Drove into Tuolumne Meadows early yesterday morning after spending the night in the van just outside the park, about a mile from the Tioga Pass entrance. We stopped at the camping office, securing site 48 on loop A, our desired location due to the signal strength of cell service. Any loop further down the alphabet sees a decrease in reception, and we had some business to attend to securing flights and accommodations for Scott Lyons' wedding in Tahoe over Labor Day.
So now I find myself hunkered down in the tent halfway up the grade to Evelyn Lake at 4:20 in the afternoon listening to thunder claps and rain pelting the tent. The clouds started forming about 11 this morning and have been building up to this moment.
We hiked about 8 miles in today and quit just at the right time. We had just got the tent pitched and were beginning to relax when the first drops came slicing in. It spurred a truth session. We both were feeling the afternoon sleepies but neither had mentioned it to the other, so we retired to the tent to sleep off the afternoon rainstorm.
There is so much water!! The Tuolumne was too swift and deep to cross to our favorite campsite. Coming up the grade toward Evelyn the hillside was awash in water. Every creek bed that is usually dry was brimming with water.
Also, it is amazing how different an area looks at different times of day. I have been up this trail a dozen times, but usually in the early morning. Today, we climbed it in the afternoon, and it was like we were at a different place. No morning sun to cast dynamic shadows, just the flat light of an overcast sky. Even repeating a trail can bring new experiences and joys.
Chuck
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