Mt. Hoffman, Half Dome, and May Lake by John P. DeGrazio
I spent Wednesday on a familiar trail to the top of Mt. Hoffman. Yes, May Lake, the marmots, locoweed, and Belding squirrels were all great; but there was something more on this day. I had heard about a U.S. Cavalry trail somewhere off the main path that I wanted to check out. My friend Brian, whom I had hiked with to Waterwheel Fall and Clouds Rest, was game for a new adventure so off we went.
Half Dome and Wallflower by John P. DeGrazio
Brian Contemplating Mt. Dana by John P. DeGrazio
My memory was a little fuzzy so we did not last long on our first chosen path. After climbing about 20 feet of rock with only a ledge and Tuolumne Peak in front of us, we decided this was not it. About a hundred more yards down the trail we saw our destination. Or was it our destiny?That would be a slight hyperbole, but we were thrilled as the route unfolded and each ‘discovery’ was more amazing the the previous one. The condition of the trail was very good considering it is no longer maintained by the park service. This was a surprise to us because of the ease of accessibility combined with the amazing views it provides. I know one thing, this will be a future campsite for me and a great jumping off point for a Tuolumne Peak summit hike. The lighting was not ideal (I did like the light on the wallflower, however) but I will return for more photos in better conditions.
The Domes of Tuolumne by John P. DeGrazio
Feed from Y*explore Yosemite YEBlog http://yexplore.com/yeblog.
#1 Mt. Hoffman from Raisin Lake
#3 Storm over Dog Lake with Mt. Dana, Mt. Gibbs, and Mammoth Peak
