Yosemite Trip Report (July '02) - Consolidated
Jul 10th, 2002, 05:01 AM
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Yosemite Trip Report (July '02) - Consolidated
Sorry folks... it didn't occur to me to simply post the 2nd and 3rd parts as replies. Here it is again in one thread -John
My wife and I drove into Yosemite on 7/1 from the Bay Area on Rt. 120 in the morning. It was about a 4 hour drive but the scenery was interesting so it wasn’t too bad. We stopped for gas just before entering the park since there is no gas available in Yosemite Valley and got to the park entrance about noon. There were only a few cars in line so it took just about 3 or 4 min to pay our $20 and motor on in. Our first stop was the small Toulumne grove of Giant Sequoias. We hiked the 2 miles or so to the turnaround spot admiring the Giant Sequoias along the way. The hike was nice, a pleasant woody setting, but it was hot (95 degrees) and there weren’t more than 8 or 9 big Sequoias to see. It took about 90 min to casually stroll this hike and then we headed down to the Yosemite Valley.
The views upon entering the valley are amazing… stone walls stretching thousand of feet above you on every side, waterfalls, rivers, etc. Quite stunning upon first sight. El Capitan, Bridalveil Falls, Yosemite Falls and Half Dome all are prominent features on the drive in. We were booked with a “standard” room at the Yosemite Lodge meaning no balcony or patio. It was a decent room… a little dingy and slightly worse for wear but mostly clean and yes, we had our own bathroom, thankfully. The room was quite hot the first day and night but we had 3 fans so it was manageable. The next two days were cooler and the room was fine. The Lodge turned out to be a good place… somewhat crowded but well laid out, decent food available both in the Mountain View restaurant and the cafeteria. The general store was also good with all the staples available and not too overpriced.
That afternoon of the first day we drove back out of the valley and took the Glacier Point road to go see Glacier Point. We stopped a couple of miles from Glacier Point and hiked out to Taft Point… wow! Taft Point is a ledge that actually overhangs the valley floor over 3000 feet below so you get the feeling you are standing out in space. Amazing views abound and the hike was easy, only something like 3 miles round trip. It was very empty… we only saw a few fellow hikers on the way and only 2 or 3 folks once we got to Taft Point. There are also fissures in the area that go down a couple of hundred feet and are pretty cool. Passing through a meadow on the way back to the car we were swarmed by mosquitoes. There were 10 or 12 on me in a matter of seconds but we quickly discouraged them with some well aimed shots of bug spray. We then drove on to Glacier Point which was quite crowded but does offer stunning views of the valley floor, Half Dome and Vernal Falls/Nevada Falls. The paths there are wheelchair accessible and short so the place was packed with everyone and their grandmother but it was worth it to see.
My wife and I drove into Yosemite on 7/1 from the Bay Area on Rt. 120 in the morning. It was about a 4 hour drive but the scenery was interesting so it wasn’t too bad. We stopped for gas just before entering the park since there is no gas available in Yosemite Valley and got to the park entrance about noon. There were only a few cars in line so it took just about 3 or 4 min to pay our $20 and motor on in. Our first stop was the small Toulumne grove of Giant Sequoias. We hiked the 2 miles or so to the turnaround spot admiring the Giant Sequoias along the way. The hike was nice, a pleasant woody setting, but it was hot (95 degrees) and there weren’t more than 8 or 9 big Sequoias to see. It took about 90 min to casually stroll this hike and then we headed down to the Yosemite Valley.
The views upon entering the valley are amazing… stone walls stretching thousand of feet above you on every side, waterfalls, rivers, etc. Quite stunning upon first sight. El Capitan, Bridalveil Falls, Yosemite Falls and Half Dome all are prominent features on the drive in. We were booked with a “standard” room at the Yosemite Lodge meaning no balcony or patio. It was a decent room… a little dingy and slightly worse for wear but mostly clean and yes, we had our own bathroom, thankfully. The room was quite hot the first day and night but we had 3 fans so it was manageable. The next two days were cooler and the room was fine. The Lodge turned out to be a good place… somewhat crowded but well laid out, decent food available both in the Mountain View restaurant and the cafeteria. The general store was also good with all the staples available and not too overpriced.
That afternoon of the first day we drove back out of the valley and took the Glacier Point road to go see Glacier Point. We stopped a couple of miles from Glacier Point and hiked out to Taft Point… wow! Taft Point is a ledge that actually overhangs the valley floor over 3000 feet below so you get the feeling you are standing out in space. Amazing views abound and the hike was easy, only something like 3 miles round trip. It was very empty… we only saw a few fellow hikers on the way and only 2 or 3 folks once we got to Taft Point. There are also fissures in the area that go down a couple of hundred feet and are pretty cool. Passing through a meadow on the way back to the car we were swarmed by mosquitoes. There were 10 or 12 on me in a matter of seconds but we quickly discouraged them with some well aimed shots of bug spray. We then drove on to Glacier Point which was quite crowded but does offer stunning views of the valley floor, Half Dome and Vernal Falls/Nevada Falls. The paths there are wheelchair accessible and short so the place was packed with everyone and their grandmother but it was worth it to see.
Jul 10th, 2002, 05:02 AM
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Part 2
The next morning we took the shuttle bus to the trailhead for Vernal Falls. Quickly outdistancing most of our fellow early morning hikers we made our way to the Vernal Falls Bridge and then up the Mist Trail. This was a pretty tough hike with lots of stone stairs that zigzag up a cliff on the right side of Vernal Falls. The falls was still strong enough that there was a fair amount of mist falling on us as we made the ascent. Since it was a pretty warm day, it was welcome cool respite. The view from the top is great and the pool at the lip of the falls looked inviting but not wishing to be swept over the edge we didn’t swim. After a 20 min break we made our way to the Nevada Falls portion of the hike. Again, pretty steep with stone stairs, this time on the left of the falls along the base of Liberty Dome. As we ascended smoke began to engulf us and looking back the whole valley was filled with it. We had visions of reaching the top to find it in flames but after a while the smoke cleared and we never did see any evidence of the fire. Finally reaching the top we were again rewarded with great views and a dramatic vantage point from a spot directly on the lip of the falls. Nevada Falls is narrower than Vernal Falls so the water rushing through is more impressive. We had lunch in a quiet spot a little ways up the river and relaxed for an hour or two, then made our way back down to the valley floor along the John Muir Trail. While not as physically tiring as the hike up, the 3.5 miles of walking downhill took a toll on our feet and knees. Picturesque views of Nevada Falls dominate the first part of the descent and the rest is basically a quiet walk (downhill) in the woods.
The next morning we took the shuttle bus to the trailhead for Vernal Falls. Quickly outdistancing most of our fellow early morning hikers we made our way to the Vernal Falls Bridge and then up the Mist Trail. This was a pretty tough hike with lots of stone stairs that zigzag up a cliff on the right side of Vernal Falls. The falls was still strong enough that there was a fair amount of mist falling on us as we made the ascent. Since it was a pretty warm day, it was welcome cool respite. The view from the top is great and the pool at the lip of the falls looked inviting but not wishing to be swept over the edge we didn’t swim. After a 20 min break we made our way to the Nevada Falls portion of the hike. Again, pretty steep with stone stairs, this time on the left of the falls along the base of Liberty Dome. As we ascended smoke began to engulf us and looking back the whole valley was filled with it. We had visions of reaching the top to find it in flames but after a while the smoke cleared and we never did see any evidence of the fire. Finally reaching the top we were again rewarded with great views and a dramatic vantage point from a spot directly on the lip of the falls. Nevada Falls is narrower than Vernal Falls so the water rushing through is more impressive. We had lunch in a quiet spot a little ways up the river and relaxed for an hour or two, then made our way back down to the valley floor along the John Muir Trail. While not as physically tiring as the hike up, the 3.5 miles of walking downhill took a toll on our feet and knees. Picturesque views of Nevada Falls dominate the first part of the descent and the rest is basically a quiet walk (downhill) in the woods.
Jul 10th, 2002, 05:04 AM
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Part 3
Day three took us to the Toulumne Meadows section of the park. It is a pretty long drive from the valley… an hour or so along a twisting two lane road. We drove all the way to the Tiogo Pass eastern entrance of the park where there is a trailhead for Gaylor Lakes. This trail starts at over 9000’ elevation so the air was thinner than we were acclimated to. The hike immediately takes you up at least another 500 feet along a series of switchbacks that had us gasping for breath and resting frequently. Eventually the trail gets up to over 10,000 feet and it was somewhat chill at that elevation but I was fine in just shorts and a t-shirt. Crossing over the ridge provided a beautiful view of Middle Gaylor Lake surrounded by alpine meadows. The trail led down to the lake and around the rim to a stream which flows from Upper Gaylor Lake. We found the upper lake surrounded by snow which we had to hike through to continue on the trail. It certainly was odd to be slipping and sliding in the snow in July, and as you might imagine the lake water was really cold. The trail continued up another couple of hundred feet to the old abandoned Great Sierra Gold Mine which consists of half collapsed piled-rock buildings from the 1870’s and a couple of dangerous looking mine entrances. We spent an hour or so exploring and then headed down. On the way back to the valley we stopped in Toulumne Meadows and walked to the Soda Springs which were sort of disappointing. We then found a quiet spot on the Toulumne River and kicked back for a couple of hours watching the birds flying around and watching the trout leaping out of the river to catch flies. Very beautiful setting and very relaxing. We returned to the valley and had a nice if somewhat expensive dinner at the Mountain View restaurant at the Lodge and admired the view of Yosemite Falls. We left the park the next day and headed back to the Bay Area.
In summary, Yosemite is beautiful, breathtaking, awesome and amazing. It is also crowded… if you stay on the valley floor. When we left the valley to hike or drive elsewhere, the crowds disappeared and peace and solitude reigned. It was a great trip and I’d love to go back and see more of the park that we couldn’t get to this time around.
Day three took us to the Toulumne Meadows section of the park. It is a pretty long drive from the valley… an hour or so along a twisting two lane road. We drove all the way to the Tiogo Pass eastern entrance of the park where there is a trailhead for Gaylor Lakes. This trail starts at over 9000’ elevation so the air was thinner than we were acclimated to. The hike immediately takes you up at least another 500 feet along a series of switchbacks that had us gasping for breath and resting frequently. Eventually the trail gets up to over 10,000 feet and it was somewhat chill at that elevation but I was fine in just shorts and a t-shirt. Crossing over the ridge provided a beautiful view of Middle Gaylor Lake surrounded by alpine meadows. The trail led down to the lake and around the rim to a stream which flows from Upper Gaylor Lake. We found the upper lake surrounded by snow which we had to hike through to continue on the trail. It certainly was odd to be slipping and sliding in the snow in July, and as you might imagine the lake water was really cold. The trail continued up another couple of hundred feet to the old abandoned Great Sierra Gold Mine which consists of half collapsed piled-rock buildings from the 1870’s and a couple of dangerous looking mine entrances. We spent an hour or so exploring and then headed down. On the way back to the valley we stopped in Toulumne Meadows and walked to the Soda Springs which were sort of disappointing. We then found a quiet spot on the Toulumne River and kicked back for a couple of hours watching the birds flying around and watching the trout leaping out of the river to catch flies. Very beautiful setting and very relaxing. We returned to the valley and had a nice if somewhat expensive dinner at the Mountain View restaurant at the Lodge and admired the view of Yosemite Falls. We left the park the next day and headed back to the Bay Area.
In summary, Yosemite is beautiful, breathtaking, awesome and amazing. It is also crowded… if you stay on the valley floor. When we left the valley to hike or drive elsewhere, the crowds disappeared and peace and solitude reigned. It was a great trip and I’d love to go back and see more of the park that we couldn’t get to this time around.
Jul 10th, 2002, 05:48 AM
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Hi John R, we did a similar trip in Yosemite. But we did not hike to Nevada Falls, just did the John Muir trail back from Vernal falls. It was very warm and there was lots of "mule droppings" along the trail(made the flies swarm like crazy). Did you do Sentinal Dome? We had a fabulous view with a great lunch...it was one of the many highlights of Yosemite.
I think Yosemite is a magical and mystical place. I LOVED it! God, what a place!
You were fortunate that you stayed in the valley, we could not get in and I kept on trying!
Judy
I think Yosemite is a magical and mystical place. I LOVED it! God, what a place!
You were fortunate that you stayed in the valley, we could not get in and I kept on trying!
Judy
Jul 17th, 2002, 04:55 PM
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John and anyone else wishing to respond: How does Yosemite compare to Yellowstone? From pictures I have seen, they seem like they might be similar.
I have seen Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon's North & South rims, and all of the National Parks of Utah. I have never been to California.
Should Yosemite be the next national park on my list?
I have seen Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon's North & South rims, and all of the National Parks of Utah. I have never been to California.
Should Yosemite be the next national park on my list?
Jul 17th, 2002, 05:34 PM
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Hi Carol! I've been to both parks to many times to count, so I would say "no" they are not very similar at all.
Yellowstone has all the geothermal features, grizz, wolves, a gigantic lake & is mostly forest land with a huge, powerful river & narrow canyon thrown in.
Yosemite is a deep, glacier-carved valley plus high alpine meadows/lakes above in Toulumne. Yosemite is famous for hordes of mosquitos around July 4th. Don't ever go backpacking up high during July 4th holidays. You'll be sucked dry! Yosemite has the granite domes & faces like Half Dome = lots of climbers.
Both parks are 2 of the most popular are can be extremely crowded. But, only around the main sights. If you take a hike longer than a mile, you'll be pretty much alone!
Do see Yosemite - spring, fall, non-holidays.
Yellowstone has all the geothermal features, grizz, wolves, a gigantic lake & is mostly forest land with a huge, powerful river & narrow canyon thrown in.
Yosemite is a deep, glacier-carved valley plus high alpine meadows/lakes above in Toulumne. Yosemite is famous for hordes of mosquitos around July 4th. Don't ever go backpacking up high during July 4th holidays. You'll be sucked dry! Yosemite has the granite domes & faces like Half Dome = lots of climbers.
Both parks are 2 of the most popular are can be extremely crowded. But, only around the main sights. If you take a hike longer than a mile, you'll be pretty much alone!
Do see Yosemite - spring, fall, non-holidays.
