Finding My Hiking Legs Again: Beating Back Negativity In Yosemite

I spent the last hour struggling to conjure up a title for this blog post. For 60 minutes I was stuck in my head instead of just doing the thing. It's a perfect reflection of the state of mind I grappled with on a recent mini-adventure in Yosemite. Let's talk about it, and in the process I'll share some of my favorite photos from the hikes.

I spent the majority of winter fighting depression. Hibernating. Leaning heavily on the escapism of video games to fend off the crippling sadness. Writing my ass off at Forbes to distract myself from the dumpster fire that is U.S. politics. Eating way too much pizza and cookies. Engaging in too much, erm, "retail therapy" to fill the emptiness I felt widening in soul.

As much as I love retro gaming (I spun up a Matrix server dedicated to it), I should have diverted some of that retail therapy energy into proper winter hiking and backpacking gear. Because after last week's quick 3-day stay at Camp 4, I know that what my soul truly needed is nature therapy.

It's not a revelation that necessarily takes me by surprise, but it's reassuring to feel like it's now set in stone: for me, being in nature needs to be the rule, not the exception.

Camp 4 In Late February: Perfect

My goal for this Yosemite trip was twofold. First, I wanted to give my current camping gear a late winter shakedown to see if I could sleep comfortably during 30F (-1C) nights in the valley. And second, I needed to get my hiking legs back after being decidedly lazy and unhealthy for the past few months.

My plan was to use Camp 4 as a base and enjoy some moderate day hikes from Yosemite Valley. During this time of year, Camp 4 is "First-Come First-Served" (FCFS). You can't reserve a space online; instead you walk in and hope there's an empty spot. If you find one, you check in using the Recreation.gov app (cell coverage is strong in this part of Yosemite).

After reading so many horror stories about Camp 4 being crowded and noisy, I was surprised to see it practically deserted. (A park Ranger later confirmed this is normal during the final days of February through the early weeks of Spring.) So, I claimed a spot and paid my $10/night.

I was anxious to get on the trail, so I made a quick lunch and headed to the Upper Yosemite Falls trailhead, which is conveniently located right next to Camp 4.

Upper Yosemite Falls: DNF

Ah, the ambition of the mind versus the limitations of the body...

I knew I wasn't in fit hiking shape, but I figured I could at least strive for the top of Yosemite Falls. Besides, anything above that would probably be buried in snow and I wasn't equipped for snowshoeing. I foolishly assumed the setting sun would be what forced me back down the mountain, not the mileage.

But reality shifted into focus pretty quickly. Not all hikes in Yosemite are created equal!

I remember how confident I felt about my first backpacking trip after logging an easy 15 miles in one day on the Yosemite Valley loop. And then I collapsed in a heap of emotion and doubt on The Mist Trail, not even 5 miles into the journey. (If you're just tuning in to this blog, the backpacking trip had a happy ending, and I think it makes for a great read so check it out!)

My First Backpacking Trip, Day 1: Happy Isles To Little Yosemite Valley

A photo journal of my first backpacking trip into the Yosemite Wilderness.

Seasons of JasonJason Evangelho

Anyway, the first 3/4 mile of Yosemite Falls is nothing but three dozen steep switchbacks. My heart wanted to explode out of my chest, and I was stopping to catch my breath after every three switchbacks. How far I had fallen since that glorious backpacking trip...

Not even one mile in, I was winded, beat down, and letting negativity drown me. In a message to my friend K, I called my effort "pathetic." That's when my friend (yet again) delivered the right words of encouragement at exactly the right moment.

"I'm going to call out an opportunity to reframe this," K said. "You're out there. Let that be OK. You know it will get easier if you keep going back. The needle doesn't go from 0-60 the second you start the car."

The words sunk in. I stopped at Columbia Rock and gazed down at Yosemite Valley, gratefully accepting that being in this wondrous place doesn't have to mean training, or exercise, or hitting a mileage goal. I would come back. And next time I will go a little further – not to check off a goal on my Garmin, but to discover another slice of this fantastic place.

Attitude adjustment locked in, I pushed forward another mile to the aptly named "Oh My Gosh Point," where you can see Upper Yosemite Falls crashing into a large cone of snow. I got lucky and saw just a hint of a rainbow in the ethereal mist. (Can you spot it in the photo, below right?)

I sat against a rock and cried for a minute. Not out of sadness, but because of the overpowering beauty. Contentment washed over me, and I decided to head back down the mountain.

Mirror Lake and "The Lunch Rock"

We're past the drama section of the blog! From here forward, it's just eye candy.

For my second day, I decided staying in the valley and avoiding brutal ascents was the right call. So I headed to the Mirror Lake trailhead, located where Happy Isles Loop Road crosses the Merced River. (If you're using the Yosemite Valley Shuttle, it's stop 17 on the Green Route.)

The relaxing hike parallels Tenaya Creek, and it doesn't take long for this trail to start showing off. It had clearly warmed up enough for snow melt to come surging down the creek, its flow cascading down boulders and creating an endless series of small waterfalls. Around every corner, there is a sight that takes your breath away.

Eventually I came to Mirror Lake itself, which is actually a seasonal lake that reportedly dries up during Summer. For a few exceptional minutes, I had this serene scene all to myself:

A short time after the loop crosses over Tenaya Creek, I came to a flat rock that looked perfect for a lunch stop. And the icy water next to it looked like ideal relief for my tired feet. (I already had multiple blisters, despite never getting a single one during my entire backpacking trip – same shoes, same socks. Weird!)

That water was ice cold but so refreshing! Again, I walked off the trail and headed back to camp feeling content. And this time, even a sense of accomplishment.

Both of these hikes left me wanting more. Next time I'll inch closer to the top of Yosemite Falls, and perhaps continue to Snow Creek once I've passed Mirror Lake.

Not All Yosemite Hikes Are Created Equal!

Here's an image that really drives home the whole "not all Yosemite hikes are created equal" statement I made earlier. It's the Garmin data from my Mirror Lake hike versus the data from the shorter Yosemite Falls hike the day before.

4 miles on the Yosemite Falls trail and a staggering 1800 calories burned, versus 5.5 miles in the same amount of time with "only" 1000 calories burned.

Day 3: A Mellow Finish

I was pretty wiped out by the third day, but couldn't leave without touching another trail. So I decided on the very gentle Lower Yosemite Falls trail, with a quick loop around Cook's Meadow and Sentinel Meadow.

Wow, did you get this far? Thanks a bunch for reading my little story and sharing part of the journey with me. I absolutely love writing about hiking, and especially about Yosemite. If you want future stuff like this delivered straight to your inbox, consider putting your email address in the box below.

Happy Trails,
~Jason