Glacier Point

Emily and I head out to climb Glacier Point in Yosemite. We leave 26 minutes late due to Emily and then after entering the park spend an hour and half driving in the wrong direction due to my lousy sense of direction, poor map reading skills, and inability and unwillingness to recall my husbands vague verbal directions and Emily's advice! Oh well! No matter, we finally arrive at the trail head and are eager to start!
About 2 minutes into the ascent Emily and I agree that there is really nothing we need to say to each other and that our efforts should be concentrated on moving forward! Emily has an ipod to help pass the time, I have only the voices in my head.
Moving steadily up and on we meet a young couple taking pictures of a waterfall in the background, I offer to take a picture of both of them. On we go....Emily in front and me slightly behind wishing I would have thought to grab Madison's ipod. I would have to endure some Sponge Bob, but she does have some good songs on there, and I do enjoy a good rendition of Spiderman...
We pass another young couple and I of course make some small talk and walk away feeling a bit smug because at almost 40 I am passing these 20 somethings....next we pass an older couple from Seattle...a little farther up I look down and see some young men coming up, I try to catch up with Emily and twist my ankle between two rocks. I panic for half a second, but Emily is too far ahead to hear me with her ear buds in. I'm wondering how I will finish the hike, but as I continue I walk it off and find that I am fine and will be able to carry on....(darn).
On and on and on we go..up and up, back and forth..the young men pass us, then we pass them while they are stopped for a rest. Another set of young men pass us, they speak some Latin language, we pass them, they pass us, at some point the first set of young men pass us and we don't see them again until we reach the top. We meet up with the Latin men while they are taking pictures of half dome. I take a picture of Emily and we continue....


We begin to cross paths with people who are coming down from the top. I am sure they drove up there and are only waking down just to take a shuttle back up. They look far too happy. I ask a couple how much longer, an hour they reply. We stop more frequently now, Emily doesn't like to stop, she thinks it prolongs the hike. I figure it's 4.6 miles up no matter if you stop to rest or not, so lets rest there's no shame in it! Emily says there is....
Finally, I tell Emily that we need to stop. I'm hungry and I think we'll feel better if we sit for a minute. She agrees and we take off our packs and enjoy a Cliff bar and lots of water. As we sit we talk about the climb down. My pride insists that I walk down because Mark did this about 10 years ago and will never let me hear the end of it if I don't hike back down. However, we did get a late start and I forgot to bring my cell phone so they could be getting worried about us at home. We reluctantly agree that in the interest of those waiting for us we should take the shuttle down and we will make up for it by climbing Half Dome in two weeks. Our consciences assuaged, we heartily set out once again.
A man passes us going down and tells us 30 more minutes. Just a few minutes later a couple pass by and inform us that we have 20 minutes! We like the second report best. Soon after the path widens and levels out..I'm thinking this stretch is very forgiving and I even begin to enjoy myself a little.
Then I hear Emily exclaim, "Thank God!" I involuntarily let out and evil conquerous laugh as I see a building, a snack shack, as Mark calls it. The top!!
I feel exhilarated! After taking care of all that water we drank, we bought juice smoothies and a sandwich to share. Emily says she is going to tell everyone that the best sandwiches at are at the top of Glacier Point, but you have to hike there to fully appreciate them!

We sit as the most contented spirits eating our lunch across from half dome and two picturesque waterfalls. I am sure life does not get better that this.


After resting and taking pictures,

we get Emily an ice cream and inquire about the shuttle. Cricket, that's the cashiers name, informs me that we simply wait at the stop and when the shuttle arrives we pay our $25 and ride down. Excuse me, $25 each? Yes, $25 each. We will be walking down.....she assures me the walk down will be much easier. Suddenly I hate the family standing in front of us buying candy and ice cream and soda. It is clear to me that they drove up and will be driving down. I find no joy in the smiling faces of their children as they are allowed to consume so many varieties of junk food in one sitting.
We put if off just a few more minutes to gaze over the majestic scenery. It truly is breathtaking and for a moment I am in awe over the creative God we serve.


The descent brings the promise of true accomplishment to me, but Emily is not as enthusiastic. Despite her disappointment she is once again in the lead with me trotting behind wanting to catch up but afraid of falling, or worse running off a cliff!

(this is actually at the end of our adventure)

About 10 minutes later I loose sight of Emily and even looking down at the next switchback does not bring her into view. I have visions of her having fallen off the sheer drop that met me at one point, but surely I would have heard her screaming if she fell. A few more minutes pass and I begin to imagine my reaction if tragedy befell her. Terrible, obviously, would not begin to describe the feeling I would have loosing my daughter on a hike that I had initiated in order to spend time alone with each other. Would I feel guilty? Yes. No, no I decide that I wouldn't feel guilty. We had shared a wonderful day and I would have to rest in God's grace and providence if my overactive imagination had any truth to it. I begin to pray that I will catch up to her soon. In about 30 seconds I see her sitting on the path waiting for me. We stay a little closer the rest of the way down.
I know we were meant to take in the amazing scenery all the way up and down, but more often than not, instead of seeing this:



I saw this..



It took us 2 hours and 41 minutes to climb to Glacier Point and a mere 2 hours to make its descent. Emily can bask in the assurance that she never has to do this again, I on the other hand could potentially have to repeat the blessed activity 5 more times in an effort to bond with each child below Emily. Any chance the other kids would prefer to bond over pedicures?