Warmth

Tunnel View

A couple weeks ago, I drove the three-ish hours to the Yosemite Valley, alone, to camp. I drove east on 140, through the town of Mariposa and hugging the Merced River to enter the park through the Arch Rock entrance. Once through the gate, the snow and trees and the rocks and the cliffs combined into the most fantastic landscape I'd ever seen. A coyote skittishly crossed the road and trotted into the forest. A park ranger would later tell me a bear had been sighted in the valley only a few days prior.

My reservation was for a campsite at the Upper Pines Campground near the base of Half Dome. There were maybe seven other sites occupied by trailers, RVs, and even a couple ground tents. At least a foot of powdered snow was on top of the icy driveway through the campground. I backed into my spot and popped open my rooftop tent. It was cold, but not uncomfortable. There is a pay phone in the campground. Every time I've been here, I call Jill from this pay phone. She didn't answer and I left a voicemail.

I walked through Curry Village to the small grocery store and gift shop to warm my ears. It was close to noon, but at this time of the year, darkness would spread through the valley in only a few hours. And with the darkness would come the cold.

I would not say I slept well that night. The temperature dropped to the mid-teens and I did my best to tolerate the chill, but I woke up frequently. In the morning, I didn't want to move. I wanted to wait as long as I could for the sun to rise and bring the temperature up just a couple clicks. I forced myself out of the sleeping bag and I packed up camp.

I drove back through the valley to head south on Wawona Road. I stopped at the Tunnel View parking lot for the obligatory photos of the snow-covered valley, with El Capitan, Half Dome, and Bridalveil Fall in view. Badger Pass and Glacier Road were closed, which was a bummer because I really wanted to try the cross-country skis on Glacier Road. Instead, I headed for Mariposa Grove with the snow shoes.

The shuttle doesn't run in the winter and it takes a hike to get from the parking lot to the trailhead of Mariposa Grove. Because I knew daylight was short, I felt rushed and constantly checked the angle of the sun to guess how much time I had left. I had the place nearly to myself and I admired the giant redwoods, grateful for the opportunity to be in their long shadows. There were lots of small tracks in the snow. Rabbit maybe? Something small for sure. A gray squirrel chirped at me from eye level on the trunk of a tree. Besides the ravens and a distant hawk, I didn't notice many birds or other wildlife. The sky was clear and I warmed quickly.

Once back at the truck, I drove north and avoided the snow plows on Wawona Road. Most of the other vehicles were wearing snow chains and I was thankful for my snow tires. By the time I dropped back into the valley, the sun was below the horizon. I took another lap through the valley and headed home.

On the drive home, I listened to a Raymond Chandler book on Audible and I ate gummy bears. Down the hill and with a consistent cell signal, I called Jill and we talked about our days. We talked about work, the kids, and our plans for 2023. Even though it was a solo trip, I didn't feel lonely.