Yosemite

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The drive to Yosemite was scenic; the campground was the KOA South just outside Coursegold. It is about 25 miles from the entrance to Yosemite and then another 35 miles into the base of Yosemite main village. It was a bit far away but alas with the dimensions of the RV we couldn’t have got much closer.



It’s was a 2 hour drive to get into the heart of Yosemite as the elevation goes up to about 6000 feet and the roads are steep with many turns. I have fallen in Love with Yosemite, the towering redwoods, pines, cedar, oak and white fir trees cover the valley in between the majestic granite walls of El Capitan, Half Dome and Sentinal rock to name a few. Climbers, backpackers and tourists fill this place and while it became quite crowded it didn’t matter, the views are outstanding and the waterfalls are so long and powerful you can hear the weight of the melting snowcaps crashing down on the rocks from quite a distance.



Some of the meadows in between the trees and mass of rocks make you feel like you are in a scene from the sound of music and then you walk the trails and come across climbers enjoying their terrifying heights, I would love to join them on.



We did a few of the trails, lower Yosemite falls, swinging bridge, along the trailhead for Upper Yosemite falls and then back for the day. Warning signs everywhere for Bears and Mountain Lions, apparently you need to hold up your children if you have any to scare them away!



Day 2 of Yosemite started a little earlier so we could try and get in before the crowds. We parked about a mile from the trailheads and started off for Vernal Falls and Nevada Falls, the beginning of the famous 211 mile John Muir Trail, short hikes but 1000 feet of elevation climbing. We walked over the bridge and the ascent started a few hundred yards from the trailhead. Big boulders lined the path with the river flowing furiously below. The waterfalls were truly spectacular and the force as they come crashing down and the river roars underneath as you walk across another bridge and make your final climb up the pathway and then to the granite stairs where the waterfall spray soaks you the entire way up, extremely steep and slippery.



After a good walk and back at the car we decided to head back and stop at El Capitan on the way out. Just before that we stopped and walked up to another smaller rock face and watched some climbers making their way up varying heights.



El Capitan, 3000 feet from base to summit. Sheer granite rock face with numerous lines to climb. We watched with the binoculars the tiny specs you couldn’t see with the naked eye from so far away. There were 3 climbers up there today, with their gear hanging a few feet below them. Incredible feats of human recreation. I had been saying to Roy the entire trip I wonder if I’ll get to see Alex Honnold (American Rock climber, holds world record of 2 hours and 30 minutes for climbing El Capitan with no ropes!!) I’m in awe of his climbing achievements and his vagabond living out of his van speak to my heart.



Anyway, as we were leaving I saw 2 men in a van as we walked past and one of them was indeed Alex Honnold. I was totally star struck and went up to his window to tell him I was a big fan and could I get a photo. He gladly obliged and mentioned he had just climbed a 1/3 of El Cap this morning and was going over to Cathedral Rocks to play for the afternoon.



Yosemite has won over all of them and meeting a legend was icing on the cake. (Don’t worry Ma, I wont be following suit anytime soon J)

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