I went to The Yosemite National Park in California with some friends from the Silicon Valley, a famous park for some of us because of the naturist and conservationist John Muir, an explorer, a legend, "father of the US National Parks" who helped a lot and got The US Government to protect the now called National Parks as a legacy for generations to come. Yosemite, El Capitan also got famous for some Apple OS X code name systems, appearing as majestic wallpapers on many MacBook's and iMac's.
We headed South East to the mountain range of California. Then to Fresno, we entered the park by the Mariposa County. Since previous days there were continuos alerts of a Fire around that area. As we approached we saw fire smoke could be a problem specially if it was toxic.
We did it to our destination, there were long lanes at the access of the park. There are some other 2 o 3 on this side of the mountain. I could't believe I was finally there. I was afraid of the smoke as you could barely see few feet's ahead when we entered the mountain skirts. I thought of some friends who had travel to see the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and never gotten to see it because of "Karl" The Fog. So the first day smoke was on its max, the following day it cleared out a lot to show the magnitude of The Cathedral.
Tunnel View
We began the valley experience by stopping at the famous spot called Tunnel view a lookout kind of high where you get to see the valley with all the famous peaks. Only that by that time and day the smoke from the fire made it impossible to see it. Any way we had lunch there. The fire smoke was dense, anyhow I contemplated the humongous view.
We moved to the lower valley level where the loop highway is in the look of some other places where there were parking spaces. This seems to be a problem in many seasons of the year. Luckily they have places to park along many areas of the circuit and big parking lots and buss shuttle that is going round the park counterclockwise every something minutes so you could go places when walking is not your thing. You can also rent bikes to move around.
The road around the trail that goes to the Bridal veil waterfall.
View to El Cap in the Cal fire smoke.
The Bridal Veil waterfall
We started with the South wall of the Cathedral, and walked out way to the skirts of the Bridal veil waterfall. The way up there was nice, it recalled me of walking up at Chipinque's park in Monterey, N.L. a lot of people walking up and down the wide trails.
Bridal veil waterfall - Yosemite National Park
Got to se where the water was hitting ground, down stream flowing running thru granite rocks. People was all around an over rocks enjoying the place, taking photos, escalating up or descending, waiting for somebody to go first or finding another route to go up.
I decided going up with my friend's son, some rocks were slippery so I didn't want to disturb any of us by trying to get up. So we did get to this point where we thought was enough. I had the view I wanted from the waterfall, then turned and look to see many people admiring the place. And on the distance our friends waved saying hello.
View Point
We parked at the best point to shoot El Cap and the Domes. There are many good pictures from this point. My cellphone and I did what we could.
El Capitan on the left and on the right Glacier Point and passing it is Half Dome.
Going out from that area, I saw this: the sun beams coming thru some pine trees Found it really pleasing.
Right ahead of that spot we parked to walk around some trees and the river.
Somewhere into Yosemite Nat. Park
The mountains are calling and I must go -John Muir
Half Dome View
Then we drove West way up. We got to this high spot at the exit of a tunnel, a place to look down that tight section of the valley which later on starts opening. You could see the highway and the river stream down there at the bottom. There are several tunnels to get up there. Smoke was around so the view was not as expected, but any way good to be there.
Half dome in the middle.
Bear cub
On our way to some other interesting place we noticed cars parked on the sides of the road. There was something out there perhaps a bear. We stopped, ran to where people gathered and looked in to the forest, we were looking for something. I recall asking somebody what we were looking at, and he replied I donΒ΄t know. A kind of a funny moment.
And there it was a bear cub. It was removing the bark of a fallen tree in the distance, trying to tear it off with his front fangs to get insects. As we looked captivated and on a tender moment of nature life some of us were aware that where is a cub there's a mother bear. Most of the times not a friendly situation. So everything ended well. We hurried in to the car as chaos started to form when cars could not cross anymore that area.
Later that day, we got to the middle of the valley but the smoke and sunshine made it hard to see the big stars of this place El Cap and Half Dome. We got back to where we were gonna camp. Spent 2 days there out of the valley. When we were back at the valley the smoke had dispersed a bit. The fire alert was to the max on the Northwest still far from where we slept. You could see this black cloud of smoke as if the world was going to end.
The feeling is extraordinary you feel so small surrounded by the large walls of granite.
Got to the Central valley, parked on the curb. And took a shuttle bus to the main cafeteria where I couldn't believe they had a Starbucks. The last place in the world where I thought finding one.
Yosemite Falls, view point
We moved North where the Yosemite Falls is and walked a lot to get to the top part of the river. The view there was beautiful. It felt as if I were at this Disneyland plaza full packed of people waiting for fireworks, most of them gazing up to the double drop of the waterfall.
Again we decided to explore way up. We tackle up stream by the right side where granite rocks looked more stable and way smaller and not to close to the river. We climbed a long distance. Many accidents happen here as people finds it easy to jump from rock to rock, some of them are slippery because of the water and some others because of the wear of people polishing granite over the years. The view down was great.
I got to see this little pool where people where bathing. Got close to touch the water which was around 9 or 11Β°C. I moved to the left side and gazed my surroundings for a bit. Then decided to go down on that side as it looked easier. Some sort of easy but demanding.
Other photos
A giant dandelion
Church at the Yosemite Valley, California
This were some pictures of what I saw and what I lived there, an adventure to tell.
I had a pretty nice experience getting to know the park where my hero John Muir spent most of his time, wandering and working to keep this park OK and later to transmit the love for nature thru his many fabulous quotes and writings. Being there felt as if in a dream (mostly because of the fire smoke ha ha ha), I kept pinching myself to be awake to know it was real. The real Cathedral in the mist (smoke) that made it so surreal. But I can say I was there :)
Here is the whole gallery of photos at flickr:
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