Snowshoeing with Old Growth Sequoias
Owen standing with the California Tunnel Tree, Mariposa Grove, Yosemite NP
MAK walking to the Faithful Couple Trees, Mariposa Grove, Yosemite NP
It’s been a long time since we’ve been to Yosemite National Park. In fact, the last time we visited was in 2019 and we were there to hike the John Muir Trail (JMT). Owen and I’ve both been feeling a visit was long overdue. However, this time we wanted to see the park for the first time under a blanket of snow. In order to hike in the snow, we needed to pick up a little extra gear. We hatched the idea to rent some snowshoes from REI, so we could hike out to see the giant sequoia trees of the Mariposa Grove.
This blog post was made in partnership with our friends over at REI. We’re proud to have them as a sponsor as we’ve been REI members since 2011 and it’s our favorite place to pick up all the gear and advice we need for our adventures!
Please note: The links provided in this blog post are affiliate links. If you end up purchasing some of these pieces of gear we get a very small portion of the sales. Thank you as always for supporting us and our life on the road, it gives us the opportunity to share so extensively with you all!
Renting Gear from REI
As soon as we decided to make this trip happen, we got to work planning. Our route into the park would take us through Fresno, which is also the closest REI to Yosemite. I hopped on the website and navigated to the local REI’s rental portal. I reserved two pairs of snowshoes for the time we had set aside to be in Yosemite. All we had to do was swing by and pick them up.
The REI rental program is something that Owen and I love utilizing. Since we live out of our truck we have some serious limitations to what kind of gear we have the space to carry with us. The rental program allows us to use gear that we can’t carry with us all year round… such as snowshoes.
Something that we really love about the rental program is that it keeps you from filling your home (or truck in our case) with gear that you don’t use that often. The rental program is also a great way to dabble in a new activity without the need to buy a ton of gear. That way you can still play while you wait until you are ready to “fully invest”. Want to try backpacking? Rent what you need from REI to give it a try. How about skiing or snowboarding? With 33% off for members your rentals will likely be cheaper than at the ski resort! Food for thought.
On our way to the park from the California coast we stopped in at the Fresno REI and in moments we were being handed our snowshoes which had been neatly put aside in preparation for our pickup. With snowshoes in hand, we were on our way into Yosemite National Park!
In Yosemite Valley
Before heading up to the Mariposa Grove we spent a few days exploring and photographing the park with our friends Karissa and Linhbergh. It was a joy to see the park in such a different way than we had before. The cold temperatures of winter have kept us from coming to the park and apparently most others because Yosemite was impressively quiet.
For two whole days we chased the light around the park shooting photos. In our time away we’d both forgotten how truly special this park is. It’s no wonder why so many people flock there year in and year out. Seeing a place we’ve seen many times before under such different circumstances gave us a whole new perspective on Yosemite. We can now easily say that winter is our favorite time of year to visit this miraculous place.
As we wrapped up our time in the valley it was time to head up towards the Mariposa Grove to see the long awaited old growth sequoia trees.
Getting to the
Mariposa Grove in the Winter
In all our years of coming to Yosemite the Mariposa Grove has been closed for a massive restoration project to improve the habitat for the trees as well as make improvements to the visitor’s experience. It was closed to visitors from the Spring of 2015 - Summer of 2018 which is when nearly all of our visits to the park have happened. We were excited not only see the grove for the first time, but also to see it in the snow.
To get to the Mariposa Grove you’ll need to park at the Mariposa Grove Welcome Plaza (near the South Entrance of the park), where in warmer months you can catch a shuttle to the grove. However, in the winter the road to the Mariposa Grove is closed because the road is not plowed. Have no fear, you can hike the 1.9 mile Washburn Trail or a similar distance on the road to get to the grove from the Welcome Plaza.
Loading up in the Welcome Plaza parking lot
Start of the Washburn Trail to get to the Mariposa Grove
The start of the Mariposa Grove and the Big Trees Loop Trail
With snowshoes safely packed into our backpack we ventured down the Washburn Trail with our sights set on the grove. The hike was beautiful but slick with ice. Since the last snowfall, plenty of people had made their way along the trail packing the snow into ice. It was funny to see so many people slipping and sliding their way through the miles to see the trees. Sadly, these were not the best conditions for snowshoes. For this stretch of trail we could have used our microspikes, but ours were conveniently sitting in storage rather than in our gear stash in the truck… helpful.
At last we made it to the Mariposa Grove where we decided to try and make it to some of the farther out trees that were likely past the packed snow. Then our snowshoes were going to carry us the rest of the way!
Snowshoeing in the Mariposa Grove
We’ve wanted to see these trees for years. Staring up at the immense trees just feet into the grove we knew that this trip was well worth the effort. Just standing among these ancient trees, you couldn’t help but feel as if you’re in the presence of greatness. The trees were stunning, leaving everyone in the grove in a state of quiet awe. When we were sitting and taking in the Grizzly Giant tree I couldn’t help but notice everyone was whispering like they were in an art gallery. It also just made me happy to see so many people had gone so far out of the way, braved icy trails, and the cold just to see these natural wonders.
The root system of a massive fallen Sequoia tree
I think everyone needs to be in the presence of old growth trees at least once in their lifetime. It’s a humbling and awe inspiring experience.
We quickly finished up the most popular Big Trees Loop Trail and part of the Grizzly Giant Loop. Then we ventured into deep snow where it was finally time for our rented snowshoes to come out and play!
What was a slick and arduous journey quickly became a fun jaunt deeper into the grove. The snowshoes made breaking new ground in the snow an absolute blast. We pressed on to get to a few specific giant Sequoias we had our sights set on.
Snowshoeing isn’t something we do often, which always makes it feel like such a treat when we do. The rented snowshoes gave us the ability to venture deeper than we otherwise would have without them and essentially have these miraculous trees to ourselves.
The Clothespin Tree
Finally we made it to the tree furthest into the grove that we wanted to see, the Clothespin Tree. Aptly named for its clothespin shape, this tree has survived numerous fires which have hollowed out the trunk nearly 40’ up from the base. Sequoia trees are impressively hearty and are some of the oldest trees in the world while also being some of the largest trees by volume.
Owen and I spent a lot of time with this tree. We couldn’t help but take it in and admire how persistent life can be no matter the hardships it faces.
From the Clothespin Tree it was time to head back in the direction we came and complete our loop with a visit to one last tree.
This is the California Tunnel Tree, not to be confused with the one that you can drive through. This was our last tree and stop on our snowshoeing journey as it was where we met back up with the hard packed snow of the Grizzly Giant Trail.
As we took off our snowshoes we were thankful we took the time to come out here and check off a long standing bucket list destination. It was such a treat to be able to access this area and see it during the tranquility of winter when few people venture into the snow to see them. Getting these special trees almost entirely to ourselves will go down in our memories as one of our most special visits to Yosemite National Park.
The end of a really fun day hiking with the Sequoias
Check out an REI near you for rentals to help you get out there and see something new!
Happy adventuring, MAK
Bonus
Gear List
Just in case you are curious about any of the other gear we had with us!
