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Tag Archives: falls

TO THE TOP OF VERNAL AND NEVADA FALLS

13 Thursday Sep 2012

Posted by Alex G in Distance hikes, Outdoors, Strenuous Hikes, Waterfalls

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

falls, Hiking, JMT, John Muir trail, mist trail, nature, Nevada, outdoors, sierra, trail, trek, vernal, waterfall, Yosemite

VERNAL AND NEVADA FALLS

During my last trip to Yosemite my buddy Hugo and brother Fidel decided to check out these two waterfalls.. Seeing as they were the only two left that still had flowing water we decided to tackle both of them in one hike.

The first of these two waterfalls is Vernal Falls which is 317 ft and is the smaller of the two. The waterfall first comes to view just .8 miles into the hike. Here on the Vernal Fall Bridge you will get your first glimpse of  one of Yosemite’s many beauty’s!

Vernal Falls Bridge

The next .7 miles are far from easy! The Mist Trail consists of hard granite steps that seem to get higher and endless with every step! The beginner or average hiker might find this section a bit difficult.

Mist Trail leading to the top of Vernal Falls

Getting to the top of Vernal Fall is a nice hike all in its own . One could turn back once at the top and have a very rewarding 3 mile hike checked off their list, orrrr………..

Top of Vernal Falls

You could continue up the Mist Trail as we did  for 1.9 miles to the Larger and more impressive Nevada Fall. At 594 ft this magnificent waterfall almost doubles the height of Vernal fall. Along the way we stopped to check out Emerald pool. Considering it was late August and the weak winter there was still a substantial amount of water.

Emerald Pool

After our quick detour we picked up the trail again and continued on. Views are Nevada Falls begin to appear giving you that extra motivation just in case thoughts of quitting are crossing your mind. Just remember, start early, take your time and drink lots of water… 3 keys to finishing any hike!

First glimpse of Nevada Falls

The image above is all I need to keep me going. When it comes to exploring I am a very driven individual. I never doubted myself not even once.. I wasn’t going to let a few measly granite steps keep me from accomplishing this goal.

Finally! We reached the top! We went over to the top of the falls overlook and took in the gorgeous scenery that is the Sierra Nevadas. Looking down on the 600ft beast was a very humbling experience..

Looking down Nevada Falls

Getting here was not easy but the payoff was about to come in the form of the JMT! (John Muir Trail)

We had two options for our return trip, A) go back the way we came orrrrrr B.) venture off onto the JMT and doing a lollipop loop back to Vernal Fall Bridge.. Yeah we went with option B.) lollipopping it adds about an extra mile but it is well worth it!

Entering the JMT

Anytime you have the opportunity to loop a hike I go for it! Every step and turn offers something new. Its like 2 hikes in one. The JMT section descends down the opposite side of the canyon than the way you came up. The scenery and views are totally different. This section of the JMT is well shaded and gradually switchbacks it’s way down to the start of the mist trail. (A lot better than returning via the Mist Trail).

Nevada Falls can be seen from this side with great clarity. No obstructions what so ever!

Nevada Falls from the JMT

All in all we did about 8 miles round-trip. Explored new trails, saw 2 amazing waterfalls hiked on the JMT and still made it back to camp in time for lunch! This, like most hikes, was an amazing experience! Its definitely a must do for any hiker visiting Yosemite.

Happy Trails,

Alex G

To get to the trail-head one can take the Yosemite Valley Shuttle to the Happy Isle shuttle stop or you can drive to the parking lot just before the shuttle stop. The parking lot does fill up so arrive early.

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  • 317 ft Vernal Falls
  • 594 ft Nevada Falls
  • 8 miles lollipop loop (via Mist trail and JMT)
  • 6.8 out and back( Nevada Falls)
  • 3 miles out and back (Vernal Falls)
  • 1.6 miles out and back (Vernal Fall Bridge)
  • 1,000 ft elev gain to Vernal Fall
  • 2,000 ft gain to Nevada Fall
  • hiking poles recommended

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TOP OF YOSEMITE FALLS

16 Friday Mar 2012

Posted by Alex G in Outdoors, Strenuous Hikes, Waterfalls

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

falls, Hiking, outdoors, sierra nevada, switchbacks, upper, waterfall, Yosemite

This past weekend my wife and I packed our bags and headed to Yosemite. Since it was our first time going we had no idea what to expect or what trails to hike. We had recently seen an episode of Motion and decided that climbing to the top of the falls would be a great day hike and a good way to see Yosemite Valley from above.

Trailhead

The trailhead for this hike is located at the Camp 4 parking lot. At first glance one would see this sign and think 3.5 miles is a piece of cake, well, this hike is far from that! This 3.5 mile hike on the Yosemite Falls Trail consists of 60 switchbacks and over 2,500 ft of elevation gain. This hike was not easy! I’ve done some pretty tough hikes that were well over 15 miles and this hike was right up there with them in the difficulty level.

The beginning of the hike is rather easy. (in comparison to the last part) The trail starts to switchback out of the campsite. You will be hiking under the tree canopy for a good portion of this beginning section of this trail.

After about a mile and 20 switchbacks later the trail levels off for a little bit and you will come upon a lookout point named Columbia Rock. This is great place to take some pictures and enjoy the views.

view from Columbia Rock

From here the trail starts descending a few hundred feet and soon you will have your first look at Upper Yosemite Falls

First view of Upper Falls

By this time you will be in such amazement and might even think to yourself that this hike isn’t too bad.. well at this point id say you are about 2/3 of the way to the top.. but the last part is the hard part.. the last 40 switch backs are tough but if you’ve come this far there is no way you are turning back.

Don’t let the massive cliff walls intimidate you as the final push is only about a mile long.

Once you reach the top  you will have to drop down some steps along the cliff side HOLD ON, be careful and enjoy the sights ans sounds!

The effort will be well worth it as the views from the top of the 2,425 ft waterfall are unbelievable!

Top of Yosemite Falls

 

Yosemite Valley

 

my wife and I at the top of the falls

We averaged around 1 mile an hour and and made it to the top in 3 hrs 20 min. This included a 15 minute break and tons of stops for pictures. The trail takes you straight to the top where you will hit a junction for Eagle Peak trail(left) and Yosemite Falls (Right)

Happy Trails

Alex G

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  • 3.5 miles (7 miles roundtrip)
  • 2,500+ ft elevation gain
  • 3-4 hours to reach the top
  • difficulty – strenuous
  • trekking poles recommended
  • amazing views

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