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Me, Yosemite Valley
View from Tunnel ViewDear All
Yay! Greetings from Yosemite National Park! This is probably the place on this trip that I've been most excited about visiting. There is something special I think in simply saying its name, as well as it being one of the world's first national parks. My visit has also come after my interest in Scottish explorer Join Muir, his rather eccentric way of looking at nature during a time when other men were seeking to subdue it, and as a result his influence on the creation of such special parks afforded national protection all over the world. Thank you Mr Muir!
After my morning in snowy Kings Canyon National Park on Thursday, I drove onwards and northwards to the Park's more famous neighbour and cousin, the Yosemite National Park. On the way I passed through a town called North Fork, and didn't realise until I passed a sign on its town limits, and took a photo there, that this is the geographical heart of California! What an interesting geographical location to stumble upon! I was heading to Yosemite's southern gateway near the area around the village of Wawona and Mariposa Grove, and upon arrival at the latter, had
Yosemite Valley
View from Tunnel View around two hours of sunlight left. Parking up, I saw that the road to this very famous grove of even more sequoia trees was another place that was closed for the winter season, though fortunately learned that there was a four-mile round walk there - perfect! This would give me enough time to enjoy a walk in the Park before sunset, and to also fit in my third sequoia grove visit within 24 hours! (I don't think I could ever get enough of these spectacular giant trees!).
The walk was beautiful, and not too busy given the lateness in the day. Though walking alone as dusk was approaching, I did feel a little perturbed at a few reminder signs to be aware that cougars had recently been spotted in the area, as well as thoughts in my mind of bear encounters, and not to mention the worry about encountering wild animals (sorry, that's just a little joke I have been having with a friend while on this trip to California...!!). The Mariposa Grove is not so known for just one of its legendary trees, as with the General Sherman and General Grant groves back in Sequoia and Kings Canyon,
Arch Rock
Yosemite National Park but more of a majestic group of these gentle giants with no particular standout. And fair enough, they were all pretty amazing! The area felt special, with a spiritual vibe, added to by the lack of tourists at this time as dusk was approaching. On the way back, the heavens opened with some serious hailstones, which was exciting! I also noted how roads around there, when they go around corners, undulate so that you lean into each curve - what a great idea, and no wonder I felt that driving along these windy roads out there seemed easier than other windy roads I'd driven along.
My journey on from there passed through the Yosemite gateway town of Oakhurst, and onto a wonderful Bed and Breakfast accommodation set in the middle of the National Forest surrounding the park, which would be my home for the next two nights. I did at one point take a wrong turn unfortunately, following some Satnav guidance which would have taken me along a rough dirt track to the place. I fortunately realised this early on after spying a sign to be careful of rising floodwaters, and then hearing beyond my car headlights some rushing
Me, El Capitan
Yosemite Valley water somewhere after the road had already become said dirt track. Doing a three point turn there in the pitch black, with the sound of rushing water coming from an unknown distance and location, was a little hairy I must admit, but fortunately assisted by the entrance of a seriously isolated farmhouse - thank you farmhouse!
The BnB I stayed in is run by a former cruise ship manager, who imparts his experienced, impeccable standards on his two rooms, at a really affordable price. Towels are made into animal shapes, breakfast is served on crisply ironed white tablecloths, and the place is filled with his travel souvenirs. He is a traveller like me, having been to 120 countries, and even has a picture on the wall of himself with the Winchester boys from a TV series that I just love called "Supernatural" - what a guy! He actually really inspired me to perhaps set up something similar when early retirement comes. But alas, that is indeed going to be a fair few years from now...!
Not only was he a gracious BnB host, he is also an amateur Bigfoot enthusiast! Now, anyone more interested in reading about travels
North Fork, California
The geographical heart of California in California rather than "Supernatural"- and "X-Files"-style beastology, please feel free to skip two paragraphs ahead...! His interest in Bigfoot, known locally as the sasquatch, followed a sighting of his own which he had while camping out in a remote part of the Sierra Nevada. He had taken a photo of it which he showed me, although it was rather grainy and unclear to say the least and I couldn't really make him out. He was also able to find where it had slept that night, and having taken some hair he found there to be analysed, the results showed that there is no record at all of which creature it could have come from! I am very much a believer here. What particularly intrigued me as I followed his story was that he said he would not wish to encounter him again, and instead researches the creature from a distance. He said in these words exactly "Bigfoot is not good", which gave me goose pimples. I got the impression myself that there is something malignant about him.
Again, travel-enthusiasts please do feel free now to skip forward to the next paragraph, for risk of me coming across as
North Fork, California
The geographical heart of California a little crazy rather than a travel blogger. He said Bigfoot can interfere with all technological equipment around him, hence there not being many close-up photos out there, and can also send and use energy balls (!) This all may seem like pie-in-the-sky, but I do believe him. He continued to say that the Catholic Church recognises it (I will need to read up on that bit), and that the Book of Revelation talks about the end of time, when these creatures will battle humans. I am aware myself of some alternative versions of the Biblical Book of Genesis, called the Books of Jasher, Enoch and Jubilees. These are fascinating reads to anyone interested, as they tell the same stories as the Book of Genesis, but with additional, really intriguing bits. These books refer to "The Watchers", who lived on earth alongside human beings, created offspring with human women called "Nephilim", meaning "giants" in Hebrew, and are described as being large and strong. The BnB owner told me about local stories of young women going missing never to be found again, even recently, and I have also heard myself of the increasing and very concerning disappearances of local American Indian
Hike to Mariposa Grove
Yosemite National Park women in significant number. Again, this probably all sounds quite unbelievable to read, but listening to all of this in a cosy house in the middle of a Sierra Nevada forest late in the evening, and also having recently read the excellent and highly recommended book "Chariots of the Gods", I recognise that there is far more in heaven and earth than can be dreamt of in our philosophy.
Anyway, back to more mundane things, such as my epic California trip, I slept surprisingly well that night despite going to bed with such ghost stories. This was good, as I had a busy and very exciting full day ahead of me - exploring the wondrous beauty of the spectacular Yosemite Valley! Even on a fairly cloudy day such as this, with some of the peaks intermittently hidden by clouds, the place is just captivating - a seven-mile strip of some of the most breathtaking scenery I've ever seen in my life! I thoroughly enjoyed my day!
On my way to the park, the car in front of me had a sticker saying "The mountains are calling", and indeed this partial John Muir quote summed up my feelings for
Hike to Mariposa Grove
Yosemite National Park that morning, along with its follow-up "and I must go". I was certainly "going". After entering the park, this time through its western entrance near the gateway village of El Portal and then under another impressive rock road tunnel called Arch Rock, I followed the one-way road circuit through the Valley to take in the sights. Firstly, an awesome overview of most of it from high up on Tunnel View, spying over in the far distance the unique shape of the Half-Dome mountain peak. I then drove back down into the valley, for a close-up view of Bridalveil Falls which could also be seen from Tunnel View. After this, I headed to the flat valley bottom floor for awesome views of the sheer and giant monolith of El Capitan, with lovely pictures to be had all around, mirrored in the waters of the Merced River which runs through the glacier-formed u-shaped valley. I then headed to the easternmost point of the circuit for a lovely four-mile return walk to nearby Mirror Lake, so-called due to its ability to reflect the surrounding mountains, which I couldn't appreciate whilst there as it had started raining onto the lake. I still very much
Beware of Cougars!
Hike to Mariposa Grove, Yosemite National Park appreciated the beauty and a bit of quiet solitude high up the vale there though. Returning back again to the valley floor, I stopped off at the busy Welcome Centre and its attached Exploration Centre, for interesting geographical and historical information on the region. I particularly enjoyed learning about its connections with John Muir and the then-president Teddy Roosevelt, whose visit there together in 1903 inspired the latter to set the area aside as a National Park in 1906. I then began a short walk to view the two-tiered Yosemite Falls, and back again. My final stop in the valley was at Valley View, for a final, departing vista back towards the valley, for even more jaw-dropping beauty, and an alternative view of a large proportion of this special place, this time from below rather than above at Tunnel View. While certainly very touristy, this doesn't take away from the awesomeness of the Yosemite Valley, definitely one of the most wondrous places of natural beauty I have ever seen in my life.
Fortunately, considering the weather circumstances at the time, the Wawona Road that I wanted to take out of the park towards its southern entrance, back near Mariposa
Hike to Mariposa Grove
Yosemite National Park Grove which I had explored the day before, was still open, so I headed that way, as an alternative route back to my accommodation, to explore more of the Park. As I climbed along this road to over 2000m, and the temperature fell to just below freezing, it started to snow, settling slightly on the road! I was a little alarmed I must admit, although noting that no other cars were sporting snow chains, and that the route would soon be descending again, the alarm stayed at bay. In fact the journey was fine. I stopped off at Wawona Village, the original heart of the Park when it first opened as a National Park in 1890. It was a lovely little place, not touristy at all, and home to a small community of 111 people, with even its own library and school. Most houses were of the old, wooden log chalet tops, of the cosy variety, and I thought I really wouldn't mind living there myself. I was there to visit the Chilnualna Falls a short walk away from the village, which were quite nice, though I guess if I'm honest, in comparison to the wondrous natural beauty which had
Hike to Mariposa Grove
Yosemite National Park previously filled most of my day, were a little underwhelming. If I'd gone there first, I think I would have been impressed.
I then headed back to my BnB, an hour's drive away. From hereon, the precipitation became heavy rain, and combined with the dark evening and absence of any road lighting whatsoever, made the drive back rather unnerving yet at the same time atmospheric. This was certainly a very special part of the world. The cold, the snow, the rain and the dark, along with unnerving Bigfoot stories, as well as the awesome day in sheer American natural beauty, made cosying up that evening in my lovely and warm BnB room all the more special. I felt so happy to have spent this day exploring one of the world's grandest and most famous national parks, it certainly lived up to its reputation. Yosemite, thank you for having me!
The next day, I was heading back to the Californian coast again, and probably a bit more warmth and sunshine, to Santa Barbara, where I was due to begin the coastal section of this epic Californian road trip! I shall write about this in my next one. So until
Hike to Mariposa Grove
Yosemite National Park then, thanks for reading, and all the best!
Alex
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Ake Och Emma
Ake Dahllof and Emma Holmbro
We didn't stay long enough
One of my regrets from our trip in California is that we didn't stay long enough in Yosemity NP. I know that there is a lot to see and that we missed most of it. Glad to see that you took the time to see more than us. /Ake