Yosemite: Camping 2014; Big News; No bears...that we know of.

 Alex and I embarked on a 4 day camping trip going up one side of Yosemite valley to Tenaya lake, and circling back to the valley through Clouds Rest and Half Dome. Here we are just starting off.

 The first day was the hardest, with 5 miles of straight up-hill to Mount Watson. We camped adjacent Half Dome and watched the sun set drinking hard-earned wine.

I brought a camping stove, which mom told me to test out as it hadn't been used in years, and I was like"nah, it's all good." Well guess what...nope...it did not work. Luckily, we found an old iron grate to cook off of. Although, it made cooking throughout the trip, a slow process....and clean-up even worse.

 The next morning, we were sore and tired and had about 11 miles to cover. It was a very difficult route for Alex's first camping trip, but she made it look easy.

 After the last 2 miles of steep up-hill of the day, we set up camp on the sunrise lakes. It was gorgeous, but chilly.

 

Day 3, we climbed Clouds Rest. It was the hike we did when we had first started dating. Granted, with 50 pound back-packs, it was a little more difficult.

 At the peak, I proposed to Alex, and after much swooning (much, much swooning), she said yes.

The ring, I have been making in secret over the last 6 months; while Alex was in class, away with the girls, etc. It is wax carved Paladium with Sapphire and Spinel settings. Thanks to Ilana who started me off with my first carving tools a year ago for my birthday.

It was a beautiful moment shared with a beautiful person and I couldn't have been happier.

Day 4 was Half Dome. It is one of the hikes I have always wanted to do, but it had never before panned out. However, today, was beautiful, clear, and being camped out 6 miles from the valley, it was near empty as we ascended.

 This doesn't look steep, but I promise, it is.

These pictures don't do justice to reality; it truly was a once in a lifetime experience. We completed the rest of the decent to the valley and our 40 mile trip (and the insane amounts of elevation gain and loss involved at each step), and I couldn't stop smiling.

I love you Alex.