Our visit to the Yosemite National Park today was on of the highlights of the trip. We left Oakhurst at 7:30 to head to the park (about an hour trip) and stayed there until about 5 in the afternoon. We only had a chance to see the most basic touristy bits. And they weer spectacular. But it was a pity at the same time... I was itching to get off the valley floor and walk, run or climb into the less well trodden parts of the park. Even the 5 miles up to glacier point would have been fine. Unfortunately, our schedule didn't permit. Fortunately, what we did see is imprinted in my memory forever more. Words won't do this justice, so here's some pictures...
Yosemite valley. Seen by 3.5 million tourists each year.
Our tour guide (ranger Christine) explained that 3.5 million people visit the park each year. Only a few percent get more than about 200 yards from the main valley floor and main attractions. A large proportion enter along the road from Oakhurst, travel through the tunnel, and are as stunned as we were at the majesty of Yosemite Valley. Almost all the Americans, Australians and Japanese stop to take photos. We did too...
The team. Why weren't we looking at the million dollar view??
The valley is large. I'm not sure how large in acres or square miles, but big. Look how small the trees are in the previous pictures for goodness sakes...
We have some spectacular landscapes and parks at home, but this was still impressive. It's different country to that which I know, and it's stunning.
Valley rim
Yosemite valley is a glacial valley carved through Granite. There have been at least three major glaciers through here over the milennia, and they've combined to create a sheer walled, flat bottomed valley. It is very big. The massive lumps of granite exposed loom over the valley like sentinels, guarding the sequoia, squirrels and bears. Indian legend tells us that EL Capitan and Half Dome are an ancient Indian husband and wife trapped in stone facing each other after a fight. He is ashen, she is crying. Together they make a masterpiece that has been painted and photographed many times over...
El Capitan - the Contrite Husband
Half Dome - the Chastened Wife
There is a river that runs through the centre of the valley. It has many tributaries which run out of the surrounding hills. During the ice ages, these small rivers would have been frozen too, but they lacked sufficient size to carve their own valleys to match the main one. Consequently, they now all run to the edge of the valley and plummet to the floor below as spectacular water falls. There are many. We saw Bridal Vail, Horse Tail and Yosemite falls today.
Yosemite Falls (the top half anyway...)
Rugged, exciting landscapes...
This rock didn't roll down the hill today, or any of the last 3 million days...
As well as a fantastic exhibition of photographs, paintings, artifacts and history, there was an Indian bloke named Ben working in the museum. He made arrow heads from volcanic rock, did rope tricks, and, most impressively, played the cedar flute, and another flute. They were beautiful. I couldn't make any useful notes on the short flute, but played the cedar a little. It is a beautiful sounding instrument. I think I'm in love... He's been to Tassie before to do some training with our fire brigade. Lucky he isn't planning to come back or I might be tempted...
Ben & the Cedar Flute
We presented to the Yosemite Rotary Club at noon in the spectacular Awahnee hotel. This stately and handsome establishment is built entirely from concrete, but some bits had me believing the were timber! It looks really nice. It's grand, but also intricate. I hate to think what it costs to stay here... Our US GSE friend Sarah Crowe works here and bragged that this would be the best Rotary meal we'd have on our travels. Apologies to the Best Western and the golf clubs, but she was right. We said hi to your mates for you Sarah...
Chris impersonating firewood at the Awahnee Hotel
This isn't enough pictures or enough story unfortunately. There's lots more to show and tell from Yosemite. I suggest that you:
- Ask to see a full slide show
- Get up here yourself and spend a few days
- Tell me to go take a cold shower if you're ever around when I hear the cedar flute being played...
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