Yosemite Valley!

We were here at Park Sierra last in April 2009, and that is when we last went to Yosemite. Google Maps suggests that it is about 60 miles to Yosemite Village from Park Sierra, a drive that should take an hour and forty minutes. Boy is that algorithm wrong! We left here at 8:00 a.m. and parked in Yosemite Valley at 10:30 a.m. Driving home in the dark took even longer. Much of the route is up and down mountains and around tight curves next to extreme dropoffs, not a comfortable route for us to be trying to beat any speed records.

But spending the day in Yosemite Valley was definitely worth the time and stress. As usual, we were awed by the majesty and grandeur of Half Dome and El Capitan and the Sentinel and the sheer wonder of Yosemite Falls, even with the low flow of a summer in drought conditions. Unfortunately, it was really too hot to get in much hiking. We started up the trail to Vernal Falls but turned around part way, partly because we hadn't brought enough water but mainly because of the heat. We did make the short hike to Lower Yosemite Falls.

We attended an interesting ranger program in the afternoon. There were only two couples actually brave or crazy enough to go for an hour and a half walk in the meadow, even though Christine promised to keep us in the shade. The topic was "Inspiring Generations," and Christine's take on it was focused on the role of art and artists in promoting the protection of Yosemite.

In the evening we went to the Visitor Center Theater for a performance by Lee Stetson called "Conversation with a Tramp: An Evening with John Muir" Stetson is the voice of John Muir in Ken Burns' documentaries on the National Parks. The performance was riveting. Stetson certainly brings Muir to life on stage and communicates Muir's passion for Hetch Hetchy and for all the natural world. The one-man presentation is a moving, educational, and entertaining experience, one not to be missed.

[photos later]