YOSEMITE - ANNIVERSARY CELBRATION - 5

 

SUNDAY – A GOOD DAY FOR A HIKE

Today we planned on a major hike. George wanted to hike up the Yosemite Falls Trail; and Klara and I joined him for this. We had hiked the trail together in 1967 with Klara in a primitive, by today’s standards, backpack

carrier, and I carrying a backpack with all the essential needs when hiking with an 11 month old, along with food and water for the day.

The trail started at Camp 4 and immediately started its ascent. First we hiked to Columbia Rock. Here we enjoyed a commanding view into the Canyon and East to Half Dome. 

NEEDLE TO RIGHT OF YOSEMITE FALLS

HALF DOME FROM COLUMBIA ROCK

TRAIL CAIRN TO ???

We proceeded another half mile up the trail and enjoyed the up-close view of what would normally be a powerful Upper Yosemite Falls. On this day it was dry and silent. 

A DRY FALLS

YOSEMITE FALLS, MARCH 2010

As we were enjoying our snack/lunch a young man was coming down the trail very slowly and deliberately. I was the first to comment and I was correct that he needed to be “PSAR’d”. (P-Preventative, S-Search, A-And. R-Rescue which is used to assess and assist a person who is having trouble on the trail that can lead to injury. (This is a term we learned and as George did patrols for this purpose at the North Rim, Grand Canyon.) After inquiry we learned that the man, Tony, had spent the night out on the Rim of the Canyon near the top of Yosemite Falls with no food, very little water, and only a poncho to keep him warm.

CANYON WALL

A CLOSER LOOK

We gave him all the water we could spare, and shared our food as well. While we talked you could see him begin to feel better, and his demeanor improved. Shortly he headed on down the trail and soon we followed. Later we passed him, and then I asked a group coming up the trail to give him some water when they met him, and they agreed to do that. Back down at Camp 4 we headed for the bathroom, and then the water spigot to get some water. As we were leaving there here came Tony. We were quite glad that he had made it down safe and sound. He still had to drive home, around the Fresno area, but after a rest and some food I am sure he did fine.

UNDER THE CANOPY

George and I are really happy that we did this hike even though this time we did not go it the top of the Falls. It would have been a challenge with the afternoon heat, and relentless sunshine above where we had stopped. There was no spray from a falls to help cool us off either.

WE DID IT!

GEORGE AND "BABY KLARA"

GEORGE AND KLARA

Tonight was our celebratory dinner at the Ahwanhee Hotel. The Ahwanhee is one of the premier lodges within the National Parks. It was designed by Gilbert Stanley Underwood.  Due to its remote location, the construction of The Ahwahnee was the most complex trucking endeavor of its day. Over 5,000 tons of stone, 1,000 tons of steel, and 30,000 feet of timber were hauled over the challenging mountain roads. To protect The Ahwahnee from fire, a fate of many of the Park's earlier hotels, its wood-like facade is actually concrete, poured into rough-hewn wooden forms and stained to look like redwood. It is a very majestic setting and the dinner and staff were delightful. There was no rushing and of course the setting is beautiful. We all enjoyed our meals and the ambiance.

AHWAHNEE HOTEL

AHWAHNEE DINING ROOM