A few days ago I returned from a week-long trip to Yosemite National Park. It was breathtaking, relaxing, challenging, and also a maybe little nostalgic?

Despite how nature loving I have become , I have gone to very few national parks! I can actually count the parks I remember on a single hand. Granted, If you look at the map, between living in Ohio, North Carolina, and Illinois, it’s easy to see how options become limited without a big road trip.

Regardless, the funny part is that I have actually been to Yosemite 3x now, and memories of those previous trips popped into my thoughts. Afterwards, I found myself wanting to blog about not only this Yosemite trip but the previous ones as well. I wanted to create space for some sentimentality for the past, gratitude for my present, and hope for the future.

Trip 1: 2019 Spring Break with my parents. Sleeping in the lodge. Hot Tub. Rental Car.

It was Spring Break but snow covered the mountain tops still! We slept in the lodge, hiked around each day, and drove lots of scenic lookouts where my dad used his camera to grab photos.

Highs –>It being my first experience in Yosemite, bonding with my parents, being outside, getting to fly to California, crawling to get to Yosemite Falls since it was so icy, the hot-tub at the lodge, and more.

Lows –> feeling torn about whether hiking was ok for my ED/Hypothalamic Amenorrhea recovery and that on some days food planning didn’t go so well. I remember be ridiculously hangry one afternoon after a big hike and frustrated since I was trying so hard to eat consistently at the time.

Highs –> The sense of adventure staying in Camp 4, big hikes to the top of El Cap, climbing my first crack route in Yosemite (also getting photographed by tourists who thought we were cool climbers), following Sean into a cave, the gratitude I had for being invited on this adventure by new friends, using my new pocket rocket (thx Maria Basile) and the nights spent playing card games and having fires. The other high was experiencing the sunrise over the Rockies as we drove back to Ohio and realizing I would soon be moving to Colorado.

Lows –> Being completely underdressed for the really cold weather cuz I was dumb and thought California was warm in April, a complete lack of sleep d/t graduation happening right before and then driving the night shift back to Ohio, and the fact I was only there for 2 nights/3days.

Trip 3: Camping in Hodgdon Campground. Climbing. Hiking. LOTS of jumping into water.

Highs –> sleeping so well/in-line with my circadian rhythm, free soloing on El Cap, swimming in so many dif. bodies of water, stargazing and seeing the milky-way over half-dome, starting to learn some Trad, playing guitar and banjo, and the gratitude I had for being invited on this adventure by new friends.

Lows –> losing two hats and a pair of air-pods. Possibly verging on too much tuna. The other low was honestly less of a low and a good lesson in going with the flow. I didn’t have my own car or know how to Trad climb, so each day was about what someone with a car or the ability to climb offered to let me join in on! Overall, there really is not anything bad to do when in the Valley, so I tried to be present and grateful for each adventure! I know I didn’t get to do everything I wanted to do (curse the half-dome lottery), but also I am 25, so that leaves plenty of time to experience Yosemite in new and interesting ways!

…WHICHHH leads too….

Trip 4/5/6/7/8/?!?!?!

It is 100% a goal now to climb more routes and learn to Trad. There were so many cool routes that are within 5.6-5.9 range that I would love to get on. One day, I would love to try big wall and sleeping on a portal ledge. I also MUST get to the top of half-dome, whether that’s by the cables or by climbing this slightly sketchy route up the back called “Snake-Dike”. Finally, I saw a couple rappelling the Lower Yosemite Falls. When I I have a car, gear, a partner and also have done some more preparation & research on the route itself, I really hope to experience that!

Reflecting on previous trips brings a lot of nostalgia and a LOT of gratitude for how my life continues to change for the better. In the past 8 years, I have made so many friends who also love the outdoors, gotten physically stronger, learned a lot about myself and the world around me and so much more. I am stoked for the future and where my next adventures will take me!

Also planning to stay at this hotel next time I drive through.

Finally a shout out to a new friend, Ryan, for taking a lot of these photos on his camera!