Yes! to Yosemite

 April 23-26, 2023

As hoped and expected, the minute we left Oregon the weather shifted. What had been a rainy and snowy and cold drive so far shifted as we left Klamath Falls (at 0C). By the time we stopped in Redding for a fun ride along the Sacramento River shadowed in Green and growing oak meadows to an Earth Day event it was 30C. We went straight from heat to air conditioning with nothing in between. But overall a welcome shift.

We still had a long way to drive to get to Yosemite National Park and this was the 5th day of driving no less than 3hrs and up to 6. I was beginning to doubt whether it was worth driving up and over another range and into the Sierra Nevadas just to see some big trees and some cliffs (we do have some nice ones of those at home) but mostly we were tired and looking for some car-less days which Chris promised us. Would Yosemite, live up to its hype? I doubted it and was personally worried that the crowds I had heard about would dampen the experience of the beauty of the place.

We descended into the valley in the late afternoon and although we were tired and stiff from 5+hrs in the car winding though oak forests and snowy hills we were immediately inspired by the dominating presence of the granite cliffs of Half Dome and El Capitan in the distance from a viewpoint. Down in the valley it was lush and green and snow free. But most spectacular was there were waterfalls everywhere--- first the wide and very white Bridal Veil and then Yosemite Falls (the 5th highest in the world?) but also smaller ones tumbling over the granite cliffs in every direction and up every smaller valley. It was already inspiring.

We checked into our campsite which was little more than a simple dirt spot in an open forest. However it had 2 great features. First, in every direction up close as the valley is so narrow, were granite beauties to look up and through. I did yoga in the morning and in each direction (including up into the tree canopy) it was gorgeous. Secondly, despite the FULL sign on the campsite, only half the sites were occupied. Although it is possible that there were many people who missed their bookings, I suspect that at some point after all the sites were made that campsite policy shifted and half the sites are not regularly used. Who knows. Either way, we had stumbled into a lucky weather window where everything was perfect (highs of 25C, lows of 8C) and before the promised floods (Yosemite received a 260% snowpack this winter so they expect closures at times this year from May-July).

Despite there being plenty of people, it was likely still quieter than the summer months. And it is also cyclists and hikers paradise. At some point perhaps in 2016(?) when the parks re-evaluated the valley experience both ecologically & for visitors, the park closed a few roads in the park to regular cars, opened bike and walk pathways from those and now provide a free shuttle to take others around. Which means that getting around to see the sites is best by bicycle (you can rent them there too and kid trailers). The valley is flat, narrow and gorgeous with amazing views in all directions and ~20 miles of these paved paths. We cycled from hike to hike from view to view. It was spectacular. On our second day we hiked to 2 waterfalls up a valley. The hike ended up being between 10-12km to a gorgeous viewpoint of Nevada Falls and involved stepping carefully over some narrow rocky ledges, sometimes with patches of snow and melting pools and puddles -- & 8 switchbacks (we counted). Were the kids grumbling the whole way? Nope, instead they excelled in it the trickier and more dangerous it got (they detest big wide easy paths but prefer the narrow and winding like the good little goats they are). Afterwards we had some well deserved hammock and rest time though Chris & Corwyn took off on the bikes back to see the video in the visitor center.

A great time and perhaps now the adventure we were seeking has really begun with shorter drives and a very different climate and landscape than we are used to ahead now for weeks and weeks and weeks. Should you go? I'd say its worth a stop but plan ahead--we had to book our campsite 6 months in advance. Off now to Pinnacles NP and the coast for a bit.

the big sequoia in mariposa Grove.  I attempted an upward panorama