After our time at Happy Isles, Leslie's mom & dad took Joanna & Rachel & caught the shuttle bus back to our Lodge. Meanwhile, Mike & Leslie prepared to hike to Vernal Falls with the older kids.
You'll see that it's "only" 1.5 miles to the top of the falls; what that sign doesn't tell you is that the last 0.3 miles is ALL STAIRS!
And we're off! The trail is paved for the first mile or so.
This is a view back toward the Valley, of Upper Yosemite Falls.
We could see this waterfall (small white streak in the center of the photo) at different points along our hike, growing larger/closer each time. It's called Illilouette Falls. Say that 5 times fast!
We made it to the Vernal Falls footbridge! Though paved, the hike was steep, and we were pretty pooped by this point. However, when the kids saw the next part of the trail, they were pretty excited to continue on!
The Sonlight backpack takes us great places! (you can see Vernal Falls in the background)
Crying tears of blood? Naw, just a mishap with Gatorade!
As we headed up from the bridge, we saw familiar faces coming down! Cousins Tom & Kris gave us some good tips for the rest of the trail (beginning with STAY TO THE INSIDE!)
Up we go! Check out the stairs hewn from rock!
It's really wet from the mist of the waterfall
There's one spot where a rock overhangs the trail & we were able to dry off a little bit
This is a neat grotto, where water drips from the upper rocks
and AGAIN, up we go, right on the side of a precipitous cliff next to the falls! Elijah just kept saying over & over again how glad he was that we hadn't brought Rachel with us because it was so dangerous (Mike & Leslie completely agreed!).
We made it! The kids thought that the warning sign was pretty cool; Rebekah took it seriously though, and wouldn't go any farther!
At the edge of Vernal Falls
Rebekah parked it here & refused to go any closer to the edge
Thankfully there were other people up there to take our Victory Picture! (Unfortunately, one of those people was a bozo who tried to show off for his girlfriend by climbing through the fence & sitting at the edge of the falls. Every year, someone dies doing that--recipients of the Darwin Award, I'm sure!)
Headed back down the stairs. Check out the mist filling the canyon!
A gorgeous rainbow in the mist
Rebekah poses at a little view point on the way down
Down into the sunset - We did it!
Location: PostList