Yosemite National Park, California

Snow Fun at Yosemite

Phew, this is a hard climb...

Vernal Falls...worth the hike

Our Cabin in Yosemite

Yosemite was one of those US National Parks that we had not visited yet, so it was fortunate that our first visit there was with a couple who love Yosemite, and have been regular annual visitors for over 30 years. Marie & Eric are very familiar with their favourite places, and I am sure that Eric knows almost every rock and tree in those areas. He has hiked many of the trails, especially those that few get to attempt. He was even persuasive enough to get Murray & I to take a smaller hike up to a bridge for a view of Vernal Falls, one of the top six waterfalls in the park. To distract me from the gradient of the climb, Eric regaled us with a story of one (of several) bear encounters he had when he and a mate found an agressive bear trying to get down his backpack that was hanging high from a wire during an overnight hike on one of the high peaks. The bear eventually ran off, but not before tearing gaping holes in the backpack and removing some food.

Yosemite is located in the central Sierra Nevada of California and is 95% wilderness . It was once home to a huge glacier which forged through to create the valley amongst granite peaks and where several beautiful waterfalls cascade from the lofty cliffs. Bridal Veil Falls and Yosemite Falls we saw from vantage points just a short walk from the parking areas. In certain areas, there are groves of giant Sequoia trees, the inland and thicker trunk version of the coastal taller, but thinner redwoods. The road to the main grove was closed due to snow. There was quite a lot of snow in certain areas, especially near the NW entrance to the park.

To fully absorb the 'aura', after a day of picniking and sight seeing, we stayed overnight in wood cabins in Curry Village, where we treaded carefully to avoid piles of snow as we wandered around the village. After dinner we returned to our cabins (thank goodness for wall heaters) and played cards together. During our picnic and walks, we saw a few stunningly beautiful blue jays & some not so red-breasted robins - must have been females. Some fearless deers stood patiently as I took their photo, and a very healthy looking coyote bolted past us at one stage - he must have had some small animal in his sights as he was making a bee-line for something. All in all, Yosemite NP provides a very tranquil experience of nature.

We saw no sightings of Yosemite Sam nor Yogi Bear!