To Beat the Heat, Climb a Mountain

Here in the central valley we have a few options when the temps reach the 100's, including escaping to the coast or to the mountains.  

This time I opted for a hike to the top of a mountain, Mt. Hoffman, in Yosemite's high country. 




To get to the trailhead there is a 2 mile drive off Tioga Pass Road to the May Lake trailhead.

At any trailhead in Yosemite, food and any other smelly items need to be stored in the metal bear lockers that are provided.  This is essential to preventing the bears from breaking into your car and keeping bears wild.  

The 1.2 miles to May Lake are a gradual uphill, and provide you with peeks at Half Dome along the way. Once arriving at the lake you will find, get this, a flush toilet!  And a water spigot, too.  That is because there is a high sierra camp here. There is no swimming allowed in the lake.



The only way to hike to the top of a mountain is to go UP, so from May Lake the ascent begins.  At first you are along a creek, lush with flowers, and the views of May Lake change every time you turn around and glance over your shoulder.

As you begin to climb from May Lake, you see that the trees thin out and the landscape is replaced by lots of granite. 

It's been so hot in northern California this week that even at this high elevation it was in the 80's! Everyone in our group drank lots of water and took it slowly when needed.  



Wondering what I carry in my Boreas backpack?  I always include the items from the new ten essentials system.  Tucked away inside the pack I had a rain shell, gloves, and knit hat just in case we got a thunderstorm - we ended up with warm, dry weather, but you never know, things can change quickly in the mountains no matter the weather in the Central Valley. In a stuff sack in there I had my food and a tube of Nuun electrolytes.  In another stuff sack I had my compass, headlamp, lighter/dryer lint, and water purification tablets. A first aid kit always comes along with me.  I had a rain cover for my pack, and my 3 liter Deuter water bladder.  In the pouches on the hip belt for easy access I had my iPhone, for it's camera, snacks, sunscreen, my knife, & bug repellant. On me I had my sunglasses, sun hat, Darn Tough socks, Montrail shoes (super light!), quick-dry Mountain Hardwear shorts, and a Jaunt t-shirt.

There is a class 3 rock scramble to reach the actual summit, (above is a view from the summit looking toward Half Dome).  Even if you get to the base of the rock climb part of the hike and don't summit, you will be rewarded with spectacular views.  

You can see Half Dome perfectly from Mt. Hoffman's summit

You can see May Lake & Tenaya Lake 

Since today was neither cold nor windy on the summit, I stayed up there a long time, eating lunch and visiting with people.  While up there we saw some of the cumulous clouds over in the east turning into thunder heads; it never came our way at all, but over toward Highway 395 they must have been getting some rain.

I'm always undecided on if I prefer hiking the uphills, where it's a great heart workout and I have to stop to catch my breath, or if I prefer the downhills, where my breathing is fine but my legs turn into sewing machine needles, bouncing up and down with muscle spasms.  Doesn't matter - to get these splendid views what goes up must come down eventually!



If you are interested in trying Mt. Hoffman for yourself, or even just May Lake, go here for Yosemite information.  Have fun!  

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