Crisp Air and Colorful Leaves

November 5, 2012
Snow Creek Trail, Yosemite National Park
Total distance walked: 7 miles

Today, I trekked a section of the Snow Creek Trail in Yosemite alongside my friends, Mary Elizabeth and Paul. To access the trail, we embarked on a two-mile journey from the Mirror Lake trailhead. In this area, the air was crisp and the leaves were colorful.

Initially, we followed the same forested trail that Chris and I had explored a few weeks prior. We strolled beneath the shadow of Half Dome, navigating the rocky path and sidestepping the plump “road apples”.

As the sun rose above the mountains, we gazed at Half Dome and noticed immense spider webs sparkling in the sunlight. The enormous snares stretched in a semicircle from one end of the mountain to the other. I tried to capture this remarkable discovery using my simple point-and-shoot camera, but it was too far away for a good shot.

The granite mountains and the peculiar spider web were not the only grand sights. As the wind whispered through the autumn leaves, they fell to the ground like raindrops. Mary found an enormous maple leaf. The maple trees don’t get big in Yosemite, but the leaves do.

Arriving at the Snow Creek trail, we were greeted by a large metal sign reading “Trail Rules.” It was attached to a boulder at the trailhead. It was here that our steep, heart-pounding ascent began.

As we ascended the trail, winding through switchbacks the sun’s heat radiated from the granite walls.

Below us lay a blanket of trees while Half Dome, Clouds Rest, and Mt. Watkins stood majestically across the vista.

Snow Creek, the namesake of the trail, remained elusive as not a single drop of water was in sight to guide us. The trail ascended 2,300 feet, but we did not reach the summit. We decided to turn back, cautiously navigating the descent, and proceeded to the Mirror Lake Loop. There, we settled for lunch by a bridge over a dry stretch of Tenaya Creek.

As we continued along the loop trail, we passed through the construction area at Ahwiyah Point, where a rock fall had occurred. A dedicated crew was busy repairing the trail, which was littered with rocks.

A sign that was initially placed at the trailhead when it was closed is now leaning against the rocks.

Looking up at Ahwiyah Point, we saw where the granite had slipped away decimating the forest below and depositing 115,000 tons of white talus on the slope near Tenaya Creek.

Ahwiyah Point

Rubble of the rock fall.

We completed the five-mile loop by late afternoon, yet we still faced a lengthy trek back to our car. It was quite the journey, marking another enjoyable day spent with friends in this wonderful area.