Yosemite National Park

There simply are no appropriate adjectives to adequately describe what we saw these past couple of days. Gazing at the scenery leaves one quite speechless and awestruck. Taking in the sights is more akin to a feeling of reverence and incredulity at the scale and sheer magnitude of such a natural phenomenon. If anyone were to ask what it is that we viewed, the simple answer is: gigantic rocks, waterfalls, and a deep valley. But it's the combination of all three that is simply astounding in scale, symmetry, and beauty. I have seen many spectacular mountain ranges and unusual rock formations, yet Yosemite stands in a class of its very own.

No wonder 4 million people from all over the world come to see and experience Yosemite National Park every year.

Route 41 into the park is twisty and curvy with one hairpin bend following another. We climbed ever higher, to 4,000 feet, then 5,000 feet, along the narrow road hugging the hillsides, through forest dotted with gigantic boulders, sheer drops below us. 

hugging the curves high above the valleys below

Eventually we approached a tunnel.

The scene on the other side looked more like a painting than anything real. At Artist Point, the overlook, everyone gazed in hushed wonder and snapped multiple photos to capture the moment forever. 

The view was simply wondrous. We were gazing at El Capitan to our left, Half Dome(the spiky peak) in the center at the back, and Bridalveil Falls on the right (the thin white ribbon against the dark rock face). The burnished tree tops added to the October fall scene, although we later learned that unfortunately millions of the Ponderosa Pines in California are actually dying off because of the warmer temperatures and lack of rainfall. 

El Capitan is the iconic vertical rock standing tall at 7,573 feet, the result of glacial carving over a million years ago. El Capitan means "the chief" or "the captain", named by the Mariposa Battalion when they explored the valley in 1851. It's a granite monolith of gargantuan proportions, extending 3,000 feet from base to summit. Rock climbers love scaling El Capitan. The first person to do this was Warren Harding in 1958. 

Half Dome in the setting sun

The other amazing rock is Half Dome, also granite, and best known for its distinct shape. One side looks like a knife sliced cleanly through to leave a sheer smooth face on this rounded dome. From whichever angle we viewed this marvel, it was an incredible sight and quite mind-boggling to fathom the forces in nature that could create such a cleanly carved face on this massive rock. Half Dome rises 4,737 feet above the valley floor and stands 8,000 feet above sea level. 

Bridalveil Falls

Yosemite is famous for its many tall waterfalls. Spilling over the face of these towering rock shelves, streams plunge down 100's of feet. Even at this far distance they can be seen and also heard in the vast stillness. 

We stopped to view Bridalveil Falls up close. By October the falls typically have dried up to a trickle and rush again after the spring melt. We were lucky to see them this full. 
Bridalveil Falls plunges 617 feet in one single drop. 

The walk up to the falls was pretty. We watched the Bridalveil Creek bubbling over rocks and through a forested section.

Standing at the base of the falls surrounded by the gigantic monoliths makes me realize we are pretty insignificant by comparison to the forces that created all of this. 

one of several sheer faced sides in the park

Yosemite Village, elevation 4,000 feet, is the most popular area of the National Park, well laid out with campgrounds, the Information Center, and various stores and restaurants. Even at this time of year, in late October and in the middle of the week, there were hundreds of visitors and we heard many different languages spoken. There was a long wait at the Information Center to inquire about hikes and viewpoints.

As an aside, back in 2002 we camped in the Upper Pines campground in our Eurovan Pop-top camper. It was a great experience then, made more memorable when a bear loped past our camper one evening, while we watched from inside. He was a big guy (and yes of course I was terrified!). The folks in the site directly across from us had pulled in late and were getting on with setting up and making dinner. Their large cooler was on the picnic bench, and they were sitting across on the other bench starting a fire in the pit. The bear quite casually lumbered up to the cooler and started to raid it until the folks turned around and saw him across the table from where they were sitting. The woman grabbed a couple of pots and pans and started banging them together to scare the bear off, which then ran straight for our site and past our camper. 
We had watched a movie at the Information Center that afternoon and learned a lot about bears in Yosemite and what intelligent creatures they are. They have learned how to get into closed cars and vans if they spot coolers and know that they will find food inside. They can even recognize a bread bag. The movie showed a bear getting what he wants when he spies it: the bear climbed on top of the minivan and jumped up and down until the doors popped open, then proceeded to help himself to the contents of the cooler. 
My fear was that the size and shape of our pop-top camper resembled an extra large cooler in the bear's mind! After all, the top part of the camper van pops up and it would have been easy for Mr Bear to climb aboard. Bears also have an extremely keen sense of smell so, according to the rule, everything remotely scented, including all food, had to be stored in the bear boxes at each campsite. 
Thankfully 14 years later, I didn't need to worry about a bear. Our campsite at the Elks in Oakhurst, about 50 miles from the Yosemite Valley, suited me perfectly. However, the experiences these past couple of days are even more memorable.

We had a spectacular view of the Yosemite Valley from Glacier Point (elevation 7,214 feet). The eight-mile long valley, up to a mile wide, was carved by several glacial events, and also erosion. Looking down into the valley from this height of 3,200 feet above the valley floor was amazing. The village below us looked like a miniature. I could just make out tiny buildings and cars in parking lots. 

looking down from 7 thousand feet at part of the valley floor, with the Merced River meandering through

This wide angle shot (courtesy of Wikipedia) gives a better perspective of the valley floor in its entirety. It also shows Half Dome with its sheer sliced off section.

world renowned Yosemite Falls

Yosemite Falls is the tallest in the US, plunging 2,425 feet from top to base in 3 stages.  The Upper Falls drop a staggering 1,430 feet, followed by a series of 5 more falls in the middle, and finally the Lower Falls drop another 320 feet. 

We were able to view the Upper and Lower Falls from a viewing area in the village. 

Possibly the best view of Yosemite Falls seen in all three segments was from the vantage point atop Sentinel Dome. 
We hiked the short 1.8 mile trail and up to the very top of Sentinel Dome (elevation 8,123 feet). I huffed and puffed my way up the final climb but made it to the very top. 

The views were jaw-dropping spectacular, a bird's eye-view of the surrounding Sierra peaks in all directions. 
It was truly an incredible sight, and I can now say that I was standing "on top of the world, looking down on creation."

We sat having our lunch while gazing out towards the falls and in the stillness of the afternoon, we could hear the rushing water. It was a most memorable experience. 

 lunch at 8,123 feet elevation with Yosemite Falls in the distance

And here is the dome we climbed to the top, all 322 feet of it.

Sentinel Dome

hiking back down Sentinel Dome, one careful step at a time

We saw several more breathtaking views from other vantage points along Glacier Point Rd drive. The grandeur of the Sierra Nevada range will remain imprinted in memory.

Washburn Point view of the 3 Brothers peaks

Half Dome

view of Yosemite Falls from Sentinel Dome

Nevada Falls on the other side of Half Dome