Sentinel Dome

Yosemite—more specifically, El Capitan—had been on my bucket list ever since I first attended a rock climbing camp at 13. So when I moved to the Bay Area, just three hours from the park, I knew it was only a matter of time before I made the trip. But I didn’t want to rush it. I had plenty of opportunities for quick weekend visits, but I knew Yosemite deserved more than that.

Finally, one spring, I made a plan. I reached out to my friend Kinny, a ranger at Yosemite, and together we mapped out a four-day itinerary. I thought I knew what to expect—I had seen the pictures, watched the videos, and read all about it. But nothing prepared me for the feeling of seeing Half Dome in the distance for the first time as I made the descent into the valley. It was like meeting my hero in real life. Speechless doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Funny enough, I completely skipped the valley floor on my first day—arguably Yosemite’s biggest attraction. Instead, at Kinny’s recommendation, I hiked Sentinel Dome first. From the summit, I was rewarded with the most breathtaking 360-degree view of the park, surrounded by every legendary landmark I had come to admire: Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, Three Brothers, and of course, the main event (at least for me), El Capitan. This doesn’t even include the sweeping wilderness that filled every space in between.

I won’t lie—I cried. I sat under a rock, turned away from it all, and just let the joy overwhelm me.