The Mist Trail

Merced River at the top of Nevada Falls

My Yosemite plans originally included hiking the Panorama Trail on Saturday and the Mist Trail on Sunday. Because the hiker’s bus to Glacier Point wasn’t in service yet, I decided to do the Mist Trail on Saturday morning. I headed out on foot directly from the Lower Pines Campground, walking the mile or so distance to the trailhead. The trail started gradually uphill on a paved trail along the Merced River. It quickly steepened running along the right side of the Merced to Vernal Falls. This is where the Mist Trail gets it’s name as the wind blew mist from the waterfall directly in the hikers direction. I was completely doused but it felt really good. I decided to continue up to Nevada Falls–a 3.7 mile hike from the beginning of the trailhead–all of it uphill. This is when I realize that my physical conditioning was awful. I started and stopped every 50 yards or so. I eventually made it to the top of the falls and was planning to return to the valley via the Muir Trail. Unfortunately the trail was closed due to potential rock falls so I had to return the way I came.

A very good hike that left me wasted. Thankfully, there was Degnan’s Deli in Yosemite Village to fuel up. Thieir #9 sandwich (chicken waldorf) is phenomenal and I lived off of them over the weekend. I followed this up with a grilled cheese, tomato and onion sandwich, two beers, milk and a bag of peanut M&M’s. By 7:30pm I was 90% recovered.

After my dinner plans at the Ahwahnee fell through, I decided to take a drive up to Glacier Point. I picked up two Austrian hikers half way up–they apparently became separated from their buddies somewhere along the Panorama Trail. I drove them 16 miles or so all the way to Glacier Point and dropped them off–hope they were able to hook up with their friends.

The view from Glacier Point is stunning–even with the evening fog rolling in. You can see a full view of the valley and all of the waterfalls from thousands of feet above. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a camera so you will have to be content with the other photos that I took during the day which I have posted below.