Yosemite National Park
PO Box 578
Yosemite Park, CA 95389
It's already December and we are missing summer immensely!
One of the highlights for UFC this summer 2010 was a day trip to Yosemite National Park. The size of this park is mind-blowingly immense compared to the parks back here in Jersey. It's also a serious year-round operation with plenty of scheduled activities---birdwatching, tram/walking/hiking tours, and seveal exhibits showing at Yosemite Museum and the Ansel Adams Gallery.
We managed to cover a bit of Yosemite Valley by car, and that alone took most of the day. Other popular sites within the park (Hetch Hetchy and Tuolomne Meadows) were much further out and quite frankly, you'd need a good few days to explore this park.
We took Route 41 North and entered the park ($20 fee good for one week) via the South Entrance. Be warned; Wawona Road is quite twisty since it wraps aroud the mountains here... be prepared for carsickness if you're sensitive. About an hour into the park, you enter a tunnel carved into a mountain and you are just hit with this perfect view. It was like you died and went to heaven.
The famous Yosemite Valley. The solid sheer face proudly standing on the left is the aptly named "El Capitan" ( 3,593 ft). It is sheer granite and when the light hits it directly, it gleams like marble. At the background, almost at the middle of the picture, is Half Dome. If you look closely at the lower right corner, you can see Yosemite Falls.
Along the park are several very picturesque campsites that we one day hope we can stay in. For those desiring their creature comforts, there are some well-regarded hotels and restaurants run by the park. We parked by the visitor parking leading to Yosemite Falls and took a much-needed bathroom break. There were a lot of tourists, both local and international.
DJKung and his pops relaxing by the big pine trees.
One of the popular sites here is Yosemite Falls. It completely freezes over in the summer and from what we've read on the guide, is simply spectacular that time of the year. When the spring thaw comes, it rushes down in a torrent and this area here is like a big river. By the time summer comes around, most of the melting snow that feeds the falls has, well, already melted and the flow is not as strong.
DJKung resting after the trek up.
If you look closely, there is a climber at the left upper quadrant of this picture. No, that's not the way we took.
DJKung and his nephew, A., enjoying a little break.
This is the view from the bottom of the falls. Great for little kiddies to splash around. It was really nice to see kids exploring and their parents letting them do their own thing!
Here's a video that better captures the immensity of Yosemite Falls.
It seems unfair that California's unnaturally blessed with an abundance of both incredible beaches and awesome landscapes like Yosemite. We're hoping to make it out here for a week-long camping trip in the near future.
