Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park 

established October 1, 1890...

When was the last time you went to Yosemite? It's only three and a half hours from our home in the Bay Area, so we finally made a trip there last weekend with the gang. What a wonderful place to spend a few days. We had fabulous weather: clouds, rain, mist, light winds, and brilliant sunshine...but the soft, warm autumn temperatures kept us outdoors where we hiked the gentle trails, viewed the scenic wonders, watched crazy rock climbers, strolled around the village, visited the information center, ate, drank, and shot off a ton of photos. At night we returned to our spacious rooms at the Yosemite View Lodge, which is only about 20 minutes outside the park in the tiny community of El Portal. Once back at the lodge, we soaked in the steaming hottubs, devoured far too much pizza, and partied until the wee hours in the Carlson's suite. All in all, it was the perfect weekend getaway in one of the most beautiful parks in the world. Take a look at what we saw... 

View from our room at the Yosemite View Lodge in El Portal...

Our hotel room at Yosemite View Lodge...

The road to the park...

The Ahwahnee Hotel...at $469/night... a little out of our price range...

Stained glass lamp in the Ahwahnee Hotel...

Fence and fall colors in the valley...

Sequoia trees near the Ahwahnee Hotel grounds...

Towering trees...

One of the many golden meadows in the valley...

Mist rising around granite cliffs...

The face of El Capitan...

Dry river bed near Yosemite Falls...

Lower Yosemite Falls...where we climbed around...

The gang near Lower Yosemite Falls...

The Chapel...

Autumn trees...

The boys goofing around...

The sheer face of El Capitan...

Spotting the insane rock climbers of El Capitan...

El Capitan and blue skies...

View from the valley floor...

Half Dome...

Strolling along the valley...

Glacier Point...

Awesome view of Half Dome...

Z on the edge...

Yosemite views from Glacier Point...

Park views from Glacier Point...

View from the ecology house...

Yosemite National Park...

What a place to spend the weekend...

Our parting shot of the valley...