03/06/2025
my first solo backpacking trip ✨🏞️💓
I have been pretty nervous about the thought of solo backpacking for years, but I’ve also had this very strong pull that it was something I felt I needed to do for the past two seasons.
I have considered doing longer thru hikes: JMT? TRT? PCT? but have never even backpacked on my own before. I thoroughly enjoy solo hiking and I’ve done a fair amount of solo travel, but backpacking just feels like a much bigger commitment. A lot more reliance on myself.
so, I spontaneously found a last minute permit in Yosemite, a place I feel super comfortable and just absolutely love, booked it 2 days ahead, and decided I needed to just try it!!
I only spent one night out, which felt like the perfect commitment for me to not freak myself out. It was a really wonderful time (aside from the sleeping part of it) and am very excited about this new world I feel it’s opening up for me!!
I have a lot of reflections I’ll share in a video soon, so for now, here are some photos from my less than 24 hour adventure :)
1. My campsite!!! I actually had no idea where I’d be camping, and I stumbled upon this and was like…. Okay this will do!
2. I hiked the Yosemite falls trail, and then up further past it! I swore last time I did this trail, I’d never hike it again. SO MANY SWITCHBACKS
3. The heat wave in the valley was ROUGH. I thought I may get heat exhaustion on the way up 😅
4. the mist was saving me
5. Top of the falls!! 3 miles to go!
6. Bear number 2 of FIVE I saw within 1 mile of camp 😅
7. my dinner spot :)
8. bears number 3&4… I was up so high that I could just see all these bears roaming around beneath me… just as I was going to sleep 😅
9. Favorite easy dinner: peanut butter ramen
10. sunset!!! The glow!!!
11. Me all night… sleeping was tough for me… I’m also afraid of the dark so that didn’t help
12. but I survived and breakfast was beautiful!!!!
13. tent view 🥲
14. hiking down in the heat, saved by Scandinavian swimmers
15. asked a s
