We awoke at Sunrise Camp with a sense of renewal and an energized outlook that our trek into the Yosemite back-country was back on track. We had slept in a little this morning and a few early-goers were already on trail. These early-risers strode passed our tents, dangling camp gear clinking with each step as they made way up the John Muir Trail or on to Clouds Rest. We broke camp and hit the trail around 9am heading down toward the Half-Dome/ JMT Junction. Our goal today was Merced Falls and this hike would be the shortest of our trek encompassing only about six and a half miles. Merced Falls is situated at the easternmost end of little Yosemite Valley, in the Merced River water shed. The mile and a half hike to the Half Dome junction offers splendid views of both the sub-dome and Half Dome. One can clearly see the cables on Half Dome and the early hikers working their way up the face of the dominating monolith. Looking south, one is treated to a spectacular view of the back country domes; Moraine dome is nearby, in the distance Mt. Starr King rises. Further out, in a southerly direction, distant domes, peaks and mountains mark the Clark range. On this day wisps of smoke from an unknown fire were wafting in from that southerly direction filling Little Yosemite Valley with layered, smoky haze and soon visibility and air quality became poor. I felt some empathy for those people climbing half dome as the magnificent views were sure to be affected by the hazy smoke.

Once past the HD junction the human traffic on trail increased as the morning groups made their way up out of Little Yosemite Valley up toward HD. Within the tree line smoke interspersed with shafts of morning sunlight streaking through the pines and made for a surreal mid-morning glow. We soon emerged from the tree line onto Little Yosemite Valley’s flatter ground and made our way south past the ranger station trail toward the Merced River. Using our pre-routed GPS maps on our cell phone, we navigated through the camp ground area to the Lake Merced trail.  A quick turn on a corner and we were heading east, paralleling the Merced River and heading east toward Merced Falls.

The hike from Little Yosemite Valley to Merced falls is flat, skirting the granite on the south side of Moraine Dome. The well-marked trail thorough this area was flat consisting of aggravatingly soft sandy river sand. Walking with weight-laden legs through this sand forces one to change their gait from stride to short, purposely placed steps, lacking little heal to toe push-off. One finds themself constantly looking for more solid tread on the periphery of the sandy sections of trail in effort to ease the strain on one to ease the effort on their calves. Making our way through the narrowing eastern end of Little Yosemite Valley, we came upon the remnants of the 2014 Meadow fire. Blackened, leafless, twiggy skeletons of trees stood in silent testimony to the destruction of the fire. But the resiliency of mother nature showed its life force of regeneration with broad-leaf greenery and yellow Coreopsis and Goldenrod sprinkled across the forest floor. The trees, bereft of pine needles, revealed views of the Cascade cliffs and Bunnell Point that rose up on the south side of the Merced River. 

At the eastern-most edge of Little Yosemite Valley, the southern wall of Moraine Dome pinches in to meet the north facing granite walls of Cascade cliffs, to form a narrow pass. It’s here that in the spring, that Merced Falls is fed by ice melt that flies over a steep granite escarpment with roaring volumes of water. But we are here in early September and typical of recent years in California, in drought conditions. Merced falls was flowing with a narrow but vigorous rush of water that emptied into a large, crystal clear pool. It was not hard to envision the spring volume of water being exponentially heavier and the thundering of the falls reverberating off the surrounding granite walls. Initially, we walked past Merced Falls not realizing we have arrived. We moved up the trail, seeking a flat, non-burned area to camp, but it became evident that the fire had burned up through this area and the narrowness of the canyon did not offer any reasonably flat ground. We decided to backtrack to a previously observed flat ground and the base of Merced Falls. Our camp site sat upon a mixture of river sand and pebbles hinting to the fact that prior to drought conditions this area was underwater. It proved to be a great spot, allowing easy access to the pool and our first opportunity to try some fishing.

We quickly set up camp with a fisherman’s eye on the crystalline pool at the falls. With our tackle in hand, Kevin and I boulder-scrambled to the granite escarpment where the falls coursed down into the pool. My first cast into the riffles behind the white water yielded a strong bite and I reeled in a smallish Brookie. It was beautifully spotted and colored and I gently released him back to the water. Almost immediately Kevin yelled “fish on” and his bent pole indicated that he had a good size fish on the line. Kevin’s catch was a foot long brook trout as well – a beautiful fish indeed. The fun continued with hit after hit of small to medium trout hooked, reeled in and released back to the cold waters. Even Jeff got into the act catching small trout. The setting sun, the glow on the nearby dome, the rush of water on rock nearby and the good fishing made for a Muir-like idyllic setting that I will remember for years to come.

The pool, with its inviting clarity and cold waters was too much to pass up on a warm day. Stripping down to natures look, I waded into the cold waters and clean off the sweat and grime from the days effort. Lying on the tilting granite, I let the sun dry my body. This pause in activity afforded the opportunity to take in the sounds of the falls and the enveloping beauty of the towering domes. For me, it’s these moments of peace and solitude that I cherish when in the wilderness. This mind-emptying seclusion is what I relive when I’m back in civilization. I never miss a chance to enjoy it and never take it for granted. Back at camp, Kevin capped “happy hour”  evening “toast” and a treat of sardines-in-mustard served with cheese and crackers. All I can say is that it was absolutely delicious and something I will do again. As the campfire dwindled, our camp banter subsided into individual thoughts and soon we were thinking about tomorrows hike to Merced Lake. It was feeling like a backpacking trip should.

• Uncategorized