Route: Sequoia NP-Fresno-Yosemite NP-Groveland
As the crow flies Yosemite and Sequoia NP are not far apart, but by road we need to travel via Fresno and its suburbs that sprawl for miles, meaning we only arrive at about 4. We have learnt to take a chance, even when the campsites indicate full, and our gamble pays off. A cancellation, at Wawona. We pay the fee & immediately head out to explore the Yosemite Valley, 25 miles up the road, knowing that we are unlikely to get lucky again tomorrow, we need to take advantage of every minute, especially as it’s the weekend.
Yosemite Valley was carved eons ago by glacial action, giving the short, 7 mile long valley its characteristic U shape. There has been particularly heavy snow falls this winter, so we get to see Yosemite at its breathtaking best. Waterfalls cascade from the sheer granite cliffs to the lush green valley floor interspersed with a myriad of spring blooms. The icy water swelling the fast flowing, crystal clear Merced River, that flows through the park. We walk to the base of the Bridal Veil Falls, the plummeting water causing a draft of fine mist that soaks us all, as we stand and admire the beauty. We drive by Half Dome and stand in awe of the 3593 foot sheer granite rock face of El Capitan, the rock climbers Everest.
But one plume of white, mist like water seems to plunge even further than all the others, Yosemite Falls. We had read about the extremely strenuous 12.6 km trial that takes you to a point just above where the waters of Yosemite Creek drops 739m in 3 sections to valley………………..we have to do it.
We set our alarm for 04:45, we want to make sure we are one of the first on the trail. Road works can cause delays of an hour along the winding road to the valley so we need to get going. From the car park we scan the sheer granite walls, wondering how on earth are we going to get to the top, only one way to find out………
To say the path is steep is an understatement. Along the way we stop to catch our breath, when out of the undergrowth steps a Bobcat, a mere 3 meters from where we stood. We had ample opportunity to admire this rarely seen cat as he slowly moves away, scent marking as he goes.
As captured on my phone....thats all I had.
For those who do not know a Bobcat, this is from the internet.
The first ascent takes you to where the top falls finally hit the rocks, after falling 436 meters. We climb ever higher, until finally 2700 feet higher than where we started, we are standing only meters from where the river cascades into the abyss. Not being one for heights, it takes all Lorna’s powers of persuasion to get me to continue on the narrow path, white knuckles gripping the steel balustrade, to the overhanging rock. From here you are standing metres above the boiling water, just above were it plunges to earth.
It has to be one of the most spectacular, adrenaline packed sights I have ever seen in my life. 6 hours later we eat our ‘saarmies’ and stare up to the falls, wondering, “how did we get up there”.
We are glad to escape the hoards of visitors that descend on Yosemite everyday, but we leave knowing that Yosemite has a special place in our hearts.
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