Holland Spot: Day 1: When It Rains, it Pours

We had a few setbacks on our first day in Yosemite, but since it was our first day, nothing could really get us down. First, we got a much later start on the drive than intended. Then what we thought was a 2.5 hour drive (not sure where we heard this) was more like a 4 hour drive. So we were WAY behind schedule by the time we got to Yosemite Valley.

We were planning to do a 4-day hike that would start at Yosemite Valley and end at Tuolmne Meadows. When we went to get our permit, however, we found out that there was still a LOT of snow up there, and we didn't think to bring our snowshoes. So, alas, we decided to hike to the backpackers' campground in Little Yosemite Valley and just do day hikes from there.

At this point it was nearing 4pm and we needed to make it 4.5 miles uphill (ascent of 2,000ft) before dark. Still optimistic, we were ready to hit the trail. We locked up the car, grabbed our packs, and... downpour. It rained our entire hike on the first day. This was the day that I realized I do not regret a cent we paid for good gear, from pack covers to sock liners, our gear was never more important. So despite the setbacks, we made it to LYV surprisingly fast (fresh legs!) and were able to get our camp set up before dark!

As we left the trailhead, I couldn't resist buying a hot dog in the rain.