Z Traveling Wizard: Yosemite National Park

I arrived near Yosemite after a long day of driving through the mountains at the campsite I would call home for the next three nights. I chose McCabe Flat to camp because it was a designated campground but on BLM land, making it more affordable than the campsites in Yosemite NP. It was a smaller campsite than I had been used to, but after a few different ways of parking, I finally settled on the place to unhitch the trailer. Before leaving the Bay Area, I was able to hook up a WeBoost cell booster on the trailer to give me a little more access while I’m off-grid (FUCK ELON AND STARLINK so I tried to park where my antenna would not be covered by trees. After setting up camp and starting a fire, it was time to plan the itinerary for the park.

With most of the National Parks, I am limited to when I am able to have Dobby join me in the beauty and adventure. I decided I would spend one day doing a shorter hike that I could bring Dobby on and spend a little time in Yosemite Village. We were able to follow the Mist Trail to Mirror Lake and sat next to the lake to have some lunch. It was truly breathtaking to see the North Dome so clearly and closely throughout the hike. After hiking, I spent some time in Yosemite Village visiting the museum, the art gallery, the cemetery, and the visitor center (I needed that stamp, dawg).

The next day, I was planning to hike Upper Yosemite Falls, but the forecast was bringing lots of rain and a little bit of snow. I don’t know why this is in anyway surprising to me since I chose to begin my journey during winter. I prepared for the hike and decided that I would be okay with only making it as far on the trail as I could, rather than forcing myself to do the entire trail regardless of how I am feeling. It was so beautiful to see all the water rolling down the granite mountain. I made it about ¾ of the way up the trail but stopped once I passed some fellow hikers who said I had reached the best view. I could hear Yosemite Falls right next to me but could barely make it out behind the fog and mist of the fall. Regardless of my ability to see, she was beautiful and fucking powerful. I made a pitstop in a little alcove on the trail to have some lunch and hide from the rain, then continued back down the slippery rocks.

Dobby and I had conquered Yosemite, and we were to set out toward Santa Barbara in the morning!