More Lehmans to Yosemite

As many of you already know, my parents came to visit me/Yosemite this past week! Apparently they missed me. ;) So I had the opportunity to play tour guide for a few days, creating an elaborate itinerary and then showing them around.

They got here on Tuesday afternoon and after checking in, came to visit me at the pool. Unfortunately, my mother decided taking pictures of me while I was working was necessary, but luckily for me, they brought me food…so I guess I can forgive her. After I got off work, we went to YOSAR’s presentation. Although interesting, it wasn’t quite what I expected. I figured it’d be more stories of SARs, but it was more of a how-not-to-get-lost/what-to-do-if-you-do-get-lost kind of presentation. Even though I was just coming off a being lost trip, there wasn’t actually anything I learned that could’ve helped me in my scenario. So basically the whole thing just freaked my mother out for our upcoming activities. Not smart Bethany…not smart.

Wednesday morning we took the bus up to Glacier Point (much to my chagrin since I could’ve hiked Four Mile Trail in the same amount of time), but since they’re old…we took the bus.

from Glacier Point

Then we did the little 3-mile round-trip trail to Sentinel Dome. I hadn’t realized how debilitating my mom’s fear of heights was, so this day didn’t exactly go as smoothly as I had hoped. Sentinel Dome was a bit tricky for her, but she made it to the top anyways. Yay her.

About to go up Sentinel Dome

 

 Proof she made it to the top :)

After returning to Glacier Point, we headed out on the 8.3 mile Panorama Trail back down to the valley. In doing so, we passed Illilouette Fall, Nevada Fall, and Vernal Fall. Along with my mom’s fear of heights, my dad decided that it would be a good time for the sole of his hiking boot to come off. Being the over-prepared person that I am, I had daisy-chained some paracord bootlaces on my keychain in my backpack, which we then used to attempt to hold the sole in place. (It worked well enough to get back to the valley and pick up some shoe goo at the mountain shop.) That was only the second time those laces have actually come in handy this summer; the other was when I used them to make a halter top for a girl whose strapless swimsuit was coming down.

 Illilouette Fall

 

 #whodoesn'thaveparacord

After what felt like a very long time to me, we finally made it back to Half Dome Village. I’m sure I traumatized my mother in the process, especially coming down a crowded Mist Trail (that this point in the season wasn’t very misty). As we all know, I typically get ice cream after my hikes and Wednesday was no exception. While my dad made a phone call outside the pavilion, I went in to the Coffee Corner and ordered three shakes (Strawberry/Cookies and Cream, Chocolate/Mint Chocolate Chip, and Chocolate/Cookies and Cream). Well Sam charged my $0.59 and Ian gave me a cup with all the leftovers too…so that averaged out to fifteen cents apiece—not bad. Then we went to the Grill, I gave Susan the leftover cup, and she gave us our food for free. :) Supper for 3 under a dollar in Yosemite—didn’t think it was possible! But I guess it is if you’re me. :D

After supper, we went to the chapel for Wednesday evening church service. Then we went to Miles’ Starry Skies program. He did a great job, as usual!

On Thursday, I borrowed Montana’s vehicle and we went up to Hetch Hetchy. This time didn’t take me nearly as long as last time. ;) David was at the entrance station and was telling my parents all kinds of things about me. When he started by saying I was a legend, I got a definite glare from my mother because she assumed he meant in a bad way (aka a moron that got lost). Wrong. He said that he would go hiking with me anywhere without a map because I successfully self-navigated myself out of the wild, that they were in good hands, and that they had one of the best guides around. I’m confident I was red as a tomato by the time he was done.

Side note: my friend Santiago told me a couple days after my adventure that a couple got lost out there in the same vicinity that I was. They (the HH Rangers) were about to go out on a SAR for them when they were found. I wanted to point this out to all my extremely concerned relatives because hiking by myself was not the problem—the nonexistent trail is the problem!

After getting to the O’Shaughnessy Dam, we took the ~5.5 mile round-trip to Wapama Falls. I intended to go here on my last excursion to Hetch Hetchy, but fell short time-wise, so instead I drug my parents along. :) I thought the trail was extremely easy and the waterfall was awesome! My mother did not approve, but my dad and I decided to do some scrambling up the rocks by the falls. (All of the rocks were dry, I swear—we’re not stupid!)

 Wapama Falls from footbridge

 Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and Kolana Rock, viewed from Wapama Falls

 Hetch Hetchy Reservoir from Wapama Falls

Wapama Falls from our rock we scrambled up to

 And there's Shelley--right where we left her ;)

On the way back, I insisted we get our picture taken at the Big Oak Flat entrance station—the same place that I took the family’s picture last weekend.

I also took them to Bridalveil Fall, Tunnel View, and an overlook on Tioga Road—things that wouldn’t have been possible without a vehicle to take you. So thanks Tuna!!!

On Friday, we took the bus up to the Tuolumne area. If you haven’t figured it out, my goal was to get them to each of the three main sections of the park—Yosemite Valley, Tuolumne, and Hetch Hetchy. To counter the weekend masses and traffic, we started with the most popular place in the middle of the week, then went to Hetch Hetchy via vehicle, and then came back on the bus from Tuolumne on Friday (because buses get special lanes). A lot of thought went into the schedule…

Up in Tuolumne, since we had a limited amount of time (there was no way I was having them hike back down to the valley), I chose the Lembert Dome/Dog Lake hike. It’s only about 4.5 miles, so we had a bit of cushion before we needed to get back on the bus. On the way up, the bus stops at Olmstead Point, so my friend Stephanie the bus driver took our picture.

Olmstead Point

Lembert Dome was definitely the easiest dome that I’ve done. The granite is rougher up in the Tuolumne area than the smooth granite down in the valley, and also this dome was sort of ridged so that there was basically a natural slanted staircase up the dome. My dad and I went adventuring up to the top while my mother stayed down below where she was more comfortable.

View of the Tuolumne area from Lembert Dome

 My dad and I at the tip-top of Lembert Dome

 My dad and I at the tip-top of Lembert Dome

Dog Lake was nice, but not that impressive comparatively to something as gorgeous as Tenaya Lake or May Lake.

Dog Lake

We had some free time Friday evening, so we decided to go view the film Across the Range that was shown at the Yosemite Conservation Heritage Center. The Sierra Club holds speakers there on Friday and Saturday nights, and this guy narrated his film of him crossing the Great Western Divide. I expected to fall asleep, but was pleasantly surprised at how interesting it was. It really just made me want to go on a backpacking trip in the Sierras…maybe someday. The film also ended with a sweet Bryan Adams song about home that I’m really struggling to find—so if anybody knows it, let me know!

That night we went and go ice cream sundaes from the Coffee Corner, delicious as usual. Ice cream is the best!!!

On Saturday morning after breakfast, we played cards in their tent cabin. It worked out great because I won right before they had to leave on YARTS to Fresno for their flight. ;) Adios and thanks for coming!!! :D

Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen!

***Update: The Bryan Adams song is "I Will Always Return" from the movie Spirit. :)