Distance: 10.3 miles round trip on trail
Summit Elevation: 6314' (Union), 7222' (Glacier)
Elevation Gain: 3250'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 2.6
Round trip time: 5 hours 45 minutes
Recommended water: 100 oz.
Parking/Fees: $35 National Parks Fee (good for one week)
Difficulty: Moderate
Leisa and I were back in Yosemite, camping in the shadow of Half Dome at Lower Pines Campground. We got the same spot we had in 2022 when we toured a half dozen waterfalls. Our first excursion this year was the Four Mile Trail from the valley floor to Union Point, then Glacier Point. Legend has it the original trail to Glacier Point was four miles long, but extra switchbacks were added over time to reduce the gradient making the current trail 4.6 miles one way. Parking at the trailhead was full when we arrived so we had to hike from hear swinging bridge adding additional distance. Since Glacier Point can be accessed by road and shuttles, I was surprised how many people were on the steep, Four Mile Trail. No section was more difficult than another, it's just a steady climb up the south valley wall. It was shaded all day. Union Point was a little more than half way up and a short diversion from the trail. Views were great but got better the higher we went. There was a vandalized mark of some kind on the highest boulder at Union Point, unreadable.
The last half mile before Glacier Point was mostly flat and you could see it jutting out from the wall on approach. Glacier Point is known for it's iconic Half Dome view and it was swarming with people as expected. We did a bit of wandering around the area on top. The hike seemed more taxing to me than the stats suggested and I wasn't feeling well. I found out three days later I was in the middle of my third bout with Covid-19. The worst thing about it was that I passed it on to Leisa, whose suffering started when we got back home. Descending the trail was much easier but the lower switchbacks seemed never ending. The GPS track had extra noise from proximity to the south wall. We stopped for snacks at the general store and returned to camp for fire rituals.
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