Sentinel Dome

Just a moderate hike, they said. Just 400’ altitude climb, they said. What they didn’t say: That 400’ was the last .1 mile, up to the top of Sentinel Dome. I hadn’t hiked to the top of Sentinel Dome since 1973. The distance was 1.1 miles (one way). A moderate hike, only 400’ of altitude increase. Hah!

Well, I did it, mostly to take a picture of the Jeffrey Pine that was an iconic symbol of Yosemite. I took this picture in 1973 when the tree was healthy and growing well into the granite at the top of the dome. You can see Half Dome on the right, under the outstretched limb.

Here is the same tree and (nearly) the same view today. As you can see, Half Dome is almost hidden by the smoke from the current fire. The tree is down, where it fell in 2003. It died during the drought of 1975-1977 and took until 2003 to actually fall. It had lived for a long time, but couldn’t endure the drought and lack of snow during those years. So tragic. But new, younger trees are growing so far. Hopefully, the current drought won’t kill them, too.

The fire. It isn’t close (Little Yosemite Valley, below Half Dome on the right – you can see the heavy smoke from the fire), but the smoke was hard on the lungs. I coughed all the way home, trying to clean out my lungs. My eyes burned for a while, until I was able to get out of the smoke. The valley was almost impossible to see because of the smoke. Two paragliders took off from Glacier Point and disappeared half-way down in the smoke.

Most of the smoke seems to have hit the valley. I’m so glad I was able to visit the valley last week when it was clear. I got home shortly after 1:30 and my left knee is really feeling the hike – thank ceiling cat for ice!