The Company of a Good Friend

July 20, 2012
Spillway Lake, Yosemite National Park
Total distance walked:  9 miles

Today, Mary Elizabeth, with whom I’ve been hiking for a couple of years, and I trekked to Spillway Lake. What could make this already amazing trail better from a month ago? The company of a good friend and the sight of wildflowers blooming all around.

The transformation since my last visit a month ago was striking: the meadows had blossomed with numerous wildflowers and had become significantly drier. The landscape was dotted with abundant Indian paintbrushes, though the owl’s clover was less prevalent. There were lupines, gentians, some faded lilies, and red mountain heather, which had shed its blooms.

Paintbrush and Lupine

This time we chose the Mono Pass trail at the road’s fork, diverging from the direct route to the lake.

The path ascended significantly, winding through a lodgepole pine forest enroute to Mono Pass.

T is for trail.

We turned onto Parker Pass, which led us indirectly to Spillway Lake. The trail at Parker Pass commenced in a meadow brimming with green and mauve-colored grasses.

The wind swept across the open area, home to the elephant head lousewort.

Leaving the meadow behind, we noticed ranger buttons emerging in the rocky soil as the trail ascended towards the nearly 11,000-foot elevation. Looking northeast, Mono Pass came into view, along with two small unnamed ponds. To the east, a distant cabin caught our eye. According to the map, a mine shaft is also located there. One day I plan to explore that area.

Eventually, the time came to depart from the Parker Pass trail and make our way down to the lake. Although the lake seemed close, the descent took longer than expected. We stopped on the hillside to have lunch, enjoying the meal with a spectacular view.

Upon our arrival at the lakeshore, the wind was strong enough to create small whitecaps on the surface of the water, and unlike last month, no fish were jumping. We settled on a rock by the water’s edge and remained there until it was time to depart.

The trail cut a ribbon of brown through the colorful meadow and led us near the rushing water of Parker Pass Creek.

We walked to the creek and gazed into it as water cascaded over the dark rocks. Along its banks, Pacific Mountain onions flourished.

Whether I am hiking this trail alone immersed in my thoughts or spending the day chatting with a close friend, the presence of God feels near.