El Capitan: Natural Majesty in Yosemite

Always check trail, weather and other necessary information before you head out for the hike. Hiking to the top of El Capitan was my bucket list for a long time ever since I saw El Cap when I visited Yosemite for the first time back in my college days. I still remember vividly the awestruck sensation I felt when I saw the looming "monolith" in the Yosemite valley. Along with Half Dome, El Cap is a famed icon for many rock climbers just like Mt. Everest for mountaineers. The hardest part of El Cap hike via Yosemite Falls Trail takes place for the first 3.2 miles of Yosemite Falls trail trekking up and up the rocky and slippery granite trail gaining 2,700 feet elevation. After the steep and rocky trail of Yosemite Falls, the trail continues through the forest gaining about 1,000 feet elevation up and down in 4.7 miles. Eagle Peak Trail connects with El Cap Trail, so that's an option to explore on the way to or back from El Cap. I hear the views from Eagle Peak are unbeatable. No pain, no gain. The reward you see from the top of El Cap is unforgettable! Take in breathtaking panoramic views of Yosemite Valley and High Sierras. Splendid. It's a must do hike if you want to stand on the top of El Cap....unless you are a hardcore rock climber to challenge scaling the granite monolith - 3,000 feet vertical. By the way, I saw bears twice en route. The first bear was an adult bear about 3/4 miles from El Cap ledge and the second time was three young ones (larger than a cub, but not fully grown adult) about 1.5 miles from El Cap on the way back to trailhead. They all ran away as soon as they saw me, but one of the three actually climbed up a tall tree! Wow, bears can climb a tree so fast!....faster than a squirrel? No kidding. Well, if you encounter a bear on the trail, do not be scared. Give a good space between you and the bear. Never attempt to bother them. They are usually busy with their own business and move on.

Great destination! Enjoyed the open trail and peaceful outdoor atmosphere.

Great destination! Enjoyed the open trail and peaceful outdoor atmosphere.

Great destination! Enjoyed the open trail and peaceful outdoor atmosphere.

El Capitan is one of those Yosemite landmarks that somehow looks even bigger in person than it does in photos. You can see it from all over the valley, but getting down near the meadow and standing almost directly beneath it really puts the scale into perspective. The sheer granite face is enormous. From the valley floor, it rises so abruptly that it almost does not look real. The meadow in front of it makes for some of the best views because you get the contrast between the open grass, the trees, and this gigantic wall of granite dominating the background. I stopped at several different spots around the area because the perspective changes dramatically depending on where you are. From some angles, El Capitan looks broad and almost block-like. From others, you really notice how vertical the face is. Walking through the nearby trees and catching glimpses of it between the trunks was just as impressive as seeing it from the open meadow. Naturally, I also had to get a few pictures with it in the background. Which led to my biggest challenge of the day: “Me in front of El T… El Telefono… El… Tef?ohhhh, it’s El Capitan. I’m not used to putting that name after the prefix ‘El.’” Once I got the name sorted out, the scenery was easy to appreciate. This is also one of those places where you do not necessarily need a long hike to have a great experience. You can spend quite a while just wandering around the meadow and nearby paths, looking at El Capitan from different angles, taking pictures, and enjoying the valley. The open meadow was especially beautiful when I visited, with the bright green and yellow vegetation in the foreground and the deep blue sky behind the granite. It made for some of my favorite photos from Yosemite. Even after seeing El Capitan from Tunnel View and other places around the park, standing near the base gave me a completely different appreciation for how massive it is. It is one of the defining landmarks of Yosemite and absolutely deserves its reputation. Definitely take the time to stop, walk around the meadow, and see it up close. Five stars for El Capitan. Also five stars for finally remembering what comes after “El.”