After many years away, I returned to Yosemite NP to backpack the North Rim area overlooking the valley. I drove through for 12 hours from home to Tuolumne Meadows and camped in the backpackers camp, which requires no reservations. I even shared a camp with two friends who were through-hiking the PCT and happened to be there.
The next morning I was off from the Porcupine Creek trailhead on my short 3 mile hike. The trail started on a road.
After 3 short downhill miles through the forest, I set up camp on the lower Lehamite Creek. Then I was off on a 6.6 mile dayhike, first to North Dome. Here is North Dome.
From the main trail, there is a half mile spur down to it - there were dozens of people there
And a great view of Half Dome
And Mt. Watkins and Clouds Rest
Then it was a 1000 foot slog uphill in the heat to Indian Rock with it's arches
and to the top behind it
The next morning I was off for another short 3.5 mile backpack to the Yosemite Falls area. You pass Yosemite Point on the way with a good view of Glacier Apron
Then down to Yosemite Creek and the edge of the falls
A trail leads to an overlook where you can sort of see the top
After setting up camp a half mile upstream, I was off on my 8+ mile dayhike to the top of El Capitan
Approaching the top
And once again a view of Clouds Rest and Half Dome
The next day I hiked out and then drove to the remote Hetch Hetchy Valley, with the dam holding in a reservoir.
