sunday, left at 6:30 am, returned at 12:20 am. I didn't write down the directions well enough and had to use the android GPS to get me there around 11am. On the way there a friend called me and reminded me to hydrate myself, so I did, bought a 15oz Green Naked. Finally found the trail to lower Yosemite Falls and while walking that saw the sign to the upper falls, decided to walk to that. Of course I have no daypack and it is already 12:30 so I ignored two rules already; start early, carry lots of water. By the time I started it was in the upper 80s already.
Saw the sign for a 3.5 mile trail and said to myself, that's nothing, I did 17 miles in Barcelona with lots of hills. The switchbacks were brutal and rough rocks were everywhere.
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| These look like steps and they are but not flat ones and lots of sand over them. |
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| Lots of rocks to lift your feet over or you really strengthen your ankle muscles |
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| A flat section |
In 20 minutes I had to stop and rest, when I started up again I knew that without a little extra support from a walking stick that this wasn't going to end well. So I picked up a Marty Feldman sized stick in 'Young Frankenstein' when he tells Dr. Frankenstein to 'walk this way'. That lasted about 3 switchbacks before I found a 5 foot tall one, too heavy and splintery but I needed it. In one hour I had climbed 87 floors according to Fitbit and 3500 steps. At 3 hours still had not reached the area where the trail levels out. After resting at this vantage point I realized that I was getting the light-headed feeling that signals imminent disaster by requiring my body to
assume the horizontal position 'Right now!' I had probably climbed 950 feet from the valley. Started at 4200 feet. I could see the top overlook about 5 switchbacks and 50 feet above me.So I found a much lighter weight 4 foot walking stick and started down. Got down in about an hour with several rest stops. Without the walking stick for support I might have taken 2+ hours to get down. The legs were getting pretty jelly like by this time. Finally made it to the car and headed directly for the Village store and bought a liter of water and a 15 oz. Red Naked. Sat outside the store and guzzled both down with no stomach problems. Drove to Glacier point and hiked for another hour. Totals for the day:
116 floors - ok Fitbit only counts going up, not down because it senses 10 foot altitude gains along with movement.
14,922 steps
7.14 miles
Someday I might actually listen to the women that give me advice.
Do not follow in my footsteps, I'm only alive because of my extreme physical condition which is a carryover from pre-stroke.
Totally nuts. But sounds like you had fun.
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