September 25

Distance: 23.3 miles | Ascent: 1940′ | Descent: 4070′

Lunch: J – Indian curry (B-), A – mac n cheese (B+)

Dinner: J – mac n cheese (A) and chili with rice (C-), A – chili with rice (A-)

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We had camped on an exposed ridge above 10,000 ft elevation. Fortunately, the wind was not too bad overnight, and we stayed warm enough in our tent. We took a slower morning to enjoy some coffee and the panoramic scenery while the sun rose.

We left camp in the sun, shedding our layers even as we descended into the forest below. We crossed a broken bridge and popped up over a ridge to enter Yosemite.

That’s when the clouds rolled in. Darker clouds lay in front. Two hikers going opposite us were in full rain gear. Soon, we found out why. As we followed Falls Creek down for several miles, the rain picked up. We heard impressive thunder rattling the whole sky and saw a few flashes of distant lightning. It never poured on us. The rain seemed to waver. Sometimes, it came down enough to soak through any exposed clothing. Other times, it was a light drizzle.

The muddy trail slowed us down as we tried to keep our shoes relatively dry. The scenery was nice, but it was hard to enjoy when battling the elements.

We eventually decided to call it quits a few miles early to ensure we didn’t get to camp wet and cold from hiking in the dark. As we found a new campsite, some deer came to examine us. Fortunately, the rain let up just in time for us to enjoy a dry dinner