"The name Anisa is primarily
a female name of Arabic origin that means
Companion, Faithful Friend."
Despite five decades of visiting Yosemite, I had never been to Sierra Point. That’s not because the views are lacking from its perch high above the Mist Trail. Sierra Point offers a stunning vantage point where five well-known waterfalls can be seen, as well as Glacier Point and the talus area from its 1996 rockfall. North Dome is also visible along with a spectacular view of the Merced River as it tumbles down the stairsteps of Nevada and Vernal Falls on its gleeful journey to Happy Isles.
My absence from Sierra Point also had nothing to do with a lack of desire to join the fine company of individuals who, in past times, have enjoyed its epic views. John Muir reportedly found Sierra Point to be a favorite spot to rest and contemplate the grand escarpments of Yosemite. Even 14-year-old Ansel Adams, in his letter to his Aunt Mary on June 23, 1916, wrote about his first trip to Sierra Point and the many photos he took from its sweeping overlook.
The primary reason for not visiting Sierra Point all these years relates to the one thing it does lack: a trailhead that shows the way. As a result, I simply did not know of its existence until a few years ago. Maps from earlier in the 20th century do show a trail, but no authorized National Park Service maps from that last 50 years include one, and, in some cases, even the designation for Sierra Point is missing. Few published “Best-Hikes-to-Do-in-Yosemite” type books list the hike to Sierra Point either. So, the Point has, as some internet videos mention, come to be known as “forgotten,” “lost,” or “secret.”
But Sierra Point does exist! The scenic rock outcropping extends prominently from the ridge below Grizzly Peak. It can be seen about two-thirds of the way to the Vernal Fall bridge high above the Mist Trail. Observant hikers looking up about 600 feet can easily identify the firmly embedded railing identifying Sierra Point, inviting the curious to “find me if you can.” (See picture below).
It's the trail, however, that is missing, making Sierra Point challenging to find. The National Park officially closed the trail in 1967 due to rockslides that damaged it. Additionally, a 6.1 magnitude earthquake in 1980 initiated a rockfall that covered over the trailhead, making the Point inaccessible to the general public. Since then, Sierra Point has come under the jurisdiction of mother nature. Recurrent rockslides, vegetation growth, and the forces of rain and snow continue to “naturalize” the old trail, making it less and less decipherable.
Despite the lack of a clear trail, however, I decided that Sierra Point’s scenic views possessed too much allure to pass up. So, I prepared to seek it out. Not willing to tolerate failure in finding the Point, I scoured every reference I could find on the historic lookout, from Ansel Hall (1923) to Ansel Adams (1988). I examined older maps, reviewed notes from internet sites, and watched several YouTube videos from those who documented their efforts to discover the “lost” way to Sierra Point.
Knowing that the use of landmarks and directions from others would not alone suffice, I brought along three assets to help me find remnants of the bygone trail: my intuition, my trail experience, and my problem-solving skills. It certainly would have been best to have a companion alongside me who knew the way, but Sierra Point’s anonymity would make finding such a companion harder than locating Sierra Point itself!
I made my way to the Mist Trail in early June 2021. I readily came across the first landmark, the “Rock Pile” sign that highlights the debris field of the rockslides that have overtaken the trailhead. I stopped to take some pictures and to orient myself to a massive boulder higher up that sported a triangular “hat” on its top. I crouched down to snap a few photos of the sign and the boulder to record the angle from which to direct my initial ascent over the boulder pile.
Being alone, I took my time, wanting to ensure I got everything right while I considered different options with . . . well, with myself. I snapped another photo when my attention shifted to a woman’s voice I heard behind me, saying, “Are you thinking about hiking to Sierra Point?”
I stood up from my lowly position and turned to my right and behind. A tall, younger woman, probably in her twenties, peered back at me awaiting a response to her question.
“Uh, yes, I am,” I said, surprised that my behavior gave away my intentions to veer off the main trail, to trample over the boulder field above me, and to seek out Sierra Point.
“I thought maybe that’s what you were planning,” she said, confirming the apparent conspicuousness of my intentions.
“Have you done the hike?” I asked, secretly hoping to rub shoulders with someone I could now profile as one amongst the fine company of individuals who have been to Sierra Point.
“Yes, I have!” She happily responded. “I’ve done it twice,” she said. “Once with a boyfriend, who really did not want to do it, and then just two weeks ago I went with a friend who was much more enthusiastic.”
“Well, I’m really glad you shared that with me,” I said. “Do you have any advice you can share with me on reaching the top?”
She said, “It’s a short hike, but there are parts that aren’t easy. In some places, you have to climb with your hands to pull yourself up, but, like I said, I’ve done it twice. You can do it too.”
At that moment, I felt a wave of relief come over me, as if she had handed me a detailed map showing the exact way to Sierra Point. “That’s very helpful,” I said gratefully.
I thanked her. She said her name was Anisa and she was hiking to Nevada Fall. Then she bounded off, alone, with a skip in her step.
As for me, I no longer felt by myself. It had nothing to do with the scores of hikers who walked past me as I stood in the middle of the Mist Trail. Rather, her words of encouragement acted as the last piece of information I needed to ensure success in reaching Sierra Point. The phrase “You can do it” established itself in my consciousness, and it would become the hiking companion that I had wished would help escort me to find Sierra Point. It would steer me and guide me, reminding me continually that I had made sufficient preparation to reach my destination.
Looking up at the boulder field, I turned back a bit and, with a skip in my step, found a perfect spot to create a new trailhead to Sierra Point. With Anisa’s pleasing words as my companion, I knew I would surely find my destination. What better guide could I have than that?
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