Adventure 093 - Full Moon Walk

Capture California, the Game-2012

Adventure: 093 – Moonlight Walk

Team: Thing One, Thing Two

Date:  July 3-4, 2012

Location: Glacier Point area, Yosemite

Description:
The moon was up, painting the world silver, making things look just a little more alive says ND Wilson in the book Leepike Ridge. And that is so true. There is a different quality to what you can see. While losing the vibrancy of color from the sun, the moon paints the world in softness. This quality presented itself on a drive later on during the evening of July 4^th. Coming into San Jose, several fireworks displays presented itself. They were fascinating, they were colorful, they were exciting. But which gets retained longer in your memory? Fireworks or a really glorious full moon?





We did the Sentinel Dome trail. Even the Park Services says that Sentinel Dome is something to experience at sunset and by moonlight. Hiking in gave us the sunset. We hit the trail a little before 8pm. As Thing One and Thing Two walked up with a couple of our friends and our son, we got to see the sun setting behind El Capitan and Yosemite Falls darkening with the dusk. The Clark Range was basked in the alpine glow of the setting sun.



When we got to the top, we were surprised. We expected a few people at the most. But there was at least 60 people there. NPS personnel really take their recommendation to heart as it was reported that at least a third of the people were off-duty rangers, there to enjoy the sight of the rising full moon. But given the large number of people, it did not feel crowded. We have been on the Dome with 20 people and were too happy to see people leave. Here people were waiting with anticipation of something wonderful. Cameras were set up, people were having quiet conversations, strangers were enjoying quiet company of each other like they were old friends.

The moon-rise was scheduled for 8:22pm. But no moon. Finally at 8:25pm, the sky behind Red Mountain on the Clark Range started to light up. Then the moon quietly slide its way up. Some of us tried to capture the moment with cameras, other were content with their memories and imagination. Still others sat in quiet reverence and others embraced the moon. As the moon rose, it washed the Dome in its silvery light.

After staying on the Dome for an hour, the five of us made our way back. First descending the side of the dome, using only the light of the moon. As we came to the trees, the shadows of the forest forced us to turn on our headlights for the ¾ of a mile walk back to the car from the base of the Dome's old parking lot. We finally arrived home after 12:30, well content, well pleased with our outing. For more on this time, see Adventures 008 and 092.