DAY 56: Mon. Jun 23. Back on the PCT

We got back on the PCT this morning around 10 am. Began our trek at Soda Spring, Tuolumne Meadows, east side of Yosemite NP. Heading toward Sonora Pass. Bad news: over 1,000 forest fires were started by lightning over the weekend. We fear that the smoke that is blowing over the Sierras will block some of the mountain vistas. Will update this post with coordinates as soon as possible.
Keep hiking,
Greybeard

DAY 55: Sun. Jun. 22 Half Dome, Yosemite NP

We reached our camp site near the Half Dome in Yosemite National Park on Saturday. Then we got up at 5 am to begin our ascent. Around 6 am I called Shirley from the top. The photos cannot describe the awesome beauty from an eagles eye point of view. We (NimblewillNomad, Slider, Gopher, Thrust and me) stayed up there for around 20 minutes taking photos and enjoying the scenery. Hoping to get a big breakfast down in Yosemite Valley, we headed down to Happy Isle Trail head and met Shirley and Gordon who were waiting for us at the parking lot. But the hike down was more strenuous than we expected and we missed the buffet breakfast in the Valley. Oh well, it (the Half Dome experience) was worth missing BB. This little side trip completed our John Muir Trail excursion.

Photo #1 the way to the top. #2 The cables you have to use to pull yourself up. #3 Sunrise over Yosemite National Park. #4 Me and Slider (I have my arms raised) out on the edge. #5 Greybeard, Gopher, Thrust, Nomad, Slider.

Enjoy the photos,
Keep hiking,
Greybeard

DAY 54: Fri, Jun 20. 28 mi. day: TOTAL 942.7

This entry will seem to be off in miles hiked due to the fact that we have decided to complete the John Muir Trail (JMT) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Muir_Trail. We hiked into Tuolumne Meadows near Highway 120 in the Yosemite National Park (I'll post coordinates later). Much of the JMT parallels the PCT so we did not have to get off the Pacific Crest Trail to hike the Muir Trail. However we still had to cross snowfield after snowfield.

The hike into the Yosemite area cannot be adequately described. There are miles of massive granite domes towering over hundred of hiking trails and giant Sequoia trees.

Tomorrow we plan to complete the JMT by hiking up to the Half Dome area: http://www.thebackcountry.org/halfdome/ and actually climbing it on Sunday morning. When we come down from the Dome, we will hike into Happy Isles trail head and we will have completed the JMT.
Keep hiking,
Greybeard