El Capitan

We walked from Curry Village to the Yosemite Falls Trail near the back of Camp 4's parking lot. That sounds short, but it's actually a two-mile hike before the hike. Pre-hike and post-hike hikes add invisible miles. They can transform an innocent 16.2-mile jaunt into a nasty 20.2-mile march. In the morning, when your feet are fresh and your coffee is hot, you think nothing of those hidden miles, but you really should.

The hike to El Capitan began with a steep climb up a series of switchbacks to Columbia Rock over rocky, dirt-covered steps. As we gained elevation, the dirt transitioned into sand. One ascends approximately 1,000 feet in the first mile. This was the most popular stretch of the trail since it provided a view of the valley with little exertion.

The trail descended as it approached Lower Yosemite Fall, but picked up its steep ascent to reach the overlook at Upper Yosemite Fall. Over this 2.4-mile stretch, one gains another 1,400 feet of elevation. The granite steps were no longer covered by dirt or sand, but remained odd-shaped and uneven. I stopped numerous times to take photos and sneak in rest breaks.

At this time of year, the waterfalls are nearly or completely dry, but one can see where water once tumbled over the ridge. At the overlook, there was a view of the channel and deep pools that line its bottom. There was also a breathtaking view of the Ahwahnee Hotel and Yosemite Lodge nearly half a mile below.

We continued along the trail heading to Eagle Peak. The path was relatively flat. Granite gave way to a lush green environment that eventually reverted to granite. The remaining 1,100 feet to El Cap extended over some 4.7 miles.

As we climbed, the temperature fell. We were chilled by the wind. Some folks had hiked in only t-shirts and shorts, suitable clothing on the valley floor, but inadequate atop El Cap. I had hiked in a t-shirt and convertible pants, but had a windbreaker and hat in my pack. They helped, but additional layers or gloves would've been nice.

Walking to the edge of El Capitan felt like walking to the edge of the world. That is, if the edge the world was a desolate, windy and uninviting place. The view of Half Dome, while still amazing, was essentially the same we had a thousand feet lower. It was somewhat disappointing. What wasn't disappointing was the number of people. Hiking Half Dome, one can come across hundreds of other hikers. Hiking El Cap, we came across six.

We made our way down at a faster pace, until we reached the upper fall. That's when the journey became more challenging. Those uneven steps that had made the ascent slightly easier made the descent slow and difficult. Slipping and sliding were inevitable. Thankfully, everybody made it down safely, without falling or twisting an ankle. Fully aware of the miles hidden in the post-hike, we hopped on the shuttle and returned to the village for a welcome shower and some grub.