Well, there's only about 5 more weeks to go to my big hike!
I guess I'm going by myself since my buddy Doug can't make it.
He's getting a Hernia operation so I'm not going to take him on a 30 mile mountain hike with a 40 pound backpack.
He'll just have to go on a later hike with me.

Anyway, I'm going in at Tenaya Lake and going up over the top of Clouds Rest.
I'll camp on the rock the first night just short of Half Dome.
I want to do Half Dome real early the next morning, maybe 6 am or so, then on over the Sunrise Creek for my second night. 
I'll follow Sunrise creek to Sunrise camp for my third night and come out at Tenaya Lake on my fourth day and drive home.

This slideshow shows the country I'll be doing.
​God it's going to be a blast.
​Anybody want to join me?
I've got one extra Half Dome permit but you have to be there with me when the ranger checks it at the base of the sub-dome.

​*This is an old draft I just found that I'd never posted so here it is.
​
Vernal Falls, Nevada Falls, Liberty Cap, and Half Dome.
Glacier Point 2012-7-7-297

Wow.
I was just going through the pics from the Glacier Point trip and there are just so many good ones.
The hard part is choosing.
There are quite a few similar ones, each showing something just slightly different that the next, yet each showing something particular for itself. How can you choose among all the mid-range photos, the not-iconic photos, but still really good photos?

I'm going to have to post more to the photos page, when I get the chance. 
Lot's more, obviously. 
But that's true of all my albums.

<Sigh>
Life sure is rough when you're having so much fun.
I'm trying to plan out my trip for the most fun, meaning the best trip, plus photos, videos, or just plain things to do.
I think I'm going to try to do a decent video of the hike, (better than the ones I usually do, I hope.)
Get a lot of good photos from Half Dome, but... where else, too?

I'm thinking maybe Glacier Point again, the day before Half Dome, to get an intro and a look at what I'm going for before I go.
But what all else?

I'm aiming to get there the 3rd and come home the 6th. 
Artists Point or Lookout near the tunnel, early? 
What time is best for that view?
Can you see anything great from Tioga Pass Road?
Should I hang in front of El Capitan for a few hours to see what I can see?
How is Mirror Lake doing?
What else should I do?

On the 4th, I'm starting real early for Half Dome. 
I also intend to get back real late.
I want lots of photos of different times and places along the way.
Some of those will be best taken on the way back because of lighting or other concerns.
This is to be an all day trip, regardless if I could actually do it in less.
I need to take two lunches, not just one.

Besides, I might get back really late, ( moon phase chart.) 
It looks like it could be nice out.

Well, I did drive to Yosemite and I had a great day. 
I didn't do the Yosemite Falls trail.
In fact, I just wandered around the valley somewhat enjoying the rain, and the fog.
It's great to sometimes NOT got to extreme lengths.
I just took it easy for a change.

First stop: Bridalveil Falls, and boy was it wet!
​#754

Or check out El Capitan!
​#41

And Yosemite Falls was great, too.
​#270

#745

#155

On my way out I checked El Capitan only to find climbers
#395

#398

Long Post. 
I still suggest you read it all.
Thanks.

The first picture below is Half Dome with Clouds Rest in the background.
This was taken from Glacier Point when I did the 4-mile-trail last May.

This summer, I'm coming in over Clouds Rest, and camping near the base of Half Dome. 
Next morning, about 6 am, I intend to be climbing Half Dome.
Maybe earlier, we'll see how it goes.
​(Be kinda nice if I got up there early enough to watch the sunrise, huh?)
Then I'll go back and pick up camp and, well; let me finish this below.

Picture 2 is from near the top of Clouds Rest.
See Half Dome in the background?
That's Glacier Point further on back there behind Half Dome.
​I'm thinking I'll camp right down there in a straight line between here and Half Dome.

​4-mile-trail 414

Next picture, the 3rd:
From Glacier Point again, looking back at Half Dome and the Merced River.
Doing Half Dome we climbed up past both of those waterfalls, (Vernal and Nevada), then we camped in Little Yosemite Valley, (just behind and to the left of the second waterfall.)
The next morning we did Half Dome while leaving our camp so we didn't have to carry all that shit up a mountain!
The third morning, we came back down and out. 
We kicked back by the river with a little rum in the afternoons.
How ya gonna beat that?
​
Clouds Rest 18

4th pic: 
Let's tie this all together, shall we?
Standing on Half Dome looking back towards Clouds Rest.

This summer I'll be coming in from the left up there, straight over the very top of Clouds Rest walking knife-like ridges. The path goes off-screen to the right, and circles back under us, but I'll be short-cutting in a straight line after I get off the mountain and I'll set up a dry-camp right down there.

Next day I'll leave camp and do Half Dome, (where I'm standing for this photo,) then I'll pick up camp and start the long-way home.
I'm not sure exactly where, but off to the right Sunrise Creek runs up that valley past Clouds Rest.
I'll do my second night somewhere along Sunrise Creek and make Sunrise Camp for my 3rd night.

​Fourth morning I'll walk out past Sunrise Lakes and head home.

Three nights, 4 days, and one day to rest up for work.
Is that heaven-on-earth or what?
Wish you could join me.
Jou Baur

​4-mile-trail 403

Half Dome 274

Oh!
​Do you know what's funniest of all right now?

I've spent all this time putting together this article for you and forgot to tell you what I have to get up at 3 am to do:
(It's 10:00 pm right now, ha ha.)

I'm driving to Yosemite and doing the Yosemite Falls trail, then driving home again.
It should be awesome with all the rain and snow this year, (after all this freaking drought!)
It's supposed to only get up to 50 degrees with a 60 - 80 % chance of showers.
That's cool.
​I can dry off and warm up later.
God, this is gonna be awesome!

Jou Baur
​5/6/13

​4-mile-trail 353

I'll admit, though.
I'm pretty stiff and sore the last few days.
No particular reason unless you count getting to upper middle-age as being a reason.
I'm almost 63 years-old now and haven't exactly had an easy life of it.
​But hell, what else you gonna do?
​Quit?