Memoir Essay 2

Here is my second to last paper that I wrote for my English class. It was a personal choice essay, so I decided to do a memoir. I chose to talk about the last time I went to Yosemite with my family and what happened on our hike! 

Enjoy

{"{"{"{"{"{"{"{"{"{"{"{"}"}"}"}"}"}"}"}"}"}"}

To the Top and Down Again

            Water bottle, sunscreen, snacks, my contact case and, glasses. I checked these items off my list and threw them into my backpack. ZZZiiiip. Standing up, I excitedly and impatiently waited for the rest of my family to finish preparing. Today we planned to hike up Vernal and Nevada falls in Yosemite National Park, a total of seven miles round trip. In order to return in a reasonable time, we had to start early which meant seven thirty in the morning. Five minutes later, we strode from our camp sight to the free shuttle stop, stepped onto the bus, and plopped down in the back while the bus driver transported us to our destination. “Mist Trail coming up,” announced our bus driver over the intercom as we rounded a bend. I rose from my seat before it came to a halt, my backpack hanging from my shoulders while my hand gripped the bar for balance. The next moment all six of us hopped out, ready for adventure.

            After my parents captured “a thousand” pictures of us four kids chilling next to the trail head sign, we began the upward assent. Crossing over a stone bridge, I peered over the rails to see an impressive display of power. The lengthy frigid temperatures resulted in an exceptionally rainy and cold winter, and now warmer, Yosemite weather quickly carved the wintry freeze.  Torrents of penned up energy had begun to melt filling the rivers. This would mean that we would not just get “misted” on the Mist Trail, the path leading to the top of Vernal Falls,we would get soaked. Thankfully, my mommy had packed ponchos. Birds chirped ecstatically as if welcoming us to their home. We tramped on, passing by singles, couples, and families alike, who had succeeded in climbing the trial. As the path steadily rose and the sun became as hot as a habanero pepper, I shed two coats and gulped down some water while enjoying an amazing view of Yosemite valley from a stone wall. My daddy handed out energy bars to me and the rest of our gang and after a short recuperation break, everyone felt ready to go on again. After an hour more of tramping on the paved path, all of us reached the bottom of the Mist Trail. Here we stopped to take pictures and refill our water bottles. The lush wild forest and water falls captured my eye and I pulled out my camera to photograph the stunning landscape. When I gripped the edge of the bridge and looked down at the roaring depths of the water cascading into the deep abyss below me, it gave me tingles to think, “What if this bridge collapsed?” It did not. Soon, we set off again.

It did not take too long before we came to one of the most difficult parts of the hike. We had to scale roughly hewn blocks of wet and slippery stone while the water constantly enveloped us in a cold shower of water. With no rails on the edges to keep one from falling off the precipice, everyone progressed slowly and carefully. Although my family and I had donned ponchos, our exposed hands and faces, soon became very numb. The phenomenally continuous amount of water coming down the water fall amazed me. The noise of the water made it hard to talk to each other and only by yelling could we hear what each other said. After we had passed the water fall, we still had to climb up more unevenly steep slick steps. Here I beheld an incredible sight; A young family consisting of a dad carrying a baby on his back while assisting his three year-old daughter up the steps which were half her size, the mom helping their little girl and boy, and the two older children all of which were under the age of seven, braved the stairs and had all amazingly gone this far. Everyone was impressed. As we neared the top of the falls, we clung to the cold wet rails for dear life because the climb got even more treacherous. Sighs of relief and shuts of joy came from all who finally reached the top. A beautiful sight reached my eyes as I observed a double rainbow far below me sparkling in the light as water droplets fell on it. The breathtaking drop from the top of this water fall made me thankful for the solid metal bars that surrounded its edge. The view made the tiring and wet climb worth everything.         

My family and I rested and snacked on cheese, sausage, and apples while soaking in the scenery. An hour later we hit the trail again. This path, though not wet, became rugged steep switchbacks half way up. About this time something had logged itself  in my eye. I had gas permeable contacts which made it worse. After trying for a minute or two to get the speck out, I decided I would take out my contacts. In this very precarious situation, I carefully transferred my contact into their case because I could not afford to lose them. My sister held a mirror for me while my daddy held the case, ready for me to pop them in. I finally began to breathe when both contacts made it into my back pack. While looking for my glasses, I realized they no longer sat in my bag and must have slipped out of my backpack . “Oh no,” I thought to myself. “I cannot put my contacts in but I don’t have my glasses so, I finally decide to go on without contacts or glasses. I am very farsighted and so took the rest of the climb slowly especially through the switchbacks, the final stage to reaching the top of the next waterfall. Rocks crunched beneath my shoes as I finally reached the top of Nevada Falls without any accidents! Thankfully, I had hiked up this fall before and  seen the view before , as I could not fully enjoy the view without my complete eyesight. However, I took some more pictures and joined the many others in enjoying the fresh air, warm sun, and a well-earned break. After a short reprieve, all six of us began the descent down. We waded through a little river fed by streams of water cascading down the massive mountain and passed by immense patches of snow. I couldn’t resist throwing some snowballs. When we finally reached  the bridge that had marked the beginning of the Mist trial, my sister again helped me, this time to put my contact lenses back in. Success! A fellow hiker nearby, who had apparently watched the whole operation, applauded saying that he had never seen anyone put contacts in so fast. I never did find my glasses and as for that amazing family, we had last seen them at the top of Vernal Falls beginning the climb up Nevada Falls. After that hike, I greatly appreciate the ability to see nature and all that God has made and I never take for granted the sight he has given me. Although I have trekked up Vernal and Nevada trails before, an adventure all-its-own always waits, and this time was no exception.