Day 12 - June 19th 2000
Woke up with very little sleep and had to wait for a shower, surprise, surprise. This caused me to miss breakfast. Not the best career decision when planning a good day of hiking. We got to the visitors center and the forecast was hot and sunny 32 degrees. We decided to do the Upper falls walk. We caught the shuttle bus to the lower falls stop, got off and walked to look at the lower falls. 'WoW' it was very impressive.
I stopped to take the photos and most of the others we were with just kept on walking, in a direction back towards the visitors center. So Sara and I turned around and walked off to the trailhead in the right direction. It took us a bit of time but we finally found it. So we read the sign at the bottom, not always a good idea. Total change in elevation in 820 meters to the top of the falls, and there is something like 60 switchbacks. So we started walking up and it was not wrong zig after zag, straight up and it was dam hot. We stopped at Columbia rock to catch our breath and to take in the view of the valley. It was spectacular, we had only walked about one mile, but it sure as hell felt like 5. We walked another half a mile in a more moderate gradient until we got to the spot near the bottom of the upper falls.
Sat there and looked in wonder, took some photos and then started back down. In the end I think I got up about 400/450 meters, but some people did get to the top. I only fell over once. That smooth granite is slippery stuff.
Got back to the kiosk and consumed sustenance. Then somehow managed to get motivation and energy to get off the chair and head for mirror lake. After getting off the bus we walked the mile up to mirror lake. At least this time it had water in it. It was a little windy, but it still looked a treat. Then it was time to go shopping, went mad in the village store, posters , clean shirt for the morning, calendars. We ate pizza at the pizza joint, or could be inhaled the pizza. Got back to the campsite and several people went to the bar. Almost 6 weeks of being on the go (or old age) was starting to take its toll so I had an early night after having a shower (to save waiting in the morning).