Today we were up with the sun. Early breakfast in the dining hall. We packed our lunches and snacks then boarded the bus to Mariposa Grove. Our first Yosemite hike.
Mariposa Grove is where you see amazing Giant Sequoia trees. Many of them are thousands of years old. Our instructors taught us about the history of Mariposa Grove and Yosemite National Park. They also showed us how to identify a variety of conifers growing among the Sequoias.
The trail began at an altitude of 5500 feet. We continued for 7 miles through the Lower Grove, Upper Grove and eventually to Wawona Point where there were incredible views of the Sierra Nevada.
Along the trail we saw a tree that had a tunnel carved into its trunk. In the early days of the park it was thought that more tourists would visit if they could drive right through. We also saw trees with fire scars that mar the bark and sometimes even hollow out the base of the tree. And we saw three mule deer cross our trail!
A great day. Perfect weather, amazing scenery and a challenging hike.
More hiking tomorrow!
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