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After reaching the Merced River campground, we discovered that we were the sole campers and that a team of rangers was in the process of closing the High Sierra Camp for the winter. Bear was sighted in the area, as evidenced by recent scat not fifty yards from our tent site. A campfire and a hot meal saw us safely to bed.

The next day we hiked sans backpacks to the top of a high ridge, for a late lunch. At 9800' the air was noticeably thinner, and we were thankful that we had not attempted the Vogelsang route -- we heard later that the pass had been covered by eight inches of soft wet snow.

The following day we headed back down to Little Yosemite, where we met an experienced mountaineer, Norman, who agreed to hike with us to the top of Half Dome the next day. Lori opted to stay in camp and relax.

The base of Yosemite Falls.