114 photos
The High Sierra Loop in Yosemite National Park is a four-day hike with stays at three camps spaced 7-10 miles apart, taking you on a journey through the crown jewel of Yosemite National Park. With dramatic waterfalls, crystal clear alpine lakes, lush forest, emerald green meadows, vibrant wildflowers, and towering granite peaks, it is a place that fills your spirit with awe and inspiration. And with tents and meals provided, the backpack load is lightened significantly, allowing an expanded range of people to experience the backcountry.
We feel fortunate to have had an opportunity to experience the High Sierra of Yosemite through this guided hike. We want to express our appreciation to everyone who made this experience possible, including those managing, maintaining, and supplying the backcountry camps, as well as those in the office who work year-round to schedule the trips and provide information to interested parties. We are especially grateful to our guides Leah and Blake, who brought us their love of the natural world and their knowledge of Yosemite. They helped mold our group, which consisted of people with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, into a well-coordinated and harmonious entity. I am especially grateful for their tolerance with my constant stops for photos and my attempts to take in as much as possible along the way. And thanks to Blake for introducing me to Muir’s view of hiking.
John Muir argued that the High Sierra landscapes are too beautiful to rush through focused on the goal of reaching certain destinations. Muir urged us to saunter through the wilderness at a much slower, more reverent pace, allowing the mountains (and all that goes along with them) to “sink into us”. Of course, we had a set schedule and a definite goal for each day’s hike, so we could not fully saunter in the Muir sense. Nevertheless, I tried to absorb as much of the experience as possible. I hope the photos in this gallery provide a small glimpse of the beauty sinking into my mind and soul during this remarkable trek through the granite mountains of Yosemite.
Yosemite National Park has a long history. We owe a great debt to the vision and ceaseless efforts of many people who fought over several decades to protect this unique resource. We also want to acknowledge and honor the indigenous presence in this land, going back thousands of years and continuing today. Their stewardship of the mountains, valleys, streams, and forests of Yosemite is deeply embedded in all that we passed through on this multi-day backcountry hiking trip.
We feel fortunate to have had an opportunity to experience the High Sierra of Yosemite through this guided hike. We want to express our appreciation to everyone who made this experience possible, including those managing, maintaining, and supplying the backcountry camps, as well as those in the office who work year-round to schedule the trips and provide information to interested parties. We are especially grateful to our guides Leah and Blake, who brought us their love of the natural world and their knowledge of Yosemite. They helped mold our group, which consisted of people with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, into a well-coordinated and harmonious entity. I am especially grateful for their tolerance with my constant stops for photos and my attempts to take in as much as possible along the way. And thanks to Blake for introducing me to Muir’s view of hiking.
John Muir argued that the High Sierra landscapes are too beautiful to rush through focused on the goal of reaching certain destinations. Muir urged us to saunter through the wilderness at a much slower, more reverent pace, allowing the mountains (and all that goes along with them) to “sink into us”. Of course, we had a set schedule and a definite goal for each day’s hike, so we could not fully saunter in the Muir sense. Nevertheless, I tried to absorb as much of the experience as possible. I hope the photos in this gallery provide a small glimpse of the beauty sinking into my mind and soul during this remarkable trek through the granite mountains of Yosemite.
Yosemite National Park has a long history. We owe a great debt to the vision and ceaseless efforts of many people who fought over several decades to protect this unique resource. We also want to acknowledge and honor the indigenous presence in this land, going back thousands of years and continuing today. Their stewardship of the mountains, valleys, streams, and forests of Yosemite is deeply embedded in all that we passed through on this multi-day backcountry hiking trip.
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