DISTANCE: 7.6 MILESTIME: 3 HOURS
ELEVATION: 6,526 FT
DIFFICULTY: STRENUOUS
I was recently asked what the most challenging hike was that I have ever done. Upper Yosemite Falls is definitely toward the top of my list, and I would rate it even more challenging than Half Dome, which my brother and I had hiked two days prior to hiking to the top of Upper Yosemite Falls.
This hike takes you from the Yosemite Valley floor at about 4,000 FT up to the top of the falls, at almost 6,500 ft, but the elevation gain/loss over the 7.6 mile hike is actually much more than 2,500 FT. The elevation gain is twice the height of the Empire State building, and the climb is about as steep as going up hundreds of flights of stairs. So if you're not in good enough physical shape to climb the stairwells of the Empire State Building twice, this hike won't be very fun for you.
We attempted this hike on the last day of our trip to Yosemite, and after three days of hiking, biking, and other activities, our legs were pretty tired before we even started. The trailhead is at the base of Lower Yosemite Falls, one of the shuttle stops within the valley. If you plan to drive and park at the base of the trailhead, be informed that there are no free parking areas within the near vicinity of the trailhead unless you have a permit for one of the nearby campgrounds or the lodge (we took a chance and parked at the lodge without a permit, and fortunately didn't get a ticket).
The first section of the trail is a steep climb up a series of switchbacks through shaded oak groves. After about a mile, you emerge out of the grove, somewhere around the elevation of the top of the less spectacular but still amazing Lower Yosemite Falls. Your legs will be tired after a mile of stairstep climbing. At that point the trail starts descending. We thought it would just descend a little. But it kept descending. We knew we had to go up, so why were we going down? Were we on the right trail? It must have descended over the course of at least a half mile, before resuming it's upward ascend again. It was pretty frustrating to lose all that hard earned elevation gain.
More uphill, but this time, with no shade. We did it fairly early in the morning, after the ranger told us the best time to do it was in the afternoon because the position of the sun would allow shade on that part of the trail. But in the morning we had no such luck. The sun began to beat down upon us as we hiked alongside the towering cliffs. We just kept looking up but it seemed we weren't getting any closer to the top. Byron was booking it because he was anxious to get home to his girlfriend that day, so the pace was killing me. I tried my best to keep up with him but I had to take advantage of almost every bush that offered shade to rest. And for those of you that have hiked with me you know I take things at a quick pace and usually don't need to stop and rest. Not true on this hike. I don't know that I have ever pushed myself that far past the point of exhaustion, and my body kept screaming at me to stop, but I had to keep up with my bro as best I could. On a few occasions I felt I was going to pass out from the overexertion, and I probably would have had I not stopped to rest every now and then. I kept eating power gels and drinking water hoping to get some of my strength back. I just remember thinking two thoughts: "What if I pass out, how will they get me down," and "I've got to be almost there."
At last, at about 3.5 miles, the switchbacks leveled off and we found ourselves in a forested area at the top of the cliffs that overlook Lower Yosemite Valley. After some meandering through large rocks we came toward the edge of the falls. Then came the true reward that made this hike worth it: Several narrow steps are carved into the side of the cliff, with nothing but a metal rail separating you from the valley floor almost 3,000 feet below. It goes without saying that if you are afraid of heights this part of the hike is also not for you. The view is incredible with the roaring of the falls right next to you. Climbers had actually strung cables from the rail, across the valley floor, to some cliffs on the other side of the falls. Apparently some people just can't get enough adventure. As for me, this hike up Upper Yosemite Falls was adventure enough.
ELEVATION: 6,526 FT
DIFFICULTY: STRENUOUS
I was recently asked what the most challenging hike was that I have ever done. Upper Yosemite Falls is definitely toward the top of my list, and I would rate it even more challenging than Half Dome, which my brother and I had hiked two days prior to hiking to the top of Upper Yosemite Falls.
This hike takes you from the Yosemite Valley floor at about 4,000 FT up to the top of the falls, at almost 6,500 ft, but the elevation gain/loss over the 7.6 mile hike is actually much more than 2,500 FT. The elevation gain is twice the height of the Empire State building, and the climb is about as steep as going up hundreds of flights of stairs. So if you're not in good enough physical shape to climb the stairwells of the Empire State Building twice, this hike won't be very fun for you.
We attempted this hike on the last day of our trip to Yosemite, and after three days of hiking, biking, and other activities, our legs were pretty tired before we even started. The trailhead is at the base of Lower Yosemite Falls, one of the shuttle stops within the valley. If you plan to drive and park at the base of the trailhead, be informed that there are no free parking areas within the near vicinity of the trailhead unless you have a permit for one of the nearby campgrounds or the lodge (we took a chance and parked at the lodge without a permit, and fortunately didn't get a ticket).The first section of the trail is a steep climb up a series of switchbacks through shaded oak groves. After about a mile, you emerge out of the grove, somewhere around the elevation of the top of the less spectacular but still amazing Lower Yosemite Falls. Your legs will be tired after a mile of stairstep climbing. At that point the trail starts descending. We thought it would just descend a little. But it kept descending. We knew we had to go up, so why were we going down? Were we on the right trail? It must have descended over the course of at least a half mile, before resuming it's upward ascend again. It was pretty frustrating to lose all that hard earned elevation gain.
More uphill, but this time, with no shade. We did it fairly early in the morning, after the ranger told us the best time to do it was in the afternoon because the position of the sun would allow shade on that part of the trail. But in the morning we had no such luck. The sun began to beat down upon us as we hiked alongside the towering cliffs. We just kept looking up but it seemed we weren't getting any closer to the top. Byron was booking it because he was anxious to get home to his girlfriend that day, so the pace was killing me. I tried my best to keep up with him but I had to take advantage of almost every bush that offered shade to rest. And for those of you that have hiked with me you know I take things at a quick pace and usually don't need to stop and rest. Not true on this hike. I don't know that I have ever pushed myself that far past the point of exhaustion, and my body kept screaming at me to stop, but I had to keep up with my bro as best I could. On a few occasions I felt I was going to pass out from the overexertion, and I probably would have had I not stopped to rest every now and then. I kept eating power gels and drinking water hoping to get some of my strength back. I just remember thinking two thoughts: "What if I pass out, how will they get me down," and "I've got to be almost there."
At last, at about 3.5 miles, the switchbacks leveled off and we found ourselves in a forested area at the top of the cliffs that overlook Lower Yosemite Valley. After some meandering through large rocks we came toward the edge of the falls. Then came the true reward that made this hike worth it: Several narrow steps are carved into the side of the cliff, with nothing but a metal rail separating you from the valley floor almost 3,000 feet below. It goes without saying that if you are afraid of heights this part of the hike is also not for you. The view is incredible with the roaring of the falls right next to you. Climbers had actually strung cables from the rail, across the valley floor, to some cliffs on the other side of the falls. Apparently some people just can't get enough adventure. As for me, this hike up Upper Yosemite Falls was adventure enough.
