During my previous two visits to Yosemite this winter, there was no snow in the Valley. That changed in February when some huge storms came through and dumped enough snow so that the Valley was covered in white.

So I decided to go back at least for some day hikes around the Valley, but the north rim was also covered with a lot of snow and that’s usually the first to melt since it faces the south. So I decided to try a 3 day trek starting from the Yosemite Falls Trail to the top of the Falls and over to North Dome. I could either come out Snow Creek Trail or double back via the Yosemite Fall Trail.

Being winter, trail conditions are somewhat hard to come by. The trail wasn’t listed as closed and I couldn’t get a real human on the phone to confirm conditions. And it’s not like the rangers patrol every trail in the winter to even know the conditions first hand.

So I prepped for the best case scenario, but knew I might not be able to make the full trek.

It started out well enough with a nice view of the sunrise from the meadow west of Sentinel Bridge. Then I started up the first set of switchbacks. They were passable, but I was glad I had my micro spikes to help me keep moving up instead of sliding back down. Throughout the day, I saw a lot of people without any traction devices sliding around (lots of butt prints leading downward).

I reached Columbia Rock and enjoyed the view from there. The snow covering everything in view was a nice change from the view in summer.

From there, it was a steeper climb up towards the first view of the Upper Yosemite Falls. Spectacular view of the Falls, Half Dome, and all the way to Sentinel Dome from there.

That’s also where the tracks in the snow stopped.

Not completely unexpected, but when I (and the other hikers that came before and after me) tried to find a path forward, we ran into a sheer rock edge. The trail map and GPS indicated there should be a single switchback at this point and we could see where the trail ahead of us continued (a somewhat narrow edge heading north along the side of the cliff). But it wasn’t obvious how you could get from where we were down to that ledge.

Without getting killed, at least.

There were 2-3 attempted trails further back, but each ended in short order at a boulder or a cliff edge with trees barely hanging over the edge.

The most likely path also looked like it was just a huge mound of snow being held against the cliffside by some trees. Trying to walk on that could mean a quick trip to the Valley floor (or at least the top of Lower Yosemite Falls).

After my attempts to encourage day hikers to try to find a path failed (just joking), I decided to enjoy the view and then abort to the valley.

Alas, this winter trek of the north rim was not going to happen this year.

Since I had also thought about doing some day hikes around the valley as an alternative to a backpacking trip, this just became a day hike for me instead. Except I was carrying a 40 point pack instead of a small day pack. 🙂

As I made my way back down the switchbacks, I was surprised to see a deer racing down the side of the cliff. Then I was really surprised to see what it was running from: A bear.

Didn’t he know he was still supposed to be hibernating?

As I and other hikers called out a warning to the hikers below us that the bear was there, I grabbed a few quick photos. Some actually had the bear in them. 🙂

I don’t know if the bear caught the deer (doubt it, he wasn’t moving that fast).

Back in the Valley, I went through my list of possible day hikes I could do to salvage my trip to Yosemite. Although I didn’t come to Yosemite to see the Firefall, I figured it would be worth trying to see it. So I stashed my gear in my Jeep and joined the unwashed masses as we hiked down towards El Capitan.

There were people everywhere along the road and in the meadows that had a view of that side of El Capitan where Horsetail falls trickled over.

The previous night had reportedly been a spectacular sight due the lack of clouds, but the weather that afternoon grew cloudy and cloudier as it went on. So it wasn’t looking like there would be a chance of the Firefall showing up that night.

But then Mother Nature pulled a fast one and as the time grew close, an orange beam of light started to wash across the cliffside and then edge up closer to Horsetail Falls.

Then…

The light bulb burnt out. 🙂

Some clouds must have gotten the way just as the last light from the sun would have spotlighted the wispy spray from Horsetail Falls and set it ‘afire’.

Alas, the Firefall was not to be that night. But it was an interesting hike down to that area and worth it just for the ‘event’. Looking over my photos after the fact, I think I was too far west to see the effect to it’s fullest anyway.

The next day was forecast to be cloudy and that turned out to be the case.

So I just played tourist and saw the view from Tunnel View and then used my crampons to go to the base of Bridalveil Falls. Then I enjoyed the ice and snow around Mirror Lake before calling the trip complete.

So, not the grand trek I had hoped for, but an enjoyable trip to Yosemite Valley to see it covered in snow.

Probably my last trip to Yosemite (or even the Sierras) this winter, but then I never planned to go more than once, so who knows what March will bring.