Yosemite Falls Hike

Wow, can I ever check off Yosemite from my bucket list.  When the B Man suggested we go to Yosemite for a small hike...I had no idea what I was dealing with. I thought it would be a short hike, slightly walking up an uphill.  Gosh, I had NO IDEA we'd be hiking STRAIGHT UPHILL for 4.5 hours and then 2.5 hours return trip straight down with slippery shoes where I would proceed to fall at least 3 times. 

But GOSH, this place was BREATHTAKING. WOW, just WOW.  Talk about being one with nature.  I don't think I have been in a more beautiful place or a more quiet, serine place.  We stayed in Mariposa at the Mariposa Hotel Inn.  While nothing spectacular, this inn was a perfect location!!! About an hour outside of the park, it was in an adorable town filled with quaint restaurants and bars.

We got up early Saturday morning and drove into the park to partake in our hike.  The B man had climbed this mountain before and somehow had "forgotten" how bad it was.  I am a tough girl, I can move to another country and take care of myself, but ask me to hike this mountain again and I'd probably cry. No, honestly, I did cry on the way back down, but more on that later.

We hiked up to the top of Yosemite falls.

This was about half way up the hike. It was beautiful and I could have stopped here and eaten my lunch and called it a day. It was amazing. We kept hiking and all of a sudden turned a corner and we could hear the sounds of rapids.  It was breath taking.

Who doesn't like a panoramic?!?!?!

Half way up with SO MUCH more to go??!?!?!  It was daunting, but I still stupidly thought it wasn't that much further.

Um...does this NOT look like Sir Fidel from Phi Mu?!?!?!

At the very top of the mountain, we finally saw the mouth of the water fall.  It was raging and crazy at the top.

I just couldn't stop with the panoramics!!!

All the way down at the bottom!

Excuse my finger.....I was nervous about dropping my phone!!

These are the TEENY TINY steps we went down and up to get to the viewing area.  Pretty much it was that railing keeping us on the steps and that was it.  Only 1 person can go up and one time and if someone saw that you were coming they would turn around and go to a safe spot while you passed. YIKES!

We finally got to the top of the mountain and I had to rejoice because I thought the worst was over. I did learn that the B man is TERRIFIED of heights and refused to get too close to the edge. Too funny, because I would lean against the railing and had no problem with it.  

I took a break because my feet were killing me and I was hangry.

Can you see the bottom of the ravine?

Selfies from the top.

I think this was my favorite part of the hike. We saw these rapids and it was so peaceful, it reminded me of Great Falls, VA. 

So peaceful, I've always loved the sound of running water.

TREES FOR DAAAAAYYYSSSS

At the top, thinking that the worse was over. I had no idea it would take 2.5 hours to get back down and every SINGLE STEP I'd take would be slippery because of my shoes. After almost stumbling down rocky paths, afraid of going head over hills, it proved too hard for this girl. I did tear up and throw a fit for a hot second because I was SO OVER IT and couldn't take slipping every step almost 3 hours in.  It was BAD. At one point, I turned around to B man and SCREAMED "AT WHAT POINT DID YOU THINK I WOULD ENJOY THIS??!???!?!"

Half way down this was the rainbow we saw after the waterfall.

This was a random bear from where we stayed in Mariposa. We also went to the following places while in town:
Bette's Gold Coin - AWESOME great venue, mom & pop place with decent food (not great) but friendly staff and good service.
Yosemite Ale Works - Whoa, small mom and pop brewery that was down stairs and a bit sketchy, but wonderful woman behind the bar.
1850 - So overrated and very bland food. Would be such a cute little venue, but not good food.