Yosemite: Day 1

Going to Yosemite on our way down to L.A. was not part of our original plan. But I knew if my hubby could see and experience Yosemite he would be hooked just like me! So we worked out the numbers and made our plans. We stayed in Modesto the first night and the next morning headed into the west side of the park. There is nothing like driving into the valley. The road winds along the Merced River through a very narrow valley. When Bridalveil Falls bursts into view through the trees it steels your breath away. Then comes a glimpse of the smooth granite walls of mile-high El Capitan. We drove up to Glacier Point the first day to see Yosemite Valley from above. The height and the views are breathtaking from up there. What a rush to lean as far as you can over the railing to take in all the view! (Plus I am really working on getting over my fear of heights!)

This is the view from the side of the road going up to Glacier Point. El Capitan is the granite wall on the left side of the picture. Pictures cannot really show how majestically large El Capitan is.



At Glacier Point.



Here is Half Dome. My goal is to climb to the top, hopefully next summer when we camp in Yosemite! There is a cable ladder on one side that aids climbers to the top.

This was taken down in the valley. We went on a short hike to Lower Yosemite Falls.


This is the view of Half Dome from the valley floor.

We walked around the valley for a while and went to the visitor center. The temperature was in the high 90's but I hardly noticed I was so overwhelmed with all the beauty. I told Ruh we should just park it and live there the rest of our lives. I think everyone, at least once in their life, should be able to see Yosemite and take in all it's beauty.

Yosemite was formed by a vast glacier, and that vast glacier was merely a chisel in God's omnipotent hand.