Late Fall In Yosemite

I have not been to Yosemite since I was a little kid. I do not remember anything, obviously. Yosemite is one of the first national wilderness parks, and encompasses 1,170 square miles of spectacular scenery. The altitude ranges from 2000 feet to 13,000 feet above sea level. For those of you outside of the U.S., it is just a few hours from San Francisco, and offers year around services, from camping to skiing. It is located on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. It is spectacular from the airplane on a clear day.

There are twelve miles of bike trails, so we plan to bring our bicycles. We will bring our camera and bear repellant. Maybe they are getting ready to hibernate for the winter. Yosemite is home to 300 to 500 black bears in the 750,000 acres. Strangely, 95% of the black bears are brown, auburn or blond, like the human female population. And contrary to popular opinion, bears are vegetarians, preferring grass, berries, nuts, herbs and small insects. When in dire need of food, bears will kill a deer, or raid a picnic basket, like Yogi Bear in Jellystone. Males are 300 to 350 pounds, females only 200 to 250 pounds. The largest was 690 pounds and 7 feet tall!!!! The average life span is 18 years. Buddy, our dog, was bred to hunt these beasts.

The waterfalls are a Yosemite hallmark, with Yosemite Falls the fifth highest drop in the world at 2,425 feet. Also famous is Bridalveil Falls, known for its veiled look due to the wind blowing the falls sideways. Vernal and Nevada Falls produce beautiful rainbows.

The mountains and rock formations are equally famous. Half Dome at 8,842 feet is the most iconic of the formations. The west face is sheer granite and the youngest of all the rock formations in Yosemite. El Capitan is at 7,569 feet, and popular with climbers around the world. Glacier Point at 7,214 feet, provides one of the best views of the valley floor. The mountains were formed about 10 million years ago. About one million years ago the snow and ice created the glaciers that created the Yosemite Valley.

Wildlife is easily visible, and include the bears as I mentioned, along with marmots, coyotes, mule deer, grey squirrels, and mountain lions. Birds are plentiful and include the spectacular red tailed hawk. Snakes, trout, and the ubiquitous mosquito are also plentiful. The largest living things on earth, the Giant Sequoias live from 1,000 to 3,000 years old. We also can view Black Oaks, Ponderosa Pines, Cedars, Shooting Stars, and Dogwood. It has five major vegetation zones. It has 20% of the more than 7000 plant species native to California.

Protecting Yosemite is a huge undertaking. Everything must be recycled and water conservation is a must. The 3.5 million visitors each year put a tremendous strain on the park. We are strongly encouraged to do our part to preserve this beautiful place. In 1889, Scottish-born John Muir and Robert U. Johnson encouraged Congress to set aside Yosemite as a National Park. The first residents of Yosemite were Native Americans, as many as 10,000 years ago. The Gold Rush in 1850 also brought conflict to the area. The Paiute and Miwok tribes inhabited the valley before the arrival of white people.

I just remembered that I went skiing at Badger Pass in the 70's. Besides biking, mule and horseback riding are available, as well as custom pack trips to High Camp. Nature and history tours can be purchased, along with tours of the famous Ahwanhee Hotel. You can also pretend to be Ansel Adams with a custom photography class. And for me, there is a 9 hole, par 35 golf course. It is a completely organic golf course, and is a certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. Many people believe that Tuolumne Meadows here is the most beautiful place in Yosemite. The famous Pacific Crest Trail runs through Yosemite as well.

There is alot to do here, both in nature and otherwise. Weddings are held here. Narsai David has cooking and wine tasting weekends here. If money were no object, I would attend the Vintner's Holiday, held in November and December. A stay at the Ahwahnee Hotel, built in 1927, is about $500 a night, even in off season. So, we are staying just outside the park at the Tenaya Lodge. I know people who have held special celebrations at the Ahwahnee, but I have never been invited.

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