Vernal Falls

This is the last day of our Yosemite trip!  Vernal Falls is just about the only one with any actual water running; let’s hike up to that one.

                          
First we have to get warmed up by practicing our balancing and rock climbing.

It’s a perfect sunny day for a stroll through the forest . . .

                       
and along the river. 

    
The locals are friendly too.

                               
The views along the way are, as expected, spectacular. 

               
The hiking hasn’t been all that strenuous up to this point either, but that’s about to change.

                          
We get a good view of the falls, not exactly from the base of them but as near as you get, because the trail proceeds not to the pool at the bottom but all the way up to the top!

                               
Lots and lots and LOTS of stairs.  The kids both did a fantastic job; I don’t remember now if either of them ever asked to be carried but I do know that neither of them ever were.  They walked the whole way up!

   
At some point partially up those stairs, you get a nice unobstructed view of the falls and the pool it drops into.  It reminds me of that one in Lord of the Rings (in Two Towers, I think) that Smeagol/Gollum is hopping around in when the archers are looking down on him. 

Nice rainbow at the base.

     
We hit the top and stop for lunch.

Looking back at where we started . . . somewhere down there.

                   
We chose to take a different path on the way down—the zigzag as opposed to the steps.

                     
It actually takes you higher up with another good view of the falls before you head down and into the shade.

At the end of the hike, the kids are still singing a merry tune (and accompanying themselves on stick instruments), so I’d call that a very good day!