The star attraction is Half Dome, rising above the valley floor. There expansive view over the partk, with Yosemite Valley stretching to the south as far as the eye can see. There are sweeping views as you ascend, but it’s not at all like many descriptions suggest.Īt the Clouds Rest summit, a large open and rocky area, there’s a fair number of people enjoying lunch – although it’s not crowded. Although you can make the ridge appear somewhat dramatic with the right camera angle, it’s not knife-edged and there’s absolutely no exposure. I was expecting something a little exhilarating, like Angels Landing. And I use the word “narrow” somewhat loosely: I’ve read descriptions such as “a narrow and knife-edged ridge”. You just follow the narrow granite ridge up to the top. There’s no path or signage from here – but none is needed. The trailhead is clearly marked, starting near the southern end of Tenaya Lake on Tioga and, and is initially fairly flat and easy walking. I’m not exactly sure the route I’m doing, but the plan is to head up to Clouds Rest, which was completely impassable due to deep snow last time I was here. There’s no traffic on the road and the mist is rising off the meadows along the road. I make an early start to hopefully avoid the crowds, leaving Tuolumne Meadows Lodge just after sunrise for the Sunrise Lakes Trailhead. I’m surprised how warm the weather is at the end of August, and even more surprised at how busy the park is. This time it’s a very different experience. and brought more than just a T-shirt and shorts to wear in April. As I got closer to the park and realised there was a solid wall of snow on both sides of the road, I thought perhaps I should have done a bit more research…. My hike to Clouds Rest and Sunrise Lakes is almost ten years since my last visit to Yosemite, when my planning consisted of little more than booking some accommodation and purchasing a map.
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