Early pack up to head to my third campground in three days, but can’t check in til 12 so I will be swinging by some of the other walks and hikes on the way through. First stop Glacier Point which is probably my favourite Yosemite location.
The views across the valley are breathtaking and while early morning isn’t the ideal time for photos, still got some great camera shots. I also love that this area had previously been very commercialised with a large lodge and a restaurant built up there, that really obscured the views (especially if you weren’t a customer). When both buildings burned to the ground one night, the NPS decided to restore the area and it now has an accessible pathway to the point and educational signage and a small pavilion that only opens during summer as the road are closed in winter.
The same thoughts have gone into many redevelopments in other parts of the park. In Mariposa Grove they removed concrete pathways as it was damaging to the sequoia root systems and numbers in certain parks are capped to meet sustainability targets.
Next stop Tunnel View where you get the best views of the “big ticket” names in the Valley. The Sentinel, Half Dome and El Capitan all in one shot. If you haven’t seen the movie Free Solo, go watch it. It will give you an idea of what El Capitan looks like up close and personal.
Bridalveil falls was next stop and then onto the campground. The host was friendly and informed me that my site tonight was right on the edge of the forest, which I’m sure she meant as a good thing but of course I worried about the bear factor as she mentioned there had been a few sighted recently.
Couldn’t set up much as I was heading out in the car again so I walked the mile back to Curry Village to get some supplies and then got the togs on and went for a swim in the river (day 2 of no showers so you rinse off in whatever way possible) and then a quick. A quick nap followed as I was driving out of the park for dinner.
The drive took me back to Wawona and then through to the Sugar Pine Mountain Railroad, where I had a go at gold panning (and was rewarded with a few flecks of gold in a bottle to take home). BBQ dinner next with grilled chicken, beans and slaw with fresh baked bread and a bread pudding for dessert and cool lemonade to whet the whistle. During dinner they had a quartet playing songs and telling stories, and then we jumped on board the steam engine and rode around where the lumber company used to operate. A stop halfway led to an amphitheater where there was a sing-a-long and then back on the train to our starting point.
The hour and a quarter journey to camp was non-eventful, thankfully as I was worried about the lights in my car as they weren’t particularly bright. I was also concerned about hitting a bear as they are active at night. There are six red bear signs on the road I drove that night, each one depicting a bear that has been hit and killed by a car speeding. I did not want to be a contributor to that number (or drive over the side of the mountain), so took it nice and easy.
Last night in Yosemite - tomorrow we discover Sequoia.
Very adventurous - but not me😀
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