For Spring Break we headed to Yosemite to go camping for a few nights!
Gorgeous drive in...and for the boys a great potty stop.
Horsetail Fall March 2013 - Love driving into the valley for the first time each visit! Checking out the landscape and how full the falls are! It's so exciting - especially after the long drive there.
Upper Yosemite Fall from the valley floor.
After setting up camp, we headed to hike along the Mirror lake trail to the base of Half Dome - a hike I've never done since Mirror lake is usually dried up by late summer. Even if it was dried up, I would recommend this hike though. So easy and shaded with gorgeous views looking up at Half Dome along the way!
Kyle wasn't completely into hiking this day...which made us a tad nervous since we had planned some serious hikes for the next few days. To keep him happy with hiking Scott put him up high on his shoulders whilst also hefting Cade in the backpack! Strong Master Hiker Dad!
Hanging out on a big rock under Half Dome.
This rock was super fun to run up.
Mirror Lake.
A few ducks came and landed in the water so I didn't get a great shot of the reflection.Boo.
Morning tent happiness...whilst most of the campground is still quiet.
Checking out El Capitan...Dad showing the boys where the BOOT is. ...after hiking to the bottom of Upper Yosemite Fall!
Running around and dancing in front of El Cap - Cade was happy to be OUT of the backpack!
Bridal Veil Falls was sooo misty at the bottom we didn't get great pictures. But it was so great to finally go see it!
Love slowing down to see the wildlife!
Hot Chocolate at breakfast...a nice way to start the morning....especially since it was freezing at night!
He loved the sausage!
Hike to the bottom of Upper Yosemite Falls. 1200 total feet elevation gain...never ending switchbacks. The kids hiked switchbacks awesome! From afar it doesn't seem possible to hike up...So happy to finally do this hike!
Kyle says he was "Big Bunny Fufuu" in this picture since he is so strong to lift up the rock.
Kyle did AMAZING on this hike!
The view from Columbia Point. See how we are all holding on? Shear cliff to the valley floor right there. My hands are tingly just typing about it!
Cathedral Peaks across from Columbia Point.
View of Half Dome.
Finally got to see Yosemite Fall! Lunch was chilly but great view!
My boys in Yosemite.
View of Glacier point from our campsite.
After packing up camp the next morning we headed to the Mist Trail. Not entirely sure how well it would go after Kyle hiked so far the day before...but Ryan and Sean did some pretty good convincing and brain washing to make Kyle believe he wanted to go to the top. AND HE DID!
Bridge with Vernal in the background.
Apparently lots of snow hasn't melted yet. I expected it to be more full.
We got a little misty ...but the least wet for me ever.
Here he is! No help to the top!
Master Hikers indeed!
Lunch is always so great at the top of a hike! Crackers, cheese and turkey is our fave. Grapes, Mandarins, fruit snacks and BBQ pringles. Happy Hiking food! (In addition to the flow of Jolly Ranchers during the actual hike.) Surprised there isn't a squirrel peering over the rock...they are relentless!...especially after some food gets tossed...oops.
Although Kyle did great and didn't want help, Scott insisted he help him down the steep steps, because there was a storm approaching and we wanted to get down quickly and because some of those steps were as high as his legs...and a little slippery. So Kyle rode down the steps on dad.
But then he held onto my hand...anytime there was steepness nearby...he was sometimes compliant. He really wanted to walk independently by his brothers...and kept saying he wasn't a baby. Both days...But there was such steepness on both hikes, we instisted upon it.
This is really how he felt about it.
After the bridge he was so happy to be free of my hand and had fun leading the pack!
And I had a blast packing this baby on my back on the way down from Yosemite and Vernal Falls.
Scott packed him up...I took him down.
I was relishing in packing him. I prided in my strength in being able to navigate the stairs downward with him on my back and not being nervous or shaky or tenative. I loved hearing him singing to me..."I love Christmas trees!" I wonder if he was singing about the trees he was looking at or thinking about Christmas trees with lights on them. He told me lots to be careful or not to go too fast. His voice was so sweet in my ears!
I thought lots about how it was probably the last time I would hike with a baby of mine on my back...and so because of those thoughts I happily, proudly, gleefully carried him down...enjoying every moment like it was my last because it was my last, at least at Yosemite anyway.
We got to our car and it instantly began to rain! Lucky us. Then as we left the valley we saw gorgeous rainbows! And the drive after we left Yosemite National Park just as the rain stopped was spectacular...the sun peeking through the clouds...lots of sunrays. Heavenly. It looked at times exactly like a painting.
Love our spring break trip!
