Saturday, May 22, 2010

Yosemite National Park

I made it back to Yosemite before the summer heat and crowds set in. What a perfect time to arrive: great weather, snow capped mountains, and waterfalls flowing at their peak. My hiking buddy and I used the pleasant Yosemite View Lodge in El Portal as our home base and spent three glorious days exploring the park.

The Yosemite View Lodge offers convenient, comfortable,
and clean lodging just a few miles
from the Arch Rock Entrance...


As soon as we dropped our stuff off in our room,
we headed into the park...

The Volvo is still going strong...

First stop...Bridalveil Fall...



Here's looking the other direction across the valley
at Ribbon Fall...

Skyviews...

Biking is a great way to get around...

Wonder if those two guys knew who was behind them...

The picturesque Chapel...

Sentinel Bridge...

Yosemite Falls...


That's me with Half Dome...

Half Dome - it wasn't open yet to climbers...

One of the meadows near the Chapel...



Watching the climbers scale El Capitan is a fun pasttime...

Those little dark specks are the crazy rock climbers...

El Capitan - 7,569 ft...



Looking toward Bridalveil Fall and the Cathedral Rocks...

Photographers waiting along the Merced River
for just the right shot...

The next morning we hiked up to
Vernal Fall and the Emerald Pool...


Vernal Fall...


Lots of mist from the falls...




The view from the top of the fall is well worth it...

Emerald Pool...

Looking back down the trail...



Dogwood in bloom along Tenaya Creek...

We took another hike to Mirror Lake...

The next morning we headed to Wawona and
stopped at the Tunnel Viewpoint...



Wawona Hotel...





We had enough energy left for one more hike
up to Mariposa Grove to see the giant Sequoias...




That's me and my hiking buddy...

Yosemite is always a fun adventure with terrific hiking trails. If you'd like, check out my photos from my visit during the autumn.

7 comments:

Cheryl Ann said...

Oooohhhh...You are SO making me want to return to Yosemite! Very pretty pics. We went last June and then again in August. The waterfalls were still running in June, but by August, they had dried up.

LadyRider said...

Your photos are fabulous. I loved the Ribbon Falls pic, especially.
I visited Yosemite when I was 5 years old, but didn't get there when I lived there as an adult. I am going to make it a goal to go there again. Thank you for the gorgeous pictorial.

Martha Z said...

This is a wonderful series, Linnea, a great job of showing the wonders of Yosemite. You braved the mist on the Mist Trail, no way I could get Hubby to do that, he thinks it's too wet this time of year.

Anonymous said...

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giorno26 ¸¸.•*¨*•. said...

Hi,
bellissimo questo parco...
da visitare, da godere...
Una meraviglia per gli occhi !!!
:-)

Unknown said...

Linn,
Some of the finest shots of Yosemite I have seen! You are a master of landscape photography, and I am in awe of your talent!
Norman

Girl Tornado said...

Just stunning... I haven't got to Yosemite yet. My brother and sister have been there multiple times, since they live in CA. Yellowstone is one of my favs, and I've been there at least 4 times.

Next time I visit my sister I've got to get to Yosemite!!! :-)