RISK VS. REWARD

26 Jan

I wanted to talk about this image because of a tragedy that happened in Yosemite Valley less than a week after we hiked through this area. This is a shot of Nevada Falls which is above Vernal falls and the mist trail. It’s one of the most popular hikes in Yosemite. Sadly, a few days after we hiked over the bridge in the picture below, three hikers jumped a protective fence and were washed over Vernal falls. None of them survived.

I remember seeing Bridalveil falls, after I drove through the tunnel into Yosemite Valley a few weeks before our trip while Zee and I were laying our food depots. I’ve been going to Yosemite my whole life, and I had never seen so much water plummeting into the valley. 2011 was a record snow year, and that has led to a pretty crazy snow melt run-off. While hiking, everywhere we looked there was water more pure and beautiful than a Bill Withers song. The rivers and waterfalls were chaotically bursting with rushing white water. What during normal years are creeks and streams, were full rushing rivers. Roiling cascades lined the canyon walls.

I’m not going to lie, there were a few crossings that were a little higher and swifter than I would have liked. Often you would see the rocky edge of a trail one or two feet underwater. That said, the snow and the water made this an extraordinary year to hike the JMT. You might get one year like this out of every twenty to thirty. Sadly, the added risk led to some tragedies, but thankfully all of us made it through with nothing more than a few cuts, scrapes and numb feet. And our reward for taking the added risk was the journey of a lifetime.