I never thought I’d say this, but never say never. I’ve missed the snow. I should rephrase that. I’ve missed “optional” snow.

I hate the cold. It’s uncomfortable, and I go numb easily. I hate driving in the snow. It takes too long to get anywhere, and I can be impatient. Living right up against the Sierra means I get the Central Valley heat that I love, but I also have access to snow when I want it.

I’ve been so ready for that snow option.

We need the rain. We need the snow. And for selfish reasons, I need the snow. I snowshoed and cross country skied when I lived in Michigan. It was frigid, but as long as you dress appropriately and keep moving, it’s decently fun.

I absolutely LOVE snowshoeing in the Sierra, though. Depending on the elevation, it’s probably not going to be unbearably cold. The scenery is magnificent, and there are plenty of sunny days throughout the winter – I adore the sharp contrast between the pristine white snow and deep blue sky.

These photos are from last year’s snowshoe to Dewey Point in Yosemite. Amazing.

It’s no surprise that after a small storm in late January, I went to Yosemite to hunt for snow. Most of it fell above 6000 feet, so I knew I had some hiking to do before I would find any snow at all.

I had hiked Upper Yosemite Fall a couple of weeks earlier, more for exercise than anything. It’s a brutal trail at the top, with endless switchbacks. I really didn’t feel like going up that trail again, even though it would be the fastest way to 7000+ feet. Four Mile Trail was another option, and I slowed down when I drove past to see if it was open. I didn’t see any closure signs, but I’d had my eye on Snow Creek for over a year. I decided that was the one.

Probably not the smartest decision if I wanted snow. I happened to also have a time constraint that day, and had to be back at my car by 2 PM. I already knew chances of snowshoeing were slim, and I had to be ok with that. Being in Yosemite still makes for a perfect Saturday.

The drive in turned wintry near Glacier Point Rd. It was just before sunrise, and I drove to a pullout to take in the breathtaking scene.

It was frigid in the Valley that morning. I had my ski jacket and mittens on, and was nervous when I realized that I forgot my extra ski pants.

The hike to Mirror Lake was cold, but every minute that passed seemed to get a tenth of a degree warmer. The trail gains elevation after that first mile, and it wasn’t long before I was hiking on a steep incline, then eventually in the sun. I started shedding layers, and congratulated myself on forgetting the ski pants. They wouldn’t have fit in my small pack.

 

It was a stunning view of Half Dome most of the way up. It actually looked very different from that angle, almost silly.

Around 5500 feet, there was the first glimpse of snow. It lightly covered the trail after 6000′, but it wasn’t enough to need any traction help on my feet.

It was WARM on the upper parts of the trail. I ended up sweaty and in a sleeveless shirt. The difference between the shady Valley and sunny higher elevations next to the warm granite is incredible!

We didn’t see anyone the entire way up, but the interesting thing was the one set of footprints pointing downhill. They must have camped up top in the snow the night before, then already made the hike down that morning.

I always love feeling like the entire trail, or park for that matter, is mine!

We had an 11 AM turnaround time, and were at 6800′ when the time came. Snowshoes were still unnecessary. It was a bummer, but not a failure. Any time spent in Yosemite is not a waste, even if the plan doesn’t pan out.

We started running into people on the hike down. One of the coolest things about hiking is the community. Everyone is typically friendly and always greets you as you pass by each other, even if there is a language barrier. We’re all just humans, doing the same thing, and appreciating the same nature.

I stopped at one point to put on my snowshoes, just to say I did it. All that did was make the bottoms muddy.

The clothing layers went back on as we lost elevation, as if to reverse the hike. I think it was still in the 30s when I got back down to my car in the Valley. The puddles in the parking lot were still frozen, and it seemed like the sun never made it out from behind the rim, keeping the south side of the Valley shaded and cold.

Ok, so I didn’t get to snowshoe, that trip, but I still spent hours outside. Despite still having the burning desire to find snow to play in, I found myself smiling and very content with the morning’s adventure.

Since this adventure, we’ve luckily had a great snow storm. I FINALLY snowshoed! More on that adventure soon. 🙂