April 24, 2016
On our way to Yosemite today. We’re actually staying
in Yosemite Pines RV Resort in Groveland, CA (about 45 minutes outside of
Yosemite Village).
We arrived at the campground at around 1 and, after being
squeezed in at the campground in Napa, it was nice to have a whole row at a
campground to ourselves. We have nobody behind, in front of, or beside us. We
set up camp then got in the car to head for Yosemite for maps and info.
The ride into our campground was thrilling (or terrifying depending on who you ask).
If you zoom in on the photo, you can see a white or silver car riding along a section of highway that we had just navigated. It was even hard for me to take these pictures because I didn't want to look!!
Loving this location in the campground
On top
of it being the last day of free National Park week (super crowded); it’s also
sleeting and raining in the park so trying to find our way around was tricky.
However, we managed to get to the Yosemite Visitor’s Center 15 minutes before
they closed. We walked right up to the desk and a ranger helped us with things
we could do in the park for the few days we’re here. He gave us a map and pointed
out a cycling path that goes the entire length of the village, a river we could
kayak in, and some popular hikes that have views of some of the more popular
sites in the park. Many roads and areas of the park are still closed due to the
winter-like weather.
We're here!!
We hopped back in the car to do some site-seeing. We checked out the river the ranger had pointed out, then stopped at various pull-overs to see the views on our way back to the RV. Yosemite is really a place you have to visit to appreciate its beauty. Our photos don't do it justice.
View from the Merced River bank of Bridalveil Falls and El Capitan
There are waterfalls everywhere due to the melting of
the high Sierra snowpack.
It was getting late, so we stopped at Two Guys Pizza
in a town near Groveland. The place got good reviews on google so we figured it
can’t be too bad. The place was pretty crowded and the pizza was decent. We
were starving so I think anything would have tasted good at that point.
April 25, 2016
Headed for Yosemite at 8:30 this morning. The beginning of the drive in was a little dicey due to heavy fog.
As we got higher in elevation, it started sleeting and snowing.
We’re planning on riding our bikes around the loop trail so we can get the lay of the land and see as much as possible. It’s very hard to get around to the different areas by car since you constantly have to dodge people and other cars stopping along the sides of the roads to take pictures.
We parked the jeep at Half Dome/Curry Village, got on our bikes, and headed to Happy Isles to see the two bridge-linked river islands. Parked our bikes under the awning of the Happy Isles Visitors Center (which was still closed for the season) so we could walk the trails and bridges.
Very foggy on the drive into Yosemite
This is looking into the valley
As we got higher in elevation, it started sleeting and snowing.
We haven't driven in sleet and snow in awhile
We’re planning on riding our bikes around the loop trail so we can get the lay of the land and see as much as possible. It’s very hard to get around to the different areas by car since you constantly have to dodge people and other cars stopping along the sides of the roads to take pictures.
This cute mule deer walked right up to the jeep.
I waited for her to finish eating before I got out of the jeep.
We also saw a coyote today, but we were so excited, we didn't grab the camera.
All bundled up for our bike ride
We parked the jeep at Half Dome/Curry Village, got on our bikes, and headed to Happy Isles to see the two bridge-linked river islands. Parked our bikes under the awning of the Happy Isles Visitors Center (which was still closed for the season) so we could walk the trails and bridges.
The rivers are running hard and fast due to the snowmelt
Dave won't be kayaking this section of the Merced.
Brrrr!
It started snowing pretty hard on our ride to Mirror Lake
Dave wearing my emergency rain coat I keep in the car.
We weren't really prepared for it to be snowing today...obviously.
We parked our bikes again and walked around the lake as the snow fell on
us. At around 1:00 the sun finally burned through the clouds and we found a
spot by the lake to eat the lunch we packed. We were thinking how refreshing
the crystal clear water must feel in the summer after a long hike, but then
read that the lake pretty much evaporates during the summer months.
We enjoyed a fun ride down from Mirror Lake and got back on the bike trail to view the Royal Arches.
See why they call it Mirror Lake
All the trees are blooming
The snow stopped and the sun burned through the clouds
We enjoyed a fun ride down from Mirror Lake and got back on the bike trail to view the Royal Arches.
Bike path through the Yosemite Valley
The Royal Arches from the bike path
Royal Arches from a distance
The Royal Arches Cascade waterfall is 1,250 feet high and usually dry by June.
Then we headed back through Yosemite Village to view
the upper and lower Yosemite Falls. Ditched the bikes again to walk to better
and better views of the falls. The upper, middle, and lower falls form the
highest waterfall in North America and the fifth tallest in the world. And at
this time of year, it’s spectacular!
View of Yosemite Falls from a distance (also the Merced River)...a little calmer in the Valley.
A view of Upper Yosemite Falls
We walked in to see Lower Yosemite Falls
A view of the Upper and Lower Falls
Got back onto our bikes and rode to the jeep to head back to the campground.
Since the sun was shining, we stopped several times on our way back to the campground
so Dave could take a look at the views he misses because he’s always driving on
these crazy curvy white knuckle roads.
Ribbon Falls from a distance
Ribbon Falls zoomed in
A view of the Merced River in the Valley and Bridalveil Falls in the background
April 26, 2016
We decided to avoid the valley this morning and headed to
Wawona Tunnel to begin a hike to Inspiration Point. We parked at the turnout at
the tunnel’s eastern end and walked over to the Tunnel View to see what has
been called the most photographed vista on Earth…a granite panorama that
encompasses El Capitan, Half Dome, Sentinel Rock, Cathedral Rocks, and 620-foot
Bridalveil Fall. Totally different weather in Yosemite today. Sunny skies and
very warm. Yeah! We still dressed in layers, expecting cold, but happy to shed
a few layers as we hiked.
The hike is short (only 2.6 miles round trip) but it’s steadily – and during the first half, steeply – uphill.
So after our hike, we headed to the valley for kayaking. During our initial discussion with the ranger regarding kayaking, we stated our wish for non-whitewater conditions, either lake or river. He showed us where to put in the Merced River, the main river through Yosemite, and take out point for an easy 3-4 mile float (was more like 5 miles) through the valley. This sounded perfect for us! Throughout the next day we tried to determine whether the river was safe for us to attempt this float. Wendy decided that some sections were more than she wanted to deal with, and besides, the water temperature was very close to freezing as it is mostly snow melt. From my observations I decided I could make the run safely and since Wendy wouldn’t be using her kayak, I would use hers instead of mine, believing it to be more maneuverable. Well…as soon as I got myself on the river I had second thoughts about the wisdom of this logic. It was more maneuverable, but I happen to be a bit larger than Wendy, and so it and I, were also very unstable. If the water wasn’t so cold I probably wouldn’t have minded so much, but I did not want to fall in that water! Because the water was moving very fast even when calm, the float only took about 1 hour. I did make it to the take out dry but was so preoccupied with not tipping over that I rarely got to enjoy the scenery. Next time I’ll stick with my own boat!
We're a little behind in keeping up with the blog due to a lack of free wifi at our campgrounds. This is our latest update. We'll try to post again sometime this coming week to get caught up. As of yesterday, we're finally out of California. We spent a month and a half there and had a blast. We're on our way back to Florida now. First stop Lake Mead, Nevada.
El Capitan and Ribbon Falls
The hike is short (only 2.6 miles round trip) but it’s steadily – and during the first half, steeply – uphill.
Hiking to Inspiration Point
Climbed a mile...only .6 to go
For most of the hike, the views of the valley are checkered with trees, but there was one spot that was pretty awesome. We thought once we got to the point, the views would be amazing, however that was not the case. Inspiration Point is a flat granite shelf and the views were almost totally obstructed by trees. Bummer.
The money shot - View of El Capitan, Half Dome (far background), Sentinel Rock,
Cathedral Rocks, and Bridalveil Falls
I could've spent all day looking at this view!
So after our hike, we headed to the valley for kayaking. During our initial discussion with the ranger regarding kayaking, we stated our wish for non-whitewater conditions, either lake or river. He showed us where to put in the Merced River, the main river through Yosemite, and take out point for an easy 3-4 mile float (was more like 5 miles) through the valley. This sounded perfect for us! Throughout the next day we tried to determine whether the river was safe for us to attempt this float. Wendy decided that some sections were more than she wanted to deal with, and besides, the water temperature was very close to freezing as it is mostly snow melt. From my observations I decided I could make the run safely and since Wendy wouldn’t be using her kayak, I would use hers instead of mine, believing it to be more maneuverable. Well…as soon as I got myself on the river I had second thoughts about the wisdom of this logic. It was more maneuverable, but I happen to be a bit larger than Wendy, and so it and I, were also very unstable. If the water wasn’t so cold I probably wouldn’t have minded so much, but I did not want to fall in that water! Because the water was moving very fast even when calm, the float only took about 1 hour. I did make it to the take out dry but was so preoccupied with not tipping over that I rarely got to enjoy the scenery. Next time I’ll stick with my own boat!
I waited at a bridge to get pictures of Dave kayaking.
If you zoom in you can see him in the distance of this pic.
Here he comes...
And there he goes...
It was amazing how fast he was moving
While I waited for Dave to float the rest of the river, I watched people climb El Capitan.
Had to use binoculars to spot this guy tenting.
Pulled the zoom out a little bit.
He's still there if you zoom in.
Can you spot him now? He's still in this picture.
Dave made it back all in one piece and without getting wet...success.
April 27, 2016
Today it's supposed to rain and snow in Yosemite so we're not heading into the park today. We feel like we got to see and do some fun things during our visit here and we can't wait to return someday. Maybe at a different time of year. Although it was great to see all of the falls, it would be nice to hike the trails in shorts and a t-shirt...and enjoy the entire park instead of just the lower regions. So perhaps we'll return in June or July next year.
We're a little behind in keeping up with the blog due to a lack of free wifi at our campgrounds. This is our latest update. We'll try to post again sometime this coming week to get caught up. As of yesterday, we're finally out of California. We spent a month and a half there and had a blast. We're on our way back to Florida now. First stop Lake Mead, Nevada.
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