Waking up at 6:30, we drove into the central Yosemite Valley, then got a shuttle bus to the trailhead. We started the hike at 10, but took 3 hours to get to the top. Needless to say, it was a steep trail! We wound our way up the hillside next to the waterfall, climbing switchback after switchback. Half of the time we were in the shade, but even with that it definitely lived up to the National Park Service's description of it: "very strenuous".
What greeted us at the top made it all worthwhile though. The views from the overlook were simply stunning, showcasing the entire valley below. The sheer cliff dropped away immediately below, adding to the effect.
We stopped for lunch at the stream at the top, which was beautiful enough in its own right, then continued an extra mile to an even higher vantage point. This one was even windier than the first and presented an even more dramatic view.
We took our time climbing down, arriving back at the valley floor at about 5. The rest of our group who had been doing various other hikes met us at a pizza place, where we all had dinner. Sadly, it was our last night together as a group on TrekAmerica.
