The first of c.5 instalments of photos along the John Muir Trail (JMT). This section was the first four days of 21 days on the JMT between 16 August and 19 August 2010.

Day 1: 16 August 2010 - we started the trail at the usual JMT start at Happy Isles (4035 ft) in the Yosemite Valley. This was the lowest altitude part of the whole John Muir Trail. We then followed the JMT for the first 2.8 miles to Panorama Trail Junction at 6040 ft. A ranger checked our wilderness permit on-route. Due to the conditions on our permit we had to camp well away from the JMT on our first night. This involved a walk up to Panorama Junction, with views of the impressive Vernal Falls, Nevada Falls, Half Dome, Liberty Cap and Mt Broderick and then head over to camp towards Illilouette Creek (about an additional 3.6 miles from the usual JMT) for the first night. I felt the most jetlagged on this day, and the afternoon was extremely hot. We had a short break after crossing a creek and using my water filter to get water for the first time. We then found suitable campsites over in the next valley. Day 1 summary : altitude gain c.3600 ft, altitude loss 1317 ft, overall 2317 feet gain. 6.5 miles covered.

Day 2: 17 August 2010 - Illilouette Creek to Nevada Falls returning to the JMT, and then on to Clouds Rest Junction. This was probably the hottest day on the trail. It started with an enjoyable morning walk backtracking our steps (3.6 miles) to Panorama Trail Junction. The morning had views towards Mt Starr King to the east. Then from the switchbacks above Nevada Falls, great views of the Nevada Falls, and the granite domes of this area also viewed the previous day. Once at Nevada Falls, we hit the crowds heading to Half Dome and other day walks. From here we were once again on the proper JMT. I thought my pack felt particularly heavy once I saw all the day walkers. We had a good look around the amazing Nevada Falls. Had the last crap at a toilet for several days, and then headed up-valley past Half Done Junction to Clouds Rest Junction. We set up camp just past Clouds Rest Junction at c.7215 m. That night we could here others camping around us being hassled by a bear. The bear came near our camp, but was quickly chased off by us and neighbouring campers. We heard people banging billies for what seemed several hours trying to chase off the bear. We later found out that someone had not sealed their bear canister properly, and a bear had managed to get a bit of a feed. Day 2 summary: c.7 miles. Altitude gain: 2323 ft. Altitude loss: 1479 ft. Overall 844 ft. gain

Day 3: 18 August 2010. Clouds Rest Junction to Lower Cathedral Lake. After a somewhat disturbed night by bears, and people making loud noises to scare off bears, we began our walk up Sunrise Creek. We passed a mule deer soon after starting walking. Good views in this section were of Mt Starr King (the opposite side from that viewed the pervious morning in the Illilouette Valley) and final views of Half Dome. The trail continued north to the top of Sunrise Mountain and then on into Long Meadow near Sunrise High Sierra Camp. On our way up Sunrise a couple of people walking the trail in the opposite direction wanted to take a photo of us. We may end up being in a JMT Calendar, being the first New Zealanders they had met on the trail. Ahead of here is the spire-like peak known as Columbia Finger. At the head of this valley we passed our first other JMT through-hiker as they call them. He was travelling lighter and faster than us, and we only saw him on two occasions again on the trail. The trail continued along to Cathedral Pass with impressive mountain views to the East. Once over Cathedral Pass we descended down towards upper Cathedral Lake. Cathedral Peak dominated the skyline ahead of us, with abundant lupines (we in NZ would call them lupins) in the meadows. We met an Australian photographer (Rhys), who was taking photographs of the lupines and mountain scenery. He was also walking the whole JMT, but had even more camera gear than me including a large tripod. He was still using film and was taking black and white photos. We continued on to the stunning upper Cathedral Lake, the lighting was fantastic here. We looked for a campsite, but it appeared that the best ones were already taken. We continued along to Lower Cathedral Lake, which is about half a mile of the John Muir Trail and made camp here as it was getting dark. Distance travelled on Day 3: 11.8 miles.

Day 4: 19 August 2010. An earliesh start watching the sunrise over Cathedral Peak. Before leaving I enjoyed watching a Belding's ground squirrel finding food amongst the rocks. We then walked to Tuolumne Meadows getting there before lunchtime. This was mostly a downhill walk once past the saddle between the Merced Catchment and Tuolumne Catchment. Once at Tuolumne Meadows we set up camp and then got a burger at the grill. We meet a person (Mike) who we had meet a couple of days previously on the trail. He was spending a few days at Tuolumne Meadows for a Poetry camp. We then made a couple of visits to the shop to get a few food and gear items that we would need for the walk to Red Meadows. Then we walked the part of the John Muir Trail that we would have otherwise missed by going to Tuolumne Meadows with very light packs. The proper John Muir Trail does a loop to the north of Tuolumne shops and campground. We decided to walk as far as the shuttle could drop us off the next morning so that we covered all the parts of the trail, but with lighter packs. We had a good look at Parson’s Lodge, McCauley Cabin, the Soda Springs and Lambert Dome. We also got some extra plastic bags to store our used toilet paper in at the Wilderness Permit building. It is interesting how different rangers give different advice on what to do when confronted with bears. We heard a bear in the night, but they did not bother us. At least we know what they sound like now. Distance travelled on Day 4: 7.5 miles (although some with a light pack). Lower Cathedral Lakes: 9425 feet. Mariposa-Tuolumne County Line: 9570 feet. Campground 8585 feet. Tuolumne High Sierra Camp Junction 8680 feet. Minimum altitude gain: 230 feet. Mimimum altitude lost: 985 feet.