Glen Aulin to California Falls, Yosemite National Park
June 4 – 6, 2013
Total distance walked: 20 miles

As Chris, Julia, Andrew, and I—two-thirds of the family—made our way to Glen Aulin in Yosemite National Park, the weather service forecasted thunderstorms.

Day One: The sky loomed dark and ominous, having just stopped its downpour shortly before our hike began. Due to the rain, we opted to eat lunch in the car rather than at the picnic table beside Tenaya Lake.

Now on the trail at Tuolumne Meadows, our spirits were high as we walked the damp half mile leading to the main trail. For Julia, it was her first backpacking adventure, and although the borrowed backpack appeared enormous on her frame, it was surprisingly lightweight.

As we made our way through the meadows and trees, we were harassed by mosquitoes. Andrew sped ahead, promising to wait for us at the first water crossing.

Approaching the rushing waters of Delaney Creek, we paused as a pack train passed by.

Once it passed, we proceeded to cross the log, placing one foot cautiously in front of the other. Dingley Creek had numerous wet crossings, yet they paled in comparison to the engorged Delaney Creek.

A threatening clap of thunder echoed through the dark forest. Bright flashes of lightning lit the gray sky, and we quickly made our way across the open granite slabs. We noticed that the granite glistens both in the rain and in the sunshine.

Slushy rain fell, transforming into hail before reverting back to rain. Julia and I donned colorful plastic ponchos in an attempt to keep dry.

As we arrived at our campsite on the Pacific Crest Trail near Cold Canyon and by Conness Creek, the thunderstorm subsided, and the sun emerged. We ended the day cozily nestled in our tents, feeling warm, dry, and comfortable.

Day Two: We woke to a stunning baby blue sky, completely cloudless. Our goal was to trek to Waterwheel Falls, situated roughly four miles from our campsite.

Named for the massive spray of water that mimics a waterwheel, it was the same destination that Chris and I had endeavored to reach last year. You can read about that by clicking HERE.

Despite the sunshine and pleasant warmth, fluffy white clouds started to fill the sky by noon. We navigated the winding path through the red rocks, beside the serene green waters of the Tuolumne River, and wove through the tranquil forest. This area was gorgeous!

We neared a marsh teeming with mosquitoes where we stopped to switch shoes, readying ourselves for the trek along the flooded path, and then proceeded to wade through the chilly waters for approximately a quarter mile. While the water rose to the ankles and shins of some, it reached up to my thighs. It was an unusual sight to see fish swimming on the trail.

The path followed along the river as we journeyed through the gorge. The river cascaded swiftly over the rocks, then calmed before forming the rapids. We reached California Falls, where we paused for a break before continuing down the trail.

Seeing the early section of the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne River with its sheer canyon walls, was thrilling. Throughout the trip, I had been battling foot and knee pain, relying on ibuprofen to manage it. Unfortunately, the pain only seemed to worsen. I was unable to descend any further and, for the second time, did not reach Waterwheel Falls.

Late in the afternoon, the white clouds turned into an ominous bank of dark clouds. We navigated uphill, traversing rocks and granite, once more through the wet trail, returning to camp while thunder rumbled, its sound often indistinguishable from the relentless roar of the river.

During our night at camp, we were plagued by pesky mosquitoes and lit a smoky fire to keep them at bay.

Day Three:  Chris roused us early in the morning to pack and hit the trail.

We had neglected to check the Steripen’s batteries, which died after a few uses forcing us to boil our drinking water on the campfire since we depleted our supply of liquid fuel for the stove. While the family remained behind to attend to the water, I proceeded ahead due to my slow pace caused by my knee. Ambling along, I spotted pink mountain pride, orange paintbrush and yellow mules ears decorating the path adding even more beauty to an already stunning journey.

Andrew quickly caught up and handed me a bottle of smoke-flavored lukewarm water before taking off at breakneck speed, reaching the car two hours ahead of everyone else.

While taking a break, Julia, Chris, and I sat by the bridges watching a marmot scurrying back and forth until it was interrupted by a passing pack train.

At Delaney Creek I chose to walk through the water instead of trying to balance across the log.  The water in the creek was much colder than the water on the trail the day before. On the final mile’s walk to the car, I encountered a familiar face approaching. It was Andrew, returning with a bottle of Gatorade in hand. He even took the burden of carrying my pack for the remaining distance—a genuine trail angel.

We saw many awesome waterfalls on this trip and weren’t too disappointed that we didn’t actually get to Waterwheel Falls. The best part was spending quality time as a family, laughing and creating memories.

On the way home, we stopped at Tuolumne Meadows Grill for a well-earned and very tasty cheeseburger.