We recently realized that our girls are more familiar with Yosemite when it is covered in snow! Since our past 3 trips have taken place in the winter, we've been wanting to experience Yosemite in the summer with them. We wanted to show our kids some of our favorite places and hikes-- ones they've never seen like Glacier Point and the Mist Trail and Vernal Falls. Our goal is always to make those we love fall in love with Yosemite as much as we have. (And really, we don't have to do much for this goal to be achieved. God does all the work!)
Our day started up at Glacier Point, which is only open in the summer. From this vantage point high above the valley, you can see all the major waterfalls and Half Dome jumps right out at you.
Especially cool on this trip up to Glacier Point was watching a thunderstorm rolling in. We saw the gray clouds formed over the gray rocks, heard the thunder rumbling, felt some light rain drops and even saw a few flashes of lightning. Being in a thunderstorm in Yosemite was new for me! It was a super neat experience, especially from our perch up on top of the whole valley.
After Glacier Point we decided it was time the girls met Vernal Falls. This waterfall has long been my favorite. I love how it looks, feels and sounds, but I also love it because it requires so much effort to see it. It's just a 3 mile hike, but it is straight uphill with 1000 ft. of elevation gain. I love this hike. Dave loves this hike. Ella loved the hike and did it without complaining. Delia hated this hike. It took major encouragement to get her to this bridge that marks the halfway point.
Surprisingly, Delia came to life on the second half of the hike, which is the most grueling. The hike ends with 600 huge granite stairs that take you pretty much right up to the waterfall. A hiker on the path joked with us that we were on "the steps to Mordor". Delia LOVED this part though and had to repeatedly be told, "Slow down and wait for us!"
The path is called the Mist Trail because you get pretty wet hiking through the mist the pounding waterfall sprays. This was Ella's favorite part-- getting soaked. Let me just throw in here that we've been having a heat wave the past few weeks. That it was 112 degrees at home today and we were actually a little cold hiking in the cloud-cover and mist-spraying breezes of Yosemite was reason enough to have taken this trip today!
After a little ice cream treat (aka bribe to get Delia moving when she couldn't possibly take another step), we found a calm and beach-y section of the Merced River to go swimming in. As the girls swam in the snow-melt water, we kept one eye on them and one eye on the rock climbers tackling El Capitan right behind them.
Yosemite is a place that revives the soul and forces you to sing out praises to our great creator. The last time we were here, we were wearing snow pants. What a blessing to be able to enjoy it through each season!
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