8:22 in, I definitely AGREE people should be responsible for their own safety and have the self-awareness and accountability to know whether or not they should keep going. On my way back down Mist Trail was a mother and her what appeared to be around 5-6 year old daughter. The daughter was only looking down but slipping and could not stand on her own, the mother was holding her up with her hand for the most part and telling her repeatedly “look forward look forward LOOK FORWARD” I remember thinking to myself that her daughter would be the death of her if they tried to go up those wet stairs. People, especially adults/parents should be able to ascertain if they should turn back. But people are stupid.
I am a 32 year old woman and does the mist trail holding my almost 2 year old in a cheap front carrier. My husband and 9 year old went with us. Once we got to the stairs, we went halfway up before turning around. “Mist” is a serious understatement! It was soaking wet. While I would have loved to see the top, it didn’t seem worth it. Railings are needed the entire way.
I've done the Mist and the JMT to Nevada Fall many times before the railing went up. If you can't handle yourself in the wilderness, it's not incumbent upon the government to keep you safe.
I did this 3 days ago. I was half way up the wet steps before I got to the segment without hand rails. It was Memorial Day and there were a ton of people and it was super wet granite steps in front of me. I turned back and hiked back down. Not worth it. I’ll do it when it’s dry no problem. But the wet steps and crowds on Memorial Day weekend were next level insane. They need to put rails the whole way.
I hiked it 2 weeks ago. It was terrifying and I wasn’t physically prepared. I feel I caused danger to others having to wait and go around me. I feel very bad about that. I made it, but only barely. I’m training now . I’m going to try again May 2025. I should have turned back. For the sake of others
We're not gonna put rails everywhere that might scare you! Get over it! I've done it tons of times, but if you're going to choose the busiest day of the year to hike a slippery trail, that's on you.
This is beyond stunning...and the memories of your Dad are so very special...how awesome for you both! on another note..people are stupid. I live near Lake Superior, and when she gets wilded up, you don't go to play in her...there's huge rocks, etc...and she will turn you into fish food. You HAVE to respect Mother Nature. And not everyone does. Then they get their 15 mins of fame, by being noted on TV for the horrendous death!
I did this hike in 2010. I hike a lot in my home state, and this was a grunt, but so worth it. Due to a knee problem, I made it into a loop by taking a less steep way down (the JM trail). Thanks for taking me along - loved the memories.
FIRST OF ALL I’m only 7:38 in this video and annoyed with your criticism. I can’t say I’ve witnessed Mist Trail before the rails were put up but, I recently hiked this trail at the end of April 2024. I’d like to mention that I am an active 31 year old personal trainer to premise my statement. I wholeheartedly believe that the rails were not only a good idea but, they do not diminish the beauty of the trail and you can easily take pictures of the waterfall and river without them in it. Your exaggeration of how they mar the experience is ridiculous but it is your own opinion. In YOUR video, you can see people using the railing to help go up and down. I was able to take pictures closer to the edge BECAUSE I had the safety of the rails. People like your father who otherwise would not have been able to journey up those stairs might have had the choice with those rails, although tbh, the trail is no easy feat regardless. SECOND, with as much traffic going both up and down(I went when it’s not even as busy as the other months), while trying to focus on not slipping on the wet rocks going both ways, the rails were a lifesaver. It was already sketchy to get up and down that area, I can only imagine how many more people would have fallen in that river or busted their heads on rocks from falling without being able to grab the rails. Other than that, I can empathize with your complaints.
Ever been on the trail to Mt. Whitney? There are 97 switchbacks you could fall off! At Trail Crest there's a sheer drop on the other side. Don't go there! It's dangerous!!! lol.
"At best mar the landscape"? What about at worst? I agree with you though: Too many walls and railings. I was a ranger in Yosemite in the late '90s, and every year people would die going over one of the Falls. Some French visitors skinny-dipping in the pool above Nevada Fall. A church group of teenagers swimming there. People going outside the railing at Vernal Fall. People falling over the edge of Yosemite Falls. We can't stupid-proof everything out there.
"At Home", have you ever summited Sequoia NP's Alta Peak (11.4K')? I have, about 51 years ago. Today's Park Service very much prefers that you start out at the Wolverton Trailhead. I didn't do that, for you see, in the Summer of '73, I was working as a kitchen helper at the no longer existing Giant Forest Cafeteria, and I was domiciled up the road at the Pinewood Employee Village, which has since been converted into a Picnic Area--which sometimes is now closed--too many crowds. When it was The Village, I could merely cross the "street" (SR-198), a little hop-skip-jump across a granite slab, and I was in the thick of it, amongst my big red friends--those ever lovin' Giant Sequoias! I could generally locate myself anywhere in the Giant Forest Grove, and i spent LOTS of my downtime, cruising The Grove. It was actually rather hard for me, at least, to get lost, as the open floor under my "friends" meant non-existent bushwacking, and each tree possessed an individual personality, so that landmarking was very easy for me. Doing the hike from Wolverton means that one doesn't spend much time, within The Grove, before you pitch up into the Red Fir belt. With my gentle Cross-Countrying perhaps adding at least 1 1/2 mile starting and ending the hike, being amongst the Sequoias, started/ended my hike off with a BANG! Park Service now takes a dim view of ANY Cross-Countries, ANYWHERE, as specifically with Sequioa NP, too many stupid people, with absolute lack of situational awareness, actually DO get lost, even in the open spaces, under the Sequoia canopy. So, you can now at least get Cited, if Rangers find you OFF TRAIL. Too much micro-managing, too many people but it's sadly a sign of the times. And I liked doing it barefoot, too, like a Hobbit, the gentle pricks of Sequoia duff tickling my toes. Ennywhoo, with my impressions of the Peaks' top, it's just about a different planet. You're not far, elevational speaking, above timberline, but linearly, you've left the forest a good 2 miles behind, so that all you're aware of, is nothing but the titanic sea of rocks/peaks (massive waves), mainly the Kahweah headwaters Great Western Divide, ascending a good 1.5K'+ more above your head, and you've never seen such a colossal amphitheatre, as formed by the mainstem Kahweahs' Canyon. If you do see a scrim of far-off forest, you can see the domed crowns of Sequoias stretching above the rest. For me, Alta is Sequoia's answer to Yosemites' Half Dome. During the one or two full moons that occurred when I was there, some workmates and I also hoofed it the few miles to the summit of Moro Rock. And Sequoias look even more magical in moonlight, if that can be believed!
Was on this trail the day those three people went over the fall. Tragic and horrific are understatements.understatement. The problem so many tourists have is the same mindset lots of teenagers have: "Nothing bad will happen," - until it dies. Thanks for your safety tips.
8:22 in, I definitely AGREE people should be responsible for their own safety and have the self-awareness and accountability to know whether or not they should keep going. On my way back down Mist Trail was a mother and her what appeared to be around 5-6 year old daughter. The daughter was only looking down but slipping and could not stand on her own, the mother was holding her up with her hand for the most part and telling her repeatedly “look forward look forward LOOK FORWARD” I remember thinking to myself that her daughter would be the death of her if they tried to go up those wet stairs. People, especially adults/parents should be able to ascertain if they should turn back. But people are stupid.
I am a 32 year old woman and does the mist trail holding my almost 2 year old in a cheap front carrier. My husband and 9 year old went with us. Once we got to the stairs, we went halfway up before turning around. “Mist” is a serious understatement! It was soaking wet. While I would have loved to see the top, it didn’t seem worth it. Railings are needed the entire way.
I've done the Mist and the JMT to Nevada Fall many times before the railing went up. If you can't handle yourself in the wilderness, it's not incumbent upon the government to keep you safe.
I did this 3 days ago. I was half way up the wet steps before I got to the segment without hand rails. It was Memorial Day and there were a ton of people and it was super wet granite steps in front of me. I turned back and hiked back down. Not worth it. I’ll do it when it’s dry no problem. But the wet steps and crowds on Memorial Day weekend were next level insane. They need to put rails the whole way.
I hiked it 2 weeks ago. It was terrifying and I wasn’t physically prepared. I feel I caused danger to others having to wait and go around me. I feel very bad about that. I made it, but only barely. I’m training now . I’m going to try again May 2025. I should have turned back. For the sake of others
I was there today and did exactly the same as you described. The trek back down the steps was most terrifying
We're not gonna put rails everywhere that might scare you! Get over it! I've done it tons of times, but if you're going to choose the busiest day of the year to hike a slippery trail, that's on you.
@@aandpforme / Good for you. Great attitude. Most people don't care if they cause danger or discomfort to others. Bravo.
This is beyond stunning...and the memories of your Dad are so very special...how awesome for you both! on another note..people are stupid. I live near Lake Superior, and when she gets wilded up, you don't go to play in her...there's huge rocks, etc...and she will turn you into fish food. You HAVE to respect Mother Nature. And not everyone does. Then they get their 15 mins of fame, by being noted on TV for the horrendous death!
Subscribing, because I loved this video and because I also am from Oakland🥰
Welcome aboard! Thanks so much for watching!!!
I did this hike in 2010. I hike a lot in my home state, and this was a grunt, but so worth it. Due to a knee problem, I made it into a loop by taking a less steep way down (the JM trail). Thanks for taking me along - loved the memories.
FIRST OF ALL I’m only 7:38 in this video and annoyed with your criticism. I can’t say I’ve witnessed Mist Trail before the rails were put up but, I recently hiked this trail at the end of April 2024. I’d like to mention that I am an active 31 year old personal trainer to premise my statement. I wholeheartedly believe that the rails were not only a good idea but, they do not diminish the beauty of the trail and you can easily take pictures of the waterfall and river without them in it. Your exaggeration of how they mar the experience is ridiculous but it is your own opinion. In YOUR video, you can see people using the railing to help go up and down. I was able to take pictures closer to the edge BECAUSE I had the safety of the rails. People like your father who otherwise would not have been able to journey up those stairs might have had the choice with those rails, although tbh, the trail is no easy feat regardless. SECOND, with as much traffic going both up and down(I went when it’s not even as busy as the other months), while trying to focus on not slipping on the wet rocks going both ways, the rails were a lifesaver. It was already sketchy to get up and down that area, I can only imagine how many more people would have fallen in that river or busted their heads on rocks from falling without being able to grab the rails. Other than that, I can empathize with your complaints.
Ever been on the trail to Mt. Whitney? There are 97 switchbacks you could fall off! At Trail Crest there's a sheer drop on the other side. Don't go there! It's dangerous!!! lol.
This is so informative. Thanks
"At best mar the landscape"? What about at worst? I agree with you though: Too many walls and railings. I was a ranger in Yosemite in the late '90s, and every year people would die going over one of the Falls. Some French visitors skinny-dipping in the pool above Nevada Fall. A church group of teenagers swimming there. People going outside the railing at Vernal Fall. People falling over the edge of Yosemite Falls. We can't stupid-proof everything out there.
"At Home", have you ever summited Sequoia NP's Alta Peak (11.4K')? I have, about 51 years ago. Today's Park Service very much prefers that you start out at the Wolverton Trailhead. I didn't do that, for you see, in the Summer of '73, I was working as a kitchen helper at the no longer existing Giant Forest Cafeteria, and I was domiciled up the road at the Pinewood Employee Village, which has since been converted into a Picnic Area--which sometimes is now closed--too many crowds. When it was The Village, I could merely cross the "street" (SR-198), a little hop-skip-jump across a granite slab, and I was in the thick of it, amongst my big red friends--those ever lovin' Giant Sequoias! I could generally locate myself anywhere in the Giant Forest Grove, and i spent LOTS of my downtime, cruising The Grove. It was actually rather hard for me, at least, to get lost, as the open floor under my "friends" meant non-existent bushwacking, and each tree possessed an individual personality, so that landmarking was very easy for me. Doing the hike from Wolverton means that one doesn't spend much time, within The Grove, before you pitch up into the Red Fir belt. With my gentle Cross-Countrying perhaps adding at least 1 1/2 mile starting and ending the hike, being amongst the Sequoias, started/ended my hike off with a BANG! Park Service now takes a dim view of ANY Cross-Countries, ANYWHERE, as specifically with Sequioa NP, too many stupid people, with absolute lack of situational awareness, actually DO get lost, even in the open spaces, under the Sequoia canopy. So, you can now at least get Cited, if Rangers find you OFF TRAIL. Too much micro-managing, too many people but it's sadly a sign of the times. And I liked doing it barefoot, too, like a Hobbit, the gentle pricks of Sequoia duff tickling my toes.
Ennywhoo, with my impressions of the Peaks' top, it's just about a different planet. You're not far, elevational speaking, above timberline, but linearly, you've left the forest a good 2 miles behind, so that all you're aware of, is nothing but the titanic sea of rocks/peaks (massive waves), mainly the Kahweah headwaters Great Western Divide, ascending a good 1.5K'+ more above your head, and you've never seen such a colossal amphitheatre, as formed by the mainstem Kahweahs' Canyon. If you do see a scrim of far-off forest, you can see the domed crowns of Sequoias stretching above the rest. For me, Alta is Sequoia's answer to Yosemites' Half Dome.
During the one or two full moons that occurred when I was there, some workmates and I also hoofed it the few miles to the summit of Moro Rock. And Sequoias look even more magical in moonlight, if that can be believed!
Respect
Thanks! Hope you enjoyed it.
Was on this trail the day those three people went over the fall. Tragic and horrific are understatements.understatement.
The problem so many tourists have is the same mindset lots of teenagers have:
"Nothing bad will happen," - until it dies.
Thanks for your safety tips.
Nice ,where did you get that hat ?