Bearless in Yosemite

elizabeth lake
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My friend Kerry and I spent two days camping in Yosemite in Tuolumne Meadows. Didn't get to see much else of the large park, so I'll be heading back there sometime. My experience was mixed as I had borrowed a friend's tent who just got back from Burning Man and had desert sand falling in my face all night, not to mention was utterly freezing. Most of the camping I'd done before that point had been during the Summer in the northeast US, where the warm humid nights are a pleasant change from the hot days. I did have a new high-end sleeping bag and several layers of clothes, but clearly it wasn't enough. I vowed next time to be more prepared. The campground was nice, however, and fully equipped (bear boxes, bathrooms, etc.).  Reserve your spot way in advance if you are heading there in August, as it books up months ahead of time.

Anyhow, the days were lovely and I impressed Kerry with my stove-cooking abilities (ha) and we took some gentle hikes around the area. One great one was an uphill hike to Elizabeth Lake. Beautiful! We had it to ourselves and fully enjoyed the serene landscape.  We were hoping to spot some bears, but alas (or luckily) we encountered none. (Unlike in the Adirondacks where I saw a bear 20 feet away from me and did exactly what you're not supposed to do: I screamed loudly and ran.)