A Convert to the Cold

I've been to a LOT of the United States National Parks (seriously) and yet have really only enjoyed them during summertime. Until this past weekend, I had no idea what I was missing out on. I had assumed that 'Winter = Cold + Misery' probably because my wardrobe doesn't include cold weather clothes, but dressed appropriately, I discovered 'Winter = Brisk + Breathtaking'.

Yosemite in the summer automatically includes throngs of visitors and traffic jams in the Valley, but winter visits like the one we made last weekend, had neither. It was my first attempt at snowshoeing...which sounded much more ominous that it actually was. Really, it was hiking in winter with your everyday hiking shoes with an added metal/plastic bit strapped to your foot.
This shoe allowed you to distribute your weight across a bigger surface area making it easier to traverse across, and on top of the snow, rather than into, and through the snow. Without the snoeshoe, you posthole (a fancy word for stepping into soft snow creating a sunken in hole) and it takes a lot physical exertion and effort to go a far distance like this.

Check out the pics from the 7-mile loop from the Badger Pass / Glacier Point Trail Head to Dewey Point:

Toby leading the charge!

The amazing view once you reach Dewey Point.
Complete with sheer drop-offs.
A proud 'Captain' moment together.
Followed by a hearty pre-packed lunch, including brownie bites, overlooking the Valley.
More snowshoeing is in our future!