Yosemite National Park

     For four days we visited Yosemite National Park. Our campground is in the town of Oakhurst, CA. While it is about 15 miles (via winding road) to the south gate of Yosemite, it takes us 1 1/2 hours to make the drive into Yosemite Valley! We thought of staying in the park, but even now all the campgrounds are booked! Wow, who knew??

     There is really not much to see on the drive in. There are several trailheads but we weren't interested in taking any of them. Going in to the Valley you are met with the icons that Yosemite is known for:  El Capitan, Yosemite Falls, and Half Dome.

Yosemite Falls

El Capitan

Half Dome

     El Capitan is "Ground Zero" for the hard core rock climber. We could only see one climber on our visit.

You couldn't even see the climber without binoculars 

Close up that shows the climber and his gear on the face!

     We decided to hike to Vernal Fall. The guidebook called it a "moderate" hike. Well, it seemed like it was straight uphill for 1 1/2 miles!! While a nice wide trail up to a bridge observation point, it was pretty strenuous. We stopped at the bottom of the fall and were soaked by the spray. I decided to brave the narrow granite steps for the last stretch. It was pretty challenging for someone who hasn't really trained for it. Taking frequent stops, I finally braved the final narrow pathway and arrived at the top of the falls!

Vernal Fall from the base

The beginning of the steps to the top

The last narrow approach to the top

Not nearly as impressive from the top!

Stellar's Jay visiting Barb

A rainbow greeted me on the way back down!

This water was snow just not too long ago and it IS COLD!

Snow Blower on steroids!!

     On another day we hiked out to Glacier Point. From here you can see a spectacular vista of the Yosemite Village and Vernal and Nevada Falls.

     The day before this picture, I hiked to the top of Vernal Fall. It took me a couple of hours to get there. There was another continuing trail that went further up to Nevada Falls. In the above photo (from Glacier Point) you can see how much further that hike was! Still, it was a breathtaking vista.

     We had a visitor from Germany volunteer to take our picture with Half Dome in the background. He took several shots from different angles. This is my favorite one.

     Side note... We have seen several of these camper vans in campgrounds. It has a kitchen, beds, storage, and can drive about anywhere you might want to go. You can hook it up at a campground, raise up the top (which provides a bed for some adventurous soul), and be relatively comfortable. Only in California and Nevada, and some international countries, it may spread and catch on across the country for the tourist on a budget.

This guy came up to see what we were up to. 

A Sequoia pine cone. Seed is about the size of an oat flake.

The tree next to me is a young Sequoia. Probably 50-80 years old!

And they get like this after 2,500-3,000 years. 

   

     Got this from the internet. Circa 1962 this was the Wawona Sequoia. You could drive through it and be amazed. Well, while this cutout of the tree was done about 80 years earlier, it weakened the tree and in 1969 the tree collapsed and fell.

     This is what the Wawona tree looks like now. It takes a lot of imagination to see it as it was. 

This is called the Clothespin Tree. 

     On the third day, we took the shuttle to Mariposa Grove. This hike took us to see the Sequoia grove in Yosemite. The photos above came from that hike. Upon returning to the shuttle stop, we took a quick tour of the Pioneer Village. Here they have displayed several old wagons that were used by tourists and park protectors during the late 19th and early 20th century.

     Imagine riding in this for two days, over rutted and rocky trails in order to get to the Yosemite Village!!

     Above is an old "Chuck Wagon". 

     There were several cabins and residences that were used throughout the history of the park and have been moved and restored. It was quite fascinating. 

     We now will make the trek a little further west and north and will soon visit Redwoods National Park. It will take a couple of days but should provide some great scenery.

Sequoia National Park 2015

After Leaving Grand Canyon NP, we stopped at a little RV Park in Needles, CA and then on to a really nice park in Bakersfield, CA. The park in Needles was right on the Colorado River and featured great access to the river and a couple of beaches from which to enjoy the view. The park in Bakersfield was very unique. It was situated in the middle of an orange grove! On either side of the RV was an orange tree. We were just in time to pick some of the fruit. Also nearby was a fruit and nut outlet where we could buy a staggering variety of almonds, cashews, and pistachio’s along with oranges and citrus products. The park was very clean, well organized, and very friendly. We really enjoyed it. 

We left Bakersfield and took a short hop to the town of Three Rivers, CA. Here we stayed in a little RV park just outside of the south entrance to Sequoia National Park. We were reminded just how small a world we live in. Seems the manager of the park used to live in Wichita, KS and worked a short time for Boeing. It was a little before my time there but he was nice and gave us five days' stay for the price of four, just for our shared history. Nice guy! 

We started in to the park but soon found out that a winter storm had blown through the night before and chains were required for all folks traveling in the park beyond a certain point. Well we don’t make it a habit to carry chains or to be in a place where we need to use them. We could rent some from stores in Three Rivers for the “small” sum of $50 per day with a $100 deposit!!! We made a short stop at the visitors center for some information then headed back to the RV park for the night.

King's Canyon (small part of it!)

There are two separate but joined National Parks in the area. One is Sequoia, the other is Kings Canyon. We decided to take the day and explore Kings Canyon and see what it had to offer. We left the RV park and 1 1/2 hours later we arrived at the front gate! Didn’t expect that. We checked in with the Visitor's Center and the roads had been cleared and the requirement for chains was no longer in effect. We were free to drive about the park! The first thing we noticed was the dramatic drop in temperature. It was upper 60’s when we left, and here it was mid 40’s (glad we packed the jackets!). The road between the two parks is called the General's Highway. It gets its name from the two world record Sequoia’s that are linked by it. One is General Grant, which is one of the largest living trees in the world, located in Kings Canyon. The other is General Sherman, which is the world's largest tree by volume and weight, and is located in Sequoia NP. The immensity of the Sequoia is difficult to imagine if you haven’t seen one. These trees only grow between an altitude of 5,000 and 7,000 feet on the west side of the Sierra mountain range. Yet again on this trip, I am astounded and humbled by the grandeur and majesty of nature’s creations. The General Grant is 40 feet in diameter and is the 3rd largest tree in the world by volume. We then took the North Grove Loop hike. This is a nice 1 1/2 mile trail that gets you up close and personal with the “Big Trees” and a bonus quiet walk in the forest. So many tourists just drive up, look at Grant, then move on. While impressive, you can’t get very close to touch or look closely at it. On the Loop hike you can. We were the only ones on the trail and it was like we were totally alone in the woods with these silent giants. As we neared the end of our hike, the clouds began to roll in and the fog shrouded the forest. It was soooo cool!!

The fog rolls in.

Just the base of a fallen Sequoia!

The General Grant (and LTC Cunningham)

A perspective... Just how BIG these trees are!

We left General Grant and headed up the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway. It has that name for a reason. The views of the mountains, forests, rivers, and falls was different and surprising around every corner. We left the fog and clouds and were greeted by clear skies and awesome views. Again, pictures can’t come close to doing it justice. We seemed to stop at every turnout on the road yet saw something different each time. Stopping and getting out of the car allowed you to hear the wind in the canyon, the sound of water rushing over the rocks in the river bed far below, the cries of the birds as they circled above you. You could look at the different formations, colors, and consistencies in the rocks around you. It was amazing. By the time we finally got home, we were exhausted but consider the day a great success. 

Look at the ripples in this rock face!!

Grizzly Falls

More Kings Canyon

The next day dawned bright and sunny. We entered Sequoia and drove along the Generals Highway towards Moro Rock and Crescent Meadow. Moro Rock is a granite dome that dominates the landscape. By taking a 1/4 mile staircase that winds up 300 feet you are greeted with spectacular views of the surrounding mountains. 

Moro Rock (from a distance)

Some of the steps up Moro Rock.

From the top of Moro

Precariously perched boulders

General Sherman Sequoia

Crescent Meadow was a 1 mile hike around a fragile wetland surrounded by the large Sequoia groves. Along the route was Thorpe’s Log, a cabin built inside of a fallen Sequoia in 1860 and inhabited by a rancher until the Park was established in 1890. While on the hike, we came across a Grizzly sow and her cub. We were probably closer than those in the forest service would like us to be so we took some pictures and carefully hiked around the bears heading back to our car. We finally made it to the General Sherman tree trail and took the 1/2 mile trail down to the tree. This tree is 36.5 feet in diameter at the base and still growing. It is approximately 2,200 years old. 

Thorpe's Log

A small part of Crescent Meadow

Mama Bear

and Baby Bear

     After all of the hiking we must have frazzled our brains. We spent the next day doing some generic housekeeping and then left for our next stop, Yosemite National Park, the day following. Well, it seems that we had our dates mixed up and we left Sequoia a day early! Luckily for us our campsite near Yosemite was not crowded and they could accommodate our early arrival and the addition of one day to our stay. First time we have EVER done that! Guess we're having too much fun to be concerned with what day of the week it is!!

Grand Canyon National Park

     After leaving Carlsbad, the original plan called for us to go to a place called Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs. Here they have a hot mineral spring pool that is accessible to guests from the attached hotel and campground. Unfortunately, Mother Nature intervened and delivered a lot of wind, cold, and potential snow to the area. Because of that, we decided to miss out on the hot springs and head on towards the next planned stop... Grand Canyon National Park (GCNP). We stopped halfway there and spent the afternoon and evening in the Albuquerque Flying J parking lot due to some severe crosswinds. Our rig, along with all of the 18 wheelers along I-40, was getting tossed all over the road. Rather than "white knuckle" the drive for another four hours we pulled over to wait it out. The next morning dawned crisp and cool but relatively wind free. We easily made the drive into the town of Tusayan (which is just outside of the south gate entrance to GCNP) and checked in to a small but convenient RV park.

     As it turns out, this weekend is a free admission to the National Parks. What timing for us (said sarcastically!). We have an Annual Pass and expected to be met with small, early season crowds. But nooooooooo! Lucky for us the visiting public aren't very early risers. We were in the park by 8:30 am or so and found great parking near the Visitors Center and shuttle stop.

     But first, a little background... About 18 years ago we took the kids on a western National Park vacation that included Grand Canyon, Bryce, and Zion National Parks. We stayed in a pop-up camper in the park at their campground known as Trailer Village. At that time time, you could drive the entire south rim, stopping at any point of interest that you wanted to see or to hike along the rim trail. We also took a jaunt down part of Bright Angel Trail, a hike which our daughter holds against us to this day.

     Fast forward to today. The 7.8 miles of highway from Bright Angel Lodge and trailhead to Hermit's Rest is now only accessible by park shuttle from March 1 through November 30. Other shuttle stops have been added at various points of interest all along the south rim trail. You can park in the parking lots and ride the shuttle to the point you wish to visit, stay as long as you like, then catch the next shuttle. It is really quite efficient and effective. We chose to hike the rim trail. This trail, as the name implies, follows the rim of the canyon for almost 11 miles. On the first day we walked from the main Visitors Center to Mather point, a place everyone goes to for photos and to get their first view of the canyon. We continued walking from there to the South Kaibab Trailhead. A distance of about 3.75 miles. We stopped frequently along the way and soaked up the natural beauty that is the Grand Canyon. Luck was with us as there were clear blue skies, warm temperatures, light breezes, and very little polution to spoil our view. Once at the Trailhead, we took the shuttle to Yaki Point (the only way to get there). After sitting along the rim and watching nature at its finest, we loaded up on the shuttle and made the return trip to the Visitors Center.

As the name implies, the Rim Trail is along the rim! 

An interesting rock formation. Bet in not too many geologic years, it falls off.

Nature inspired awe! 

This young elk was right beside the trail. We walked by within 3 feet and she could have cared less.

The Mules of the Grand Canyon can be hired to take you down South Kaibab trail.  Here the "Mule Whisperer" gives a massage and encouragement to a recent returnee.

     Day 2 we took a different approach. Arriving early, we first took the shuttle out to Hermits Rest. We started our hike from there, thus being ahead of the crowds and working our way backwards. At Hermits Rest, there is a little Gift shop/Snack Bar that once was a stop for visitors around the turn of the 20th Century. The building is designed to look like it sprung out of the surrounding rocks and sports a very impressive fireplace (see the photo below).

     The views this day were just as impressive, if not more so, than those of Day 1. Along this trek you actually could see some of the Colorado River winding its way along almost a mile below.

Again, Rim Trail means on the Rim. (Granted I am a little bit off of the main trail but not by much!) 

We made it all the way!!

     As we neared the end of our chosen trail, the last 1.5 miles or so were mostly downhill. This was great as our poor feet were quite worn out. We also noticed that the views were not as spectacular and the trail was more crowded. This actually validated our decision to start at Hermits Rest. Had we not, our first 1.5 miles would have been mostly uphill and the views, while interesting, would not have been awe inspiring.

     At the conclusion of the hike, we stopped in "The Village", where the lodging, shopping, campgrounds, and railway station are located. Here we found the Pizza Pub inside of Maswik Lodge. We both had one of the best pizzas we have had and it really hit the spot! Refueled and refreshed (kind of) we set out on our next objective. Taking the shuttle to Yaki Point and waiting out the sunset. Here a small group of intrepid adventurers sit and chat, taking in the splendor and ever-changing colors of the canyon as the sun sinks slowly to the western horizon. During the last moments of sunset you can actually see the sun moving as it slips out of sight. Upon its departure, the assembled crowd broke into spontaneous applause. It was awesome!

     Day 3 saw us driving from Yaki Point out to the eastern end of the park along the Desert View Drive. Today was much more leisurely and we met some really neat folks along the way. At the Tusayan Museum, we met a couple of gentlemen from France here on vacation. Turns out one of them lives in Normandy just behind Omaha Beach. Misty went with us today and she soaked up several long belly rubs from these two guys. We met a retired couple at Grandview Point. He was wearing a hat with the "Screaming Eagle" emblem of the 101st Airborne Division. He was a proud former member and we exchanged a couple of "war stories." As so often happens to us, they asked us to take a picture of them with their camera. We obliged with one, then they asked for another. They said that they alway take two photos at each National Park they visit, one regular shot and one "kissing shot." It was very sweet. Once out at Desert View we took a tour of the Watchtower and headed back to our campground.

The Desert View Watchtower. Designed by the same lady who designed Hermits Rest. 

     After some housekeeping, we went back into the park and drove out to Grandview Point just before sunset. We weren't as much interested in the sunset tonight as we were in stargazing. While waiting for sunset, we chatted with a couple from Romania who were here on vacation. They were very friendly and we shared experiences from each of our countries. In the end, we exchanged contact information and if (or when) we ever go to visit Eastern Europe, they will give us some good local tips and hints. That's the really great thing about this traveling we do. Not only do we get to see unbelievable views and vistas, but we meet people from all around the world and get to know them (if only for a short while). Tomorrow, we pack up and continue our journey westward!

Sun beginning to set

What a display of color!

Crescent Moon and Venus in the Twilight

Count the stars... I dare you!