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Yosemite may very well be the most beautiful place on earth. So when the travel schedule meant different projects in California for the weekend, I jumped at the chance to spend some quality time in the mountains! Yosemite in the snow is beautiful and I have had a few opportunities to appreciate it. This year, the mountains had gotten hit with 4 feet of unexpected, fresh snow. To be safe, I decided to purchase some snowshoes. (I had always wanted some).

I arrived at the park and promptly got my back country permit for overnight camping. In the entire park, I was the only person who had applied for one. I grinned knowing I would have the whole wilderness to myself and couldn't wait until I made it to the camp ground!

No such luck! I had the trails to myself with the pure white snow. But the drifts were well over 6' in places and I was wearing myself out plowing new trails in the snow. I had hoped for about six miles into the park, but I only made it a little over two miles over several hours. I could have made it a bit farther, but I was really worried about founding a safe place to pitch the tent. In the end I decided to camp on a corner off the switchbacks that you use to go up to the falls.

The snow continued to fall and the temperature got down to about 7 degrees. I have done a fair amount of cold weather camping, but this spot still had some wind and I was comfortable, but wouldn't stretch it so far as to say warm. All in all, it was a wonderful time and I can't wait to go back!