Another enjoyable summer hike. This time, up the Illilouette creek in Yosemite National Park with Tripp, Karen, and Kira.
Weather was good, and warmer than I packed for.  Crowds were equally better than I’d expected.  And most enjoyably, the water level was wonderfully high making for fun river crossings and some recreational fishing.  I suppose my license, fly rod and the hope of getting some casting practice in inceased the weight of my pack for the weekend, but it was worth the entertainment of pursuing the tiny fish, which I’m guessing were rainbows?, and were about four inches long with a raging thirst for heavily worn flies that kind of looked like ants.
Also adding to the weekend was the ever present wild life, reptiles and insects on the hot dry trail down from Glacier Point, a grouse (Sooty Grouse according to their Birdwatcher List) along a lightly wooded trail to Illilouette Falls.  Deer by the dozen within our campsite, obviously fish in the river by the school, and even a black bear and her cubs walking, digging, and playing along the road down from Glacier Point.  Most fortunately for us, the mosquitos were dormant and our attempts to thwart them were unnecessary. [Visiting Yosemite soon?  Have a look at their animal check lists] Next time we’ll be sure to bring along our edible plants list for the area to help augment our dining. (a guide?)
More so, I learned some better techniques for using a bear cache and I have a stronger understanding for how to prepare for Yosemite summers. Â All in all, the hike was a substantial success that has left me on the couch a day later with with tired and sore legs.
Our Hike: ~5 miles on day one (including walking about Glacier Point). ~10 miles on day two (including a hike east toward Nevada Falls)