Looking from the outside in, a visit to California’s famous Yosemite National Park is a no brainer to visitors and locals alike.
Only 3 hours driving from San Francisco, I’d heard about the park’s monolithic granite rock faces thanks to a rock climbing movie called Valley Uprising. The name Yosemite has rung out in my mind since I was a kid. I guess that was probably thanks to Loony Tunes’ Yosemite Sam, and thank goodness I knew about that; I could pronounce the name properly.
That was a common theme of my travels through America- most of my understanding of American landmarks was through pop culture references and global media. In San Francisco I felt I knew parts of the city thanks largely to Grand Theft Auto and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. I guess that same child-like naivety was what caught my attention when I first looked at a map of California and saw the words ‘Yosemite National Park’ labeling a green mass of mountain ranges that run like a spinal cord along the interior border of the state.
And child-like is how I felt when I nosed my hire car round a steep bend just near the Tunnel View lookouts. I had to pull over, and while snapping away at distant peaks, overheard other tourists mentioning names that ring out all over Yosemite: ‘Half Dome’ and ‘El Capitan’.
Just before the tunnel view was another thing that was exciting, at least for a skip like me- snow still lined the roadsides as I gunned my hired Hyundai hatchback through the peaceful forests at the tall edge of the valley.
Further down the valley, the friendly ranger outside the park had recommended I take a stop at Bridalveil Falls. It was a commanding force of nature. My camera agreed. It’s a two minute walk from the car park and gets you up close and personal with the fast end of the snow melt, with a mist buffeting you even at the boardwalk lookouts.
After the waterfall sojourn which marked the start of the lower valley, traffic built up and speeds were down to walking pace. This was not a problem. I could not have driven slowly enough to spend enough time at each place, so I pulled up at a roadside parking spot. Walking around, there was a mutual air of awe and respect for what me and every other guest here had the privilege of seeing.
My first day here was something of a rinse and repeat- I’d drive a few minutes, then see something so mind-blowingly wild and awesome that I’d stop, walk around, take some photos and continue. I had a quick stop at lower Yosemite falls- another easy to access surging beast of a waterfall. I walked too close again, scrambling over the boulders beneath the waterfall hoping to see something other than a torrent of icy water in my face. But that was about the only thing extra I got for straying off the boardwalk. Well, that and not being surrounded by other people.
Bedraggled and satisfied, I walked back to my car at the Half Dome carpark and realised that every hour of the day brings new landscape photo opportunities, perhaps nowhere more than here.
I was happy that I’d been here. But as Into the Wild points out, ‘Happiness is Better Shared’ and I was looking forward to meeting up with some people from the hostel when I drove back to Groveland, a small town where I found my accommodation.
Yosemite International Hostel in Groveland gave me a really homely experience; we had an 8 bed dorm and two private rooms fit into a converted house. I made use of the communal kitchen and made some friends with pasta. We all shared some nice wines, beers, tales and all that good stuff. A few people I met in SF came down, and we planned a Big Hiking Day.
Nevada Falls was a 10km hike rated ‘strenuous’ thanks to the inclines. It took us about five and half hours with stops on the regular for photos, nibbles and lots of water. There were some crews fitted for back country hiking- they took the ‘closed’ path to the top of Nevada Falls, and we met them there after taking the more sensible ‘open’ path. They looked a little bit rattled when we saw them after their adventurous choice. We ducked back around the loop to see the trail they had crossed- and we decided pretty quickly that they close tracks around here for a reason. It was still snowed under- and if you slid from the snow, well… that could be bad in some spots.
The view of Half Dome from the top of Nevada Falls was stunning.
I was glad to have shared such a great hike with a lovely crew of people, it really takes the experience to another level when you can look across at your friends, wide-eyed, and say ‘are you seeing this?’
I’d love to come back to do more hikes and climbs in Yosemite. I’d love to stay in the park next time, too. Guess training starts today! Errrr… make that tomorrow. I wanna go eat more Mexican street tacos today.
Ate: Pasta and protein bars
Drank: Lone Ranger IPA, cheap Californian plonk (not bad at all)
Slept: In a warm cabin with hot showers, which might have been hard if I’d stayed in the park
Saw: Something that nearly pipped Wilson’s Promontory as my new favorite place.
trekkingtodd 