Going to the mountains is going home

I walked over a passage formed by a huge fallen rock on the trail. By instinct, I turned around just to cover my back. I saw that thing, twice size of cat, standing on top of the rock, whose eyes glow a deep yellow staring at me. It's still dark, no moon, the stars are just beautiful. But its eyes are much bright than the star, and closer, no more than 10 feet. Along the trail, I noticed the sign that Mountain lion is around, which is no fun to meet one in the wild. Luckly it's afraid of me more than I afraid of it. It climb up and down the rock, looking back couple of time before disappearing into the dark.

That's the closest encounter I had with a stranger on the trail in Yosemite National Park. On summer 2001 my friend wrote me a letter after she went to Yosemite. "We are told there are bears. During evening, we are a little worry that the bear will enter our room which has no doors, but it didn't". The room without door is where I stayed, called Curry village, right below the towering majesty of Half Dome and Glacier Point. I found out actually there is a door, with a latch from inside to lock it. A bear can easily break in if it smells a slight of peanut butter on your lips. But the door defines a boundary where bear should not across, at least you would hope so. Walking into the dark, into wildness didn't give you the feeling of security a thin layer of door could provide, and I am walking into their territory.

During the week of 9/18/09, it's hot in the Yosemite Valley , 94 degree, not what I'd expect. The record high in the past is 87. I asked the ranger what's the best time to hike the half dome. Her response was "one time, I started at 11:30 at night". If she can do so, I sure can. But instead, I woke up at 2am, got dressed, packed enough water, an apple, two cucumbers, three enegy bars, and walked toward Happy Isles, the trail head. It's about 1 mile from tent. I walked across the tents, there are 300+ of them, all looks same. I lost at one time, but vaguely heard the Meceded river in distance, and just follow it. Along the 17 miles, 14 hours round trip, this 1 mile flat paved road is the most tough one: I kept on asking myself, why am I doing this? anyone I can join on the trail? any bear wonder along the trail, or a lynx might jump from behind biting right on my neck? what happen if I miss a step and fall into the creek?

Too much went through my mind in the first 20 minutes that I almost want to turn around. But I have prepared for the hike to Half Dome for almost the whole summer: running with Ashish Saturday morning for 10 miles, bicycling for 40 mile on Sunday, every day 20 pushup, 60 crunch up, countless weight lifting... More importantly, it's my test hiking before I go to Grand Canyon for the Rim to Rim hike, which will be 21 miles, 5000 feet loss/gain, and I plan to finish within 18 hours if not 16. I can't afford not going forward. Turning back is not my character, Sam will laugh at me.

3:03am, I reached trailhead. still no one. But I determined to climb it. The darkness impose a big challenge, The visual possibilities are greatly impaired to a minimum of using the headlight now and then. But I can feel the surrounding much more clear. I can feel the direction of the wind, the softness of the soil, the toughness of the rock; I can smell everything much better; I listen to the sound around me, the waterfall, the creek, the leaves whispering, occasionally night animal shuffling through the bush, the heavy breathe, the step on the zigzag, and most of the time, the vast silence. I am so alone on the trail, all the park belongs to me, I'm only hopeful to see someone, or something on the trail. While I stop at John Muir trail, I saw one flash light far below me, maybe two. Can't really tell if it's moving or it's a lamppost. But it gave me hope someone might soon join me if I slow down a little bit. That's really the turning point, I was overwhelmly dominated by the fear in the first half, and then the hope start to emerge.

The follower never show up, maybe I never slow down, but it delights the rest of my climbing. I reached the top of Half Dome at 8:06am. The sun illuminated Yosemite Valley, El Capitan, and cast a shadow of Half Dome along the Tanaye valley and North Dome.


Two days after I came back home, PBS broadcasted The National Parks: America's Best Idea directed by Ken Burns. I enjoyed every seconds of these 6 episodes. The iconic Yosemite constantly pop up, and I always point at the screen and yell to Sherrie, "we have been there". Yosemite is our 14th National parks.

John Muir said "... people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity..."

For me, going to the mountains is going home.