Gatting up fairly early, we had breakfast and finished the packing. We left the base tent set up as we were carrying a smaller one for the backcountry. We took the mist trail up to Vernal Falls. Our destination for campsite 1 was the Little Yosemite Valley Campground out past Nevada Falls.
Crossing the footbridge, there are lots of people going past us, eager to get up there. Vernal Falls comes into view a little later.
On the wide rock slab above the falls, we met a group of high school students from the Bronx- Lucy Broux was one of the alumni of the program who was helping this year's group on the ir adventures. The back of their T- shirts make good reading.
Because we were carrying fairly heavy packs even without water for the first leg (Jackie 55 lbs. and me 65), we decided to forego the giant stairs from Vernal to the top of Nevada, and took the switchback John Muir trail instead.
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It was mid-afternoon when we got to the top of Nevada and now was the time to pump water. Most of the climbing had been done, and the trek to our first night at Little Yosemite Valley campground was not going to be so long. Some of the rock structures at the top near the falls are something to see
Towards 7 o'clock we rolled into the backcountry sites and there was plenty of room with lots of choice. The last time here many years ago it was damn near standing room only do this was a nice surprise.
We also met a couple, Jim and Pam from Indianapolis, who are in Yosemite for the first time.
On the way up, we met Dick and Lee Giroux from Livermore. They love hiking and Dick is still pretty good at it, at age 85!
