Yosemite Day 4

By Kyndal Goen

Kbg45@txstate.edu

Total Steps Taken: 20,888 (179 floors!)

Fact of the day: Nevada Falls rests along the Mist Trail and stands at an elevation of 5,971 feet. Higher in elevation than Yosemite Falls in fact!

The Mist Trail

On the last day of our time in Yosemite, everyone in the group was mostly getting the last bit of footage and interviews they needed, but overall enjoying their remaining couple hours in the park. However, my feature story still needed a little bit of work. This led to hiking the notorious Mist Trial in search of wildflowers in bloom. The trail was listed on the map as being a six-hour total hike and cautioned against beginners. In addition, the clerk who gave out the map explained that there was a super bloom happening at higher elevations and that there were likely many wildflowers along the trail. And so, I decided to take on the solo mission.

View from Nevada Falls
Photo by Kyndal Goen

The journey started around 9:15 a.m. after a quick stop at the village market for a couple healthy snacks. Taking the shuttle a couple stops down to Happy Isles hikers can simply cross the bridge to the trailhead. Now this trail may seem to start out easy, but it becomes quickly apparent that the path is much steeper than previously imagined. Around a quarter of the way into the trail, a Yosemite Conservancy informational table is set up. They are there to help people navigate the trail and answer any questions hikers have. From there, I was able to acquire a flower identification key to reference during the hike. After their checkpoint, the dirt path slowly turned into a seemingly never-ending flight of stairs. Rounding the corner of one of the switchbacks, suddenly I could not only see the Vernal Falls, but could feel the mist spraying against my cheeks. Soon the gentle mist began to get stronger and stronger until it was as if the trail was fixed in the middle of a raging storm. But still, the trail continued upward, as did the journey to find fields of vibrant flowers.

Mountain Pride
Photo by Kyndal Goen

Reaching the top of the waterfall was such a gratifying, powerful moment. However, there were not many flowers at the top of this fall, so the hike continued on. After stopping to admire the view, dry off a bit and eat a couple of snacks, I continued my journey up the mountain to next waterfall: Nevada Falls. Along this trail, wildflowers immediately started to show themselves with pops of orange and fuchsia at just about every turn. The trail to the next fall was much less wet but every bit as difficult. Step after step, my legs began to turn to Jell-O and my spirits began to weaken. But eventually, I reached the top of Nevada Falls. Successfully capturing several species of beautiful flowers on film, I began my decent down John Muir trail. The long walk down the mountain offered time to silently appreciate all that I had seen and accomplished on the hike. Sometimes it takes a little time by yourself to truly let the power and beauty of Yosemite sink into your heart and memories forever.

Yosemite Day 3

By Kyndal Goen

Kbg45@txstate.edu

Total Steps Taken: 15,234

Fact of the day: California ground squirrels are a very common sight among park visitors, however, most of them do not know that these native squirrels actually carry the Black Plague! These squirrels also have a very unique way of fending off rattlesnakes. The squirrel pushes all of its blood into its tail and whips it around quickly back and forth. This confuses the snake’s thermodynamic sensors in its nose, mistaking the furry creature for another rattlesnake. Thus leaving the common ground squirrel essentially rattlesnake resistant.

Majestic Tour

Wednesday marked the half-way point of the trip and for most of the group, that meant stepping things into high gear. The day held promise for Jake and I, and we each began our morning with successful interviews and a full itinerary waiting for us. First up on the list was a Majestic Yosemite Hotel tour, which started at two. Seeing as there was so much time before the tour, we took it upon ourselves to capture some b-roll of the interior and exterior of the hotel.

Majestic Yosemite Hotel
Photo by Kyndal Goen

When two o’clock rolls by, we gather in the hotel’s spacious green back lawn to begin the tour. We are greeted by our guide Corey, who tells us a little bit about his background and some history of the hotel as well. Peering up at the ten-story building in the middle of a national park sparked a bit of confusion and a tad bit of frustration. Why would anyone want to lodge in such luxury when in a place that urged people to reconnect with nature? Our guide seemed to have sensed the crowd’s apprehension of the idea of this hotel, and came to the establishment’s defense. Corey explained that in order to fund the park, it needed to attract the attention of some very influential people; thus the Majestic Yosemite Hotel was built. The idea worked, and with the donations of various wealthy parties, Yosemite, among many other national parks, began to see an uproar of funding and park attendance.

Naturalist Stroll

Wildflowers among Pinecones
Photo by Kyndal Goen

Second up on the day’s activities was the naturalist stroll through the back woods near the Majestic Hotel. Our guide, Marty, took us walking down the trail, stopping to identify trees, flowers and animals. We encountered a couple of ground squirrels and were even lucky enough to spot a coyote taking a nap in the tall grass. Marty led the group through the meadow and over to a small grouping of young sequoia trees. It was amazing being able to touch the bark and get a closer look at the branches. He then rounds us to a bridge overlooking the roaring river. Marty describes how there was debate between whether the valley was formed by river or glacier, and showed us sketches of what Yosemite likely looked like millions of years ago and how in fact, glaciers did form the ridges of the towering granite. As we gaze around the tall walls around us, our guide reminds us that our surroundings are changing rapidly and we have a responsibility to preserve and protect these shared lands so that future generations may enjoy our national parks for years to come.

Yosemite Day 2

By Kyndal Goen

Kbg45@txstate.edu

Total Steps Taken: 12,883

Fact of the day: Giant Sequoia trees can grow up to 250 feet tall and can live to about 3,000 years!

Ancient Giants

 

Posing with Giant Sequoias
Photo by Kyndal Goen

Finally feeling settled into our camp, our second day in the park featured another adventure filled with wonder and awe. But between us and that wonder and awe, was another mini road trip of around an hour and a half. My partner and I were just about bouncing up and down in our seats on the ride over to our destination: Mariposa Grove. Our group meandered around the visitor’s center while we waited for the bus, looking at various informational plaques and displays of these ancient trees. For many, if not all of our group, this was the first time we had seen such enormous living organisms. Needless to say, our jaws dropped to the forest floor.

Grizzly Giant at Mariposa Grove
Photo by Kyndal Goen

My partner, Jake was making his mini documentary for Dale’s class over the Giant Sequoias and how fire can positively and negatively affect them, so we made frequent stops along the way to capture some beautiful footage. Near the entrance, we saw a fallen sequoia with its entire root system exposed. Jake and I learned from the plaque in front of the massive tree that locals had named it “The Fallen Monarch”. No one knows quite how old the tree or when it fell. But all that was left was the core of the tree and its roots, which spanned around 18-20 feet tall as it laid on its side. Also joining us alongside the trail was a tiny little chipmunk who quickly scampered from tree to tree, looking for a mid-day snack. We walked alongside huge trunks and limbs, some of them young and thriving and some who had been scarred by fire. At the end of the half mile walk was a tree labeled “The Grizzly Giant”. The tree’s trunk is 96 feet in circumference and is a noble 209 feet tall, about the size of the Statue of Liberty. This ancient giant is one of the Mariposa Grove’s most famous trees, and it will continue to amaze and inspire those who look upon its massive form for generations.

Yosemite Day 1

By Kyndal Goen

Kbg45@txstate.edu

Total Steps Taken: 21,701

Fact of the day: Annually, 7-15 people die each year in the Merced River in Yosemite. Park officials remind visitors to be mindful of dangerous parts of the park and to stay safe!

Getting to Yosemite

Plane wing at 10,000 feet
Photo by Kyndal Goen

Our travel story begins promptly at 4:00 in the morning with just enough time to brew a cup of tea before rushing out the door, suitcase and mug in hand. Jake and I arrive at the airport, clearing security in just around 20 minutes. Somehow, we are not the last ones to join our sleepy, yet excited group. Once we’re all rounded up, we board our 6:25 a.m. flight from Austin to Phoenix, connecting to Fresno. We land in California, finally awake and eager, only to have to wait another hour or so while Dale and Jessica went to retrieve the van. But I found myself loving that small amount of downtime because it gave me a chance to get to know the people I would be sharing close quarters with for a week. Once we got the cars, we started a game of real-life Tetris as we shove all of the suitcases in the back of one of the cars. With the final slam of the trunk door, we started our 2.5-hour drive to Yosemite National Park.

Our first hike through the park

 

Meadow at "The Fern" in Yosemite
Photo by Kyndal Goen

After a night of freezing sleep, the group gathered bright and early to the center of camp to prepare for our first hike through the park we were to call home for the next five days. Our morning stroll was guided by Yosemite Conservancy Naturalist, Kaleb Goff. The group gathered around to listen to our enthusiastic and energetic guide tell us about some of the history behind the park. Diligently taking notes, we set out into the beautiful trail, making stops along the way to observe scenic views and historical markers. Throughout the trail we saw the powerful rapids of the Merced River, the humble community of Ponderosa Pines and the vivid stripes of blue of the Stellar Jay’s feathers. Perhaps the most memorable stop was a meadow called “The Fern”. Our guide directed us all to close our eyes. He asked us simply to listen. He asked, “how many different types of bird calls can you hear? Can you hear the river rushing far in the distance? How about the wind blowing gently through the tree tops?” We all stood there quietly, truly observing and appreciating where we were. We opened our eyes and smiled. This was the reason we were all here. To be able to learn valuable skills in our projected field of profession while in one of the most magnificent places in the world.