3AM wake up call on a Monday morning seems less than ideal. But for a 6 hour road trip to catch the sunrise in Yosemite, makes it worth it in the end. Follow me on my 3-day trip with friends to hike and explore the beautiful national park.

It’s been awhile since I have been road tripping with friends. Sitting six hours in a sedan with less than three hours of sleep called for a large wake-up breakfast half way through the drive. Within another four hours drive to Tunnel View point, we were able to watch the sunrise behind the mountain view. It marked the start of a long day of capturing the landscape and hiking our way to the top of a mountain.

On our first hike, we wanted to hike to Nevada Falls only to learn that it was closed due to the snowfall from last week. Luckily, we were able to catch the smaller lower falls half way on the hike. Additionally, we also went to look at Lower Yosemite Falls and take some pictures around the area.

Next day, we decided to do a strenuous hike climbing two miles up the mountain. This hike was 5 hours roundtrip and also met some fellow hikers who joined us on our adventure to the top. The craziest part of the hike was the snowy, icy terrain 0.25 miles from the top. Luckily, I wore my snow boots else I would have to turn back with disappointment. When I finally reached to top, I was taken away by the view and the accomplishment of making it to the end.

Happy to end my trip with a beautiful sunset and delicious birthday hotpot with fellow friends.