North Dome

When I was a young person, my family frequently went to Yosemite National Park for our summer vacations. From Palm Springs, it was a day's drive to nice, refreshing, cooler air! We'd spend a week there, going on hikes, hanging out, doing various camping activities, etc. My mom and I would take art classes and my dad (and brother before he got too old to vacation with the family) would go hiking, running, or rock climbing (these activities changed depending on the summer). Ma was an artist; I have a couple of her pieces. I put green and brown paint on the paper and explained that it was trees.

Anyway, looming above the place where we stayed was North Dome.

It doesn't get much press, so to speak. It's not on any t-shirts or postcards. (Sometimes it gets into one of Half Dome, on accident because it's across the valley) No one ever talks about going to the top. It's just there, looking all dome-y and beautiful. Several years ago, when Dad asked where we should hike next, I said "North Dome! if it's possible". I didn't even know if you COULD get to the top!! YOU CAN!!! 

To make 3 years seem short... the next summer they'd had so much snow that the trail was closed at the end of July!! the summer after that, I didn't travel to California... SO.. I was DETERMINED to get to the top of North Dome in 2013!! And then I banged my knee...

Post-surgery, I had a FABULOUS physical therapist who knew my goal and destination. We worked very hard all of June and into July to get my knee where it needed to be. I also worked to get the rest of me back in shape since I hadn't hardly moved since the initial injury in February.

And so, after a quick 20 year HS reunion in Big Bear, Dad and I set out for Yosemite! We had years before decided to go the "easy" route from the "backside" not from the Valley floor. We are SO smart!! We camped the night before just a little way from the trailhead on Tioga Road.

We drove into Toulumne Meadows that afternoon and bought matching Yosemite jackets because they're cool and also because it was about to rain! It rained on and off all evening, into the night. There are some amazing views off of Tioga Road in the back country!

We woke up Tuesday morning early, cleaned up camp and set off on our adventure! We ignored the clouds :) 

We had continually said that this hike wouldn't be too strenuous because there wasn't much elevation gain or loss at any one time, according to the topo map. It lied!! We went straight down, then straight up, over and over! Or it seemed like it anyway!! We got to a ridge that appeared to end at a dome. Nope, not the right dome. This was about when dad asked, "where are we going?!". It is an odd hike when you don't see where you're going the whole time! In fact, we had not yet seen North Dome at any point on our trip!! We kept hiking anyway :) 

About 3 miles into the ~4.5 mile trip, we saw Half Dome to our left for the first time. We got out the binoculars to see a few people on top and a few climbers on the face. We knew we were at the correct angle so North Dome must be close!!

We walked out onto another dome of sorts, and there below us, was finally NORTH DOME!!!!

The only "problem" was that according to the map and sign posts, we only had about a mile left... HOW were we supposed to get there from here in a mile?!?!? And we knew it was supposedly like half a mile from the base to the top. We could actually see that trail from here! 

Well... some steep scrambling down off this dome, into some trees for some more steep down, and we got to the .5 mile sign! 

We practically raced up the side of the dome! Okay, I did. I was mildly excited!! I actually cried at one point. It had been such a very long journey to finally get to this point!! Years and years of wondering if there was even a trail, snow, George, knees, etc. BUT, WE DID IT!!!

Two months, almost to the minute, from my knee surgery, here I am!! It IS possible to get to the top of North Dome!! And it was SO worth it!! The views were amazing; the hike was challenging; and the knowledge that I can do whatever I put my mind to is once again engrained in my brain!! :) If you look at my face in the pictures, I was just a wee bit excited to be there!!

Dad and I took pics, had a snack, and left quickly at the first raindrop. On top of a dome is not where one should be in a thunderstorm!! Luckily, it never actually rained on us. In fact, we got back to the car and enjoyed our entire evening without rain!

On the way back, we were going to make a .3 mile side trip to Indian Rock. Unfortunately, we were tired of going up hill (maybe just tired in general) and did not want to go further up hill so we opted not to. Also, before the turn off we actually saw it from the trail. We took some pics and decided that was close enough!

(It's between the two tall trees - a weird rock outcrop with one very skinny bridge-like part)

The last .7 miles was UP an old, somewhat paved road. At the top was a Park volunteer sitting and reading. It was cool to have someone there to greet us!! Three hours to the top, three hours back. Not too bad!! According to the tracker on my phone, we went 10.11 miles. No wonder we were tired!! 

About a week before this adventure, I realized that I would really want to take a shower after the hike so I reserved us a spot at Camp Curry in Yosemite Valley. We drove down and were able to check in right away. Camp Curry has normal cabins but mostly tent cabins. It's a wood frame with canvas sides and top. This is where we stayed most often when I was a kid. It's rustic, but with a bed and shelter :) The showers were very small, but felt oh so good!! 

After we cleaned up, we rode around the village on the shuttle bus. This is THE way to get around Yosemite Valley! Everything in the Village was closed except pizza which didn't excite us so we went back to Curry where we had yummy burgers on the veranda (think big porch). After dinner we walked around Curry Village, I had an ice cream cone, and we enjoyed the people watching. Yosemite is a great place to see all walks of life!! We hopped back on the shuttle, stopped for a quick visit to The Ahwahnee Hotel ($450+ per night!) and then rode the shuttle all the way around back to Camp Curry! When I was a kid, I would ride that shuttle around and around and around!! 

Wednesday morning, we explored the Village - the Store, Sport Shop, Ansel Adams Gallery, Visitors Center, Indian Village (set up like it would've been all those years ago) - bought our souvenirs and left the Valley! We made the traditional stop at the Tunnel to snap a pic of the view. North Dome is behind El Capitan on the left. It's not visible from here at all. It's actually not visible from the Village even!

After 8 hours on the road we got back to Big Bear to a VERY excited Slugger!! He had stayed with Uncle Dave, Aunt Loni, and Cousin Cyrus (a big old beautiful black lab) and Cousin Luna (a small, old fighter). He has hardly left my side since :) If you ever want to feel loved, get a dog, leave for a few days and then come home!! 

Overall, this was an exceptional 72 hours!!! Thanks to my mom and dad for those vacations to Yosemite all those years ago and to dad for helping me realize this childhood dream!!! I couldn't ask for a better adventure partner!!