Peaceful night of sleep. Was warmer than past couple nights.
We started the day by going to a ranger station to get our permit for Half Dome, which we will climb tomorrow, and allow us to camp in the valley. After that we went by the Tuolmne Store where there was several other thru hikers hanging out. They also had a grill there so I got some pancakes.
Started out onto the trail at about 10:30. Had a fairly steady and steep climb out of the campground. We are not hiking the PCT today or tomorrow but rather taking a side trip into Yosemite. Because of this, we saw lots of day hikers and weekenders, similar to what is experienced in the White Mtns in NH.
Mid day Qball and I went by a High Sierra camp which is similar to the AMC hut system in the White Mtns…0 per night for a bunk in a large tent up in the mtns….breakfast and dinner included. These always are odd to us.
Rather than go straight down to Yosemite Valley, we did a loop that included Sunrise Lake and then Cloudsrest. Cloudsrest was worth the steep climb as it gave a nice view of Halfdome and Yosemite Valley. On our way there, a guy stopped us and wanted a picture with us because of our long beards.
Tonight we are camped part way up Halfdome, with the hope of getting an early start before the crowds. We are camped with Freebird, another ’09 AT alum that Wolfpack and JJ knew from hiking that year. They are pretty serious about bears in this area. Signs around to warn us not to leave food beyond arms reach unless it is in the sealed bear canister.
Had a deer bed down about 30 yard away from where we are cowboy camped.
Daily Distance: 21
Trip Distance: 914.4
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