Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Yosemite National Park (4-21)


[1. Introduction] [2. 旅遊建議/食宿交通] [3. Sightseeing] [4. Day Hiking] [5. Winter Activities] [6. Other Activities] [7. Who's Who in the Park] [8. More about the Park] [9. Conclusion]


4. Day Hiking

[4-1. Mirror Lake] [4-2. Mist Trail (Vernal Falls)] [4-3. Nevada Falls] [4-4. Half Dome] [4-5. Lyell Canyon: Twin Bridges] [4-6. Clouds Rest] [4-7. Sunrise Lakes/High Sierra Camp] [4-8. Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias] [4-9. Vogelsang Pass via Rafferty Creek] [4-10. Vogelsang HSC via Lyell Fork/Evelyn Lake] [4-11. Pothole Dome] [4-12. North Dome] [4-13. Upper Yosemite Falls Trail] [4-14. Taft Point] [4-15. Sentinel Dome] [4-16. Glen Aulin/White Cascade/Tuolumne Falls] [4-17. Waterwheel Falls/Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne] [4-18. McGurk Meadow/Dewey Point/Crocker Point] [4-19. May Lake/Mount Hoffman] [4-20. Ostrander Lake] [4-21. Four Mile Trail] [4-22. Inspiration Point/Stanford Point] [4-23. Vogelsang to Merced Lake via Fletcher Creek] [4-24. Merced Lake to Vogelsang via Lewis Creek] [4-25. Wapama Falls] [4-26. Cathedral Lakes] [4-27. Elizabeth Lake] [4-28. Young Lakes]

4-21. Four Mile Trail

IMG_4072 Four Mile Trail
Figure 4-21.1: Four Mile Trail在Glacier Point的步道口。

IMG_4083 Four Mile Trail, Yosemite National Park
Figure 4-21.2: 步道上的Yosemite Falls與Yosemite Valley,雖然從Glacier Point也看得到類似的,不過步道上有比較多不同的角度。

IMG_4087 Four Mile Trail, Yosemite National Park
Figure 4-21.3: 步道算寬,因為一開始是設計給馬走的。

IMG_4117 Four Mile Trail
Figure 4-21.4: 這步道往東往西都能看,但會有一面逆光,比如這是下午往西看。

IMG_4140 Four Mile Trail, Yosemite National Park
Figure 4-21.5: Yosemite的瀑布常因為颳風所以會有飄的畫面。

Distance (one way): 4.6 miles
Glacier Point Elevation: 7,200 feet
Yosemite Valley Elevation: 4,000 feet
Hiking Time: 2 - 4 hours

除了Mist TrailUpper Yosemite Falls這兩條Yosemite Valley的熱門且難度較高的步道外,Four Mile Trail是另一個選擇,提供類似Upper Yosemite Falls居高臨下的視野。遙想當年,這步道的熱門程度不比以上兩條差,因為這步道可以以最近的距離走到(或騎馬到)Glacier Point上去。這個可以走到Glacier Point的步道現在並不被大部分的人appreciate,想說不是開車就可以到Glacier Point,幹嘛得以這種勞其筋骨、苦其心志的方式到?這就是為什麼前面得用「遙想當年」為前提,雖然1882年時就已經有這條路,現在的這條Glacier Point Road是1936年才開好並一直沿用至今。而Four Mile Trail也在後來re-routing時長度多了0.6 mile,但步道名稱還是照舊,並沒有因此改名叫做4.6 Mile Trail。

也因為開車到達Glacier Point相當方便,Four Mile Trail不見得得用所謂的old fashioned方式從Yosemite Valley走上Glacier Point之後原路走下。可以以Glacier Point當起點one way走到Yosemite Valley,之後靠公園的El Capitan Shuttle這一線免費公車(大概是夏季的9:00am到6:00pm)回到Yosemite Village還是Curry Village那邊。但要這樣走有個交通問題得解決,一是靠朋友開車將你載到Glacier Point,另一個方式是去Yosemite Lodge買Glacier Point Tour的單程車票到達。當然,如果你們有兩輛車,是可以一台車停在Yosemite Valley而開另一台車到Glacier Point,等走回Yosemite Valley時在開到Glacier Point把那輛車開回來,但這樣做費時也費油就是。

IMG_4148 Four Mile Trail, Yosemite National Park
Figure 4-21.6: Upper Yosemite Falls在這步道不少較高的地方都看得到。

IMG_4153 Four Mile Trail, Yosemite National Park
Figure 4-21.7: 下午往東看,就會是順光。最理想是比如早上從下往上走,等到中午過後由上往下走,就東西兩面都有好的時間可以看。

IMG_4172 Four Mile Trail
Figure 4-21.8: 另一個角度的Upper/Lower Yosemite Falls。

IMG_4184 Four Mile Trail
Figure 4-21.9: 步道下方大都是樹林,如果是由下往上走,就得走過這樹林區後才有風景可以看。

IMG_4185 Four Mile Trail
Figure 4-21.10: 這裡已經差不多到了Yosemite Valley,嚴格來說這邊才算是Four Mile Trail的起點。

IMG_4191 Four Mile Trail, Yosemite National Park
Figure 4-21.11: 這步道在Yosemite Valley的起點直接在Sentinel Rock下面,如果你是由上往下走,這地方有免費公車可以坐到Yosemite Village那一區,但得注意一下時間,因為這一線的公車班次較少且較早停開。

一個比較熱血的作法,是從Yosemite Valley走Four Mile Trail到Glacier Point,之後以Panorama Trail走回Yosemite Valley,這樣一上一下的全長是13 miles,走完想必是飽又醉,適合strong hiker花一天的時間完成。我是有想過這麼走一次,不過一直處於有計畫表但沒有時間表的狀態。要以Panorama Trail上與Four Mile Trail下當然也可以,但如果你需要用公車回到Curry Village還是Yosemite Village那邊的話,因為El Capitan Shuttle只開到6:00pm左右,走起來會比較趕且有風險。

上次走Four Mile Trail是2009年的事情了,那次是take it easy,買張單程車票到Glacier Point之後大概在中午時間往下走。步道既可以往東看也可以往西看,但會有一面是逆光,往西主要以Cathedral Rocks與El Capitan為主,適合早上,從Sentinel Dome上也可以看到類似的角度;往東有Half Dome、North Dome與Royal Arches等,適合下午;步道不少地方都看得到Yosemite Falls,早上或下午走的影響較小。

如果想要看到這步道最好的「兩面」,還是乖乖的以round trip方式完成,不過這樣走下來共9.2 miles且爬升3,200 feet,難度不比Upper Yosemite Falls低就是;用one way的方式有一面得爛掉,好消息是要爛那一邊可以自己選。

Previous Next

[4-1. Mirror Lake] [4-2. Mist Trail (Vernal Falls)] [4-3. Nevada Falls] [4-4. Half Dome] [4-5. Lyell Canyon: Twin Bridges] [4-6. Clouds Rest] [4-7. Sunrise Lakes/High Sierra Camp] [4-8. Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias] [4-9. Vogelsang Pass via Rafferty Creek] [4-10. Vogelsang HSC via Lyell Fork/Evelyn Lake] [4-11. Pothole Dome] [4-12. North Dome] [4-13. Upper Yosemite Falls Trail] [4-14. Taft Point] [4-15. Sentinel Dome] [4-16. Glen Aulin/White Cascade/Tuolumne Falls] [4-17. Waterwheel Falls/Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne] [4-18. McGurk Meadow/Dewey Point/Crocker Point] [4-19. May Lake/Mount Hoffman] [4-20. Ostrander Lake] [4-21. Four Mile Trail] [4-22. Inspiration Point/Stanford Point] [4-23. Vogelsang to Merced Lake via Fletcher Creek] [4-24. Merced Lake to Vogelsang via Lewis Creek] [4-25. Wapama Falls] [4-26. Cathedral Lakes] [4-27. Elizabeth Lake] [4-28. Young Lakes]

[1. Introduction] [2. 旅遊建議/食宿交通] [3. Sightseeing] [4. Day Hiking] [5. Winter Activities] [6. Other Activities] [7. Who's Who in the Park] [8. More about the Park] [9. Conclusion]

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