Yosemite - El Capitan

I spent the next 3mi (5km) on an uneventful meander, enjoying the beautiful forest and having the Merced River’s company as it wound its way beside me. I took a little detour to Bridalveil Fall. It is known for thundering during the spring so much that reaching the trail's end is sometimes impossible because of the strong spray created as it plummets 620ft (189m) from above.

I crossed the river on its northern side and stopped at one of the valley’s viewpoints. The granite cliffs rose above the treelines with a commanding presence whilst Bridalveil Fall tumbled in the distance from a hanging valley. Here I sat in silence, listening to the birds singing, the river babbling and feeling the trees filling my lungs with clean air. It was easy for me to imagine the valley's summer color palette of green and grey slowly changing to a warm palette in autumn and a cool palette of white, grey and icy blue by winter.

My next stop was the 100-million-year-old, granite rock called El Capitan (‘the captain’). A million years ago, glaciers carved this vertical rock formation. Whilst the summit of El Capitan can be reached via a trail hike, the challenge is in the technical climb up The Nose, a route ascending 2,900ft (880m) up the central buttress of the monolith. The first ascent was completed in 1958 by Warren Harding, an accomplished rock climber who succeeded in climbing some 28 first ascents in Yosemite. It took him 47 days to summit El Capitan and it would take another 27 years before The Nose was successfully completed in one day.

Leaving the climbing to the experts, I chose to enjoy this grand rock formation from the meadows adjacent to it. Laying out a picnic blanket in the centre with snacks and drinks, I took in the splendid 360 degrees of towering cliffs and surrounding trees. I think I may while away some time here in the sunshine amongst this magnificent landscape.

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