Mist Trail John Muir Hike

Rainbow under Vernal Falls

Headed out to lead our group to the #1 day hike in Yosemite.  The Mist Trail up to Vernal and Nevada Falls and down the John Muir Trail for spectacular views of the valley.  After a good rainy season, the Mist Trail was back to being the Mist Trail.  After so little water the past couple of years I thoroughly enjoyed getting my rain jacket out once we started to get hit by the spray of Vernal Falls.  I highly recommend crossing over the top of Nevada Falls and taking the John Muir Trail down.  Loop trails are always more interesting than out and backs and the views are spectacular! 

Looking back at Half Dome, Liberty Cap, and Nevada Falls

Grand Canyon, Bryce, and Zion

Spring Break is a beautiful time of year to see the American Southwest.  For the second straight year I ventured down to Arizona and Southern Utah for a road trip.  Weather in the Grand Canyon was perfect once again with cool nights and perfect days.  The feeling of peering over the rim of the Grand Canyon is simply spectacular.  It was fun remembering last year's 50 mile Rim to Rim to Rim run.

Southern Utah's Bryce Canyon is right up there among my favorite national parks.  With barely any crowds and hundreds of brightly-colored hoodoos, it is truly a unique spot.  You feel more like you are on Mars then on planet earth.  At 8,000 feet the springtime snow blending with the shades of red in the rock is a beautiful combination.

Zion is gorgeous.  It is a Yosemite valley full of red cliffs instead of granite.  The Zion Mount Carmel Hwy is a joy to drive with spectacular views around each bend.

.

Death Valley and Red Rock

Death Valley is less deathlike in the spring when temps don't go much above 80 degrees.  I loved Charcoal Kilns trailhead with these unique rock huts.  The views going up Wildrose Peak spanned for 40 to 50 miles across Death Valley National Park

 Telescope Peak towers over Death Valley National Park at over 11,000 feet high.  I spent the night in the car at Mahagony Flats Camground for an early morning ascent of Bennett's and Rodger's Peaks in route to Telescope.  Views were tremendous of Badwater, Owens Valley, and the Eastern Sierra's over 50 miles away.  Used my microspikes for the final 500 feet of the ascent to the summit.  Gorgeous day

 Red Rock State Park outside of Las Vegas provides a true desert experience only 30 minutes away from the noise of the Strip and downtown.  Views were terrific from Turtlehead Peak