Started off on a beautiful late spring day. It was forecasted to be in the 80s so I wanted to get an early start but it's bit of a drive to Glacier Point and I got to parking lot at 7am. I gathered everything that I needed and started the run around 7:30am.
This run has 4 pretty distinct sections: descending down 4 mile trail, ascending the Yosemite Falls trail, descending the Yosemite Falls trail, and then back up 4 mile trail. Going down 4 mile trail was very runnable and a great way to get the legs moving and ready.
Ascending Yosemite Falls was almost all power hiking up steep and techy trails. The initial section is shaded and then it opens up and gets a bit more exposed. There were a number of people hiking the trails but it wasn't a big deal to maneuver around everyone. The highlights of this section were, no surprise, the amazing views of Yosemite Falls. I made it to Yosemite Point and after a quick snack turned around and started back down.
Descending the Yosemite Falls trail wasn't that much faster than going up. Maybe someone with techy downhill skills could bomb this section but that isn't me. I ran out of water about 1 mile before hitting the river again which I think put me kind of behind on my hydration. At the river I filtered and filled up my water but accidentally dropped my phone. I didn't realize it until my headphones started disconnecting and I had to circle back and find where it fell out (added maybe 5 minutes).
Going back up 4 mile trail was a grind. It is not a very technical trail so if you have the legs you could run sections but I power hiked it all. The switchbacks seemed to go on forever but mercifully in the last mile it flattens out and I could do at least a little running to finish things off.
This route is a classic especially for the vert connoisseur. It has the profile of big climbs and big descents that you'll find in Europe. I hope that this sees more action - I'm psyched to see what people can do.