Expect the Unexpected

Not quite the Memorial Weekend I expected… A little sun, a little clouds, a LOT of rain, a little sleet, and a little snow – AND a VERY wet camera đŸ˜©đŸ˜–đŸ˜„. Unfortunately, my DSLR decided to protest the afternoon outing and ultimately stopped working once we had completed our 7+ mile hike to Cathedral Lakes from Tuolumne Meadows. I can’t really blame it
 It was partly cloudy and cool when our hike commenced, and within 1/2 hour it had begun to drizzle. I was quite proud that I had brought my newly purchased plastic camera cover to protect my baby. The next 1/2 hour produced snow flurries, which were followed by sleet. By the time we arrived at the Upper Cathedral Lake, the wind had picked up, it was snowing and sleeting rather hard, and it was very, VERY cold. Our planned leisurely picnic at the lake turned into a relatively quick scarf down of lunch in the snow and sleet 😬. I know that weather in the Sierra Mountains in May can still be quite unpredictable, but I really did not anticipate to experience a full range of the elements on a 3-4 hour hike in LATE May. And, this was the first time my relatively new camera had experienced rain, sleet, or snow, so unfortunately, I DO understand the tantrum.

12PM PST: Highways 385 and 120 (Tioga) from June Lake, CA to Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park.

12PM PST: Highways 385 and 120 (Tioga) from June Lake, CA to Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park.

I think Mother Nature is testing my love for the Sierras 😘…

2:30PM PST: Upper Cathedral Lake in Yosemite National Park.

2:30PM PST: Upper Cathedral Lake in Yosemite National Park.

Fingers crossed that the weather forecast of partly cloudy and 40% chance for 1 hour of rain holds true for today/tomorrow – unlike the past 2 days where 3 weather sites FAILED MISERABLY with their predictions… AND fingers doubly crossed that once my camera dries, it is fully functional. Canon, please do not fail me now!

5PM PST: Highway120 (Tioga) just past Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park.

5PM PST: Highway120 (Tioga) just past Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park.

 

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Oh, Yosemite, how do I LOVE thee???

Oh, Yosemite, how do I LOVE thee? Let me count the ways…

(1) Four Mile Trail – a very steep 3,200 ft ascent, which took my breath away – literally and figuratively. FABULOUS views of Yosemite Valley, Yosemite Falls, and Half Dome.

(2) Glacier Point – where I lost Stephanie, Ehsan and I made friends w/ a squirrel, I found Stephanie, and I managed to talk Roxana, and Naren into hiking an additional 9+ miles – all for the LOVE of natural beauty.

(3) The Panorama Trail – which provided FANTASTIC scenery every step of the way, including quite a bit of wildlife, some bright red plants that we couldn’t name, and LOTS of water – Illilouette and Nevada Falls, to name a few.

Last but not least,

(4) The Mist Trail – which caused my heart to skip a beat or two (or three) as we descended ~1,000 ft over large, algae-covered boulders while getting sprayed by Vernal Falls – ALL by moonlight. It was scary yet exciting! Hiking the Mist Trail after dark is definitely NOT recommended but did make for an exhilarating end to a full day of exploring Thank you Luda, Javier, Roxana, Alex, Stephanie, Naren, Richard, and Ehsan for a TREMENDOUS weekend of laughs, fun, food, wine, and adventure!

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