Yosemite National Park

March 2010
Was this the best time to visit Yosemite?
1. The snow was just beginning to melt and the spring falls were just starting
2. There was still some snow in higher altitudes which made the hikes a lot of fun
3. It was not hot and dry
4. It was not the fish market that it is during summer

The Drive Down:
It's about 130 miles from San Jose and would normally take about 3.5 hours. It took us 5. These are the reasons why:


1. We left on a Friday afternoon when ALL of the bay area was heading out
2. We left at 3:30 in the afternoon and yet, could not avoid peak-hours.
3. We took I-680 which has no carpool lane!

But i guess there is a certain joy in travelling with a group that masks these inconveniences. ( i can boldly make that statement since I wasn't the one driving). But i do remember keeping Sara motivated by giving him short term goals - Like getting past the truck that was 1/2 a mile away in the neighboring lane, or getting past that tailgating girl in the BMW that looked like a pooch.
I also remember wondering why the windmills weren't turning. Were they "turned off" or was there "no wind"? Maintenance time, i think.

Where we Stayed:
Curry Village
Curry Village is among the "Most fun" places to stay in Yosemite. ( Only to be topped by the Pines Campgrounds and the Housekeeping Camps). Of course, if you are not the "camping" type, then you'll have to shell out a couple of $100 to stay in one for the "4-star lodges" (ugh!)

Heated Canvas Tents:
We have a reservation in April - and that's for a non-heated tent. In March temperatures can significantly dip at night. it's good to get a heated tent, when you know there's a reason why they haven't opened up the campgrounds yet. The Tents had a metal frame, canvas walls and a heater. ( There was no other electrical outlet) There are usually between 2,3 and 4 beds inside. No food was to be stored inside, unless you have a compelling reason to attract bears and raccoons, or if you want to be expelled from Yosemite. No Cooking in Curry Village for the same reason. But Fret Not - they have decent dining facilities. A Coffee Corner ( open in the mornings) and a Pizza Patio ( open at night). It's the same staff you'll keep seeing. Of course, the options are much more exhaustive in Summer. The restroom facilities are excellent ( the only "campsite" where they provide toilet seat covers!) and the showers are good too.

What is wonderful about curry village is it's location. From the parking lot, you have views of Half Dome and the Yosemite Falls. It's bang in the middle of the Valley and minutes away from any of the hikes and vistas. It's only during winter, that it becomes inconvenient since most of the activities then are up in the hills.

The Shuttle System:
The Shuttle system is like a loop. the Map would look like an '8' and operates only one-way. That is a little bit of a pain since you will have to go through the whole loop to get to the stop right behind you. At times it's easier to just hike it down. I preferred the system in Zion National Park, were the shuttles operated both ways and getting around was much more efficient. In Yosemite, you can actually take your car up to most of the trail heads ( they should stop allowing that and just make the shuttles 2-way!)

The Visitor Center:

A trip here is mandatory for the following reasons:

1. Find out which hikes are open for the season and which ones aren't

2. Find out Sunrise & Sunset time

3. Get the national Park Passport stamped

4. Visit the Ansel Adams gallery. ( He's the guy that made Yosemite Famous through his lens) 

5. Visit the museum that shows how Yosemite Valley was formed ( during the ice age, by a glacier - is the short answer. They show it well) - Going through this is significant, in my opinion. It makes you appreciate the place much more. 

Hikes in Yosemite:

1. Lower Yosemite Falls

Saturday Morning. The trail head is close to the visitor center. Shuttle stop #6. it's a 1-mile round trip. The hike is super short, super flat and super easy. It's basically not a hike at all, and consequently the most crowded spot. The flow was reasonably good, but there was no "spray". I would have to return in about 40 days for that. There was a kid with us and he really enjoyed this hike. For him, there were sticks to collect, streams and bridges to cross. It was nice. I have attached a picture of myself in front of the falls purely because it is hilarious ( Spot the couple watching me - I was either looking inane or I am celebrity-material) 

2. Mirror Lake

The lake is called "Mirror Lake" for fairly obvious reasons. the reflection of the park in the water is supposed to be spectacular and are standard "Yosemite postcard pics". I could imagine the place looking spectacular. I just had to imagine a significant amount of water in the lake. I could catch some glimpses. But the truth is - it was disappointing. It's a 2-mile round trip and is easy. There is a shuttle stop called "mirror lake" which takes you right to the trail head.

This is how the reflections are supposed to look:

3. Vernal Falls Footbridge

By this time, we were done with lunch ( Sandwich from Degnan's Deli , in the Village. Have the Caprese, and not the Veggie). This is was one of those instances where our trail head "Happy Isles" shuttle stop #16 , was just 1 stop behind. It made sense to Hike back the 1 mile instead of waiting for the shuttle and then going through the whole loop. ( 20 mins at least). This trail was fun - there was really no clear path and parts of it were blocked off by fallen trees that we had to climb over. A little later in the year i would have been wary of the non-hibernating-hyperactive-black-bears. Now it was all Hakuna Matata. 

Vernal Fall footbridge: 1.6 miles/2.6 km round-trip; 1.5 hours with 400 feet/122 m elevation gain

Here are some of the sights form the footbridge:

View of Nevada Falls

Vernal Fall: 3 miles/4.8 km round-trip; 3 hours with 1,000 feet/366 m elevation gain (via Mist Trail)

"Mist Trail" was closed. We had to go via the "John Muir Trail Diverge". It was snowy, steep and slippery. 

Right at the end, we got spectacular panoramas and a gorgeous view of Nevada Falls. This was a certainly a case where the journey was way more enjoyable than the destination.

After this, it was a hike back down to the top of Vernal falls. We didn't do this last leg, because we only had one evening here and didn't want to miss the Sunset at Tunnel View.

4. Sunset at Tunnel View

On our drive down, we made a quick stop at a spot which was so picturesque it swept us all off our feet. It was the view from a spot along the Merced river, with the Bridalveil falls right ahead of us.

Sunset was not until 7:30pm and were were there at 6:30. We had a whole hour to kill. This spot is beautiful It is a snapshot of the best Yosemite has to offer.

- A view of El Capitan to the far left: The most "climbed" rock. it is a 3000ft rock that is absolutely vertical.

- Half Done at a distance in the middle. One of Yosemites most recognizable sights and one of the best hikes (closed this season)

- Bridalveil waterfall to the right ( It is by no means the "best" waterfall. But a symbol of one of Yosemite's many famous waterfalls)

We just patiently watched the colors change along with a bunch of other patient people. 

It was quite funny to hear all the cameras go "click, click" , when there was a momentary patch of orange over the canyon walls near Bridalveil falls. 

On our way back we had to stop at the Imposing El-Capitan. I cannot wait to come back here in summer and watch specks of human on it.

The Park at night:

The sky was incredibly clear. We could seen the moon quite well. We really want to come back here on a full moon night and go on one of the guided hikes they offer on these special nights.

5. Upper Yosemite Falls

It's strenuous and difficult. It is one of Yosemite s historic trails ( built in the 1800s) and takes you to the top of Americas tallest waterfall. There are dozens and dozens of switchbacks all the way up to "Columbia Rock" where you have amazing panoramas of the valley. 

There is another set of gravely and steep switch back ( can get quite slippery) to "oh my gosh" point. It is not "marked", but you will know when you get there. 

We went two miles up to "Oh My Gosh" point and back. - It was an elevation gain of over 1000ft. The waterfalls were really interesting to see from here. For the first time i was seeing a water crash directly onto ice. 

 This was the most satisfying and enjoyable hike of the Trip.

Bye Bye Yosemite:

After lunch at a campground on our way out. we started driving out. It was dark when we drove in and we didn't get a chance to see how beautiful the drive was. Burnt trees and snow on top & a very green and blooming valley below.

Denise's Farmers Market:

We stopped at a Farmers Market on our way out. Picked up 3lb of organic oranges for $1 and some strawberries. Denise was so sweet, she let us use her picnic tables to make chai. the best part , we bought oranges for $1 and her husband said " we appreciate your business" ! ( No, he wasn't sarcastic!) 

More of Yosemite:

Need to come back in summer to climb the Half Dome

Need to come back a little later in spring to see the wildflowers and the waterfalls at their best.

Need to stay in the Housekeeping Camp!