Yosemite

KOA Coarsegold, CA:  Drove to Yosemite this morning.  It took 40 minutes to get to the south entrance gate.  Wanted to stop at the sequoia grove right by the entrance, but the parking lot was full.  A harbinger of things to come.  A beautiful drive on yet another twisty, windy road through the Sierra National Forest and up over the mountains.  The first view of the valley below and the stunning granite monoliths came just as we came out of a tunnel.  Lucked out and got a place to park at a turnout and took some pictures.  Unfortunately, there’s a forest fire at glacier point so it was very hazy with smoke.  The Yosemite Valley is breathtaking with the Merced River flowing through it and the huge granite formations all around.  Very cathedral like.  But…there were SO MANY PEOPLE!  You want a restroom?  There’s a line for that.  You want a place to park?  There’s a line for that.  And, you want something to eat?  There are lots of lines for that.  Those people that went over the falls a few weeks ago—I think they jumped!  We wanted to hike the trail to Vernal Falls (which is where those people went over), but the road was closed.  Not sure why.  I drove back.  It took an hour to get from the valley floor back to the south gate and 50 minutes to get back to our park.  We’ll go back and this time park (if there are any spaces) and take the free shuttle through the valley. 

Our first view of Yosemite Valley

Bridal Veil Falls

Closer look at Bridal Veil Falls

Yosemite Valley

View of Yosemite Upper and Lower Falls

This little chapel is the oldest building in the valley.