First of all, Yosemite is absolutely beautiful. The rock formations are truly one of a kind, which can be attributed to their unique history. Yosemite Valley was once covered with glaciers that froze over and thawed repetitively, eroding the large granite rocks that the glaciers formed upon. Repeated glaciation resulted in stunning formations like Half Dome, whose name is self explanatory!
 |
| Half Dome, as seen from Glacier Point |
The beauty of Yosemite is that there's something for everyone to do, regardless of budget. Lodging options include pitching your own tent, renting a tent-cabin, renting a cabin, staying in a hotel outside the park, or staying in a high-class resort inside the park. So if you're on a tight budget, have no fear, there are options for you that won't break the bank! Or, if you're willing to shell out over $600 a night to live in country club level luxury, the Ahwahnee Lodge is the place for you. If you're a hiking fanatic, you can brave a hike from Yosemite Valley to the top of Half Dome. Or, if you're more like my family, you can also drive to Glacier Point and get a nice view of Half Dome without breaking a sweat.
 |
| Another View from Glacier Point |
Now, if you don't feel like driving or hiking, you can always relax along calmer parts of Merced River. Be warned, the river water feels positively arctic! The Merced originates from fresh snow melt, so even if you're feeling hot an sweaty after a grueling hike, take caution before diving in head-first. Below is a picture I took while standing waist-deep in the river water after a crazy day of hiking. The frigid waters are a great way to get the same effects of icing your muscles after a tough work out, so I personally recommend wading around the river after a nice hike.
 |
| The Beach! |
Be warned, the majority of the Merced river is too dangerous to go near. The violent currents and countless rocks are lethal if you happen to slip and fall in the river in a less calm location. Take caution before wading, and make sure the location you choose is designated for swimming!
The picture below was taken from the patio area of our hotel room. Each room at the Yosemite View Lodge comes with a beautiful view of the river! Now as you can see, the rapids are a lot stronger on this section of river, and falling into the river here would be lethal. Lucky for us, the hotel puts up tall iron bars to prevent an accidental tumble into the Merced. Either way, the river is gorgeous and this hotel was great!
 |
| What you see from the patio of Yosemite View Lodge! |
The last point I want to mention-- which was also my favorite part of the trip-- is about hiking. I'm a decently experienced hiker when it comes to trails in the bay area. I'm used to doing 14 mile hikes on dirt trails up steep terrain. However, I was completely at a loss hiking in Yosemite. The trails may start off paved and give you a false sense of security, but after a mile or so, the pavement ends and the trail progresses into a path of uneven rocks. I have never hiked on a rocky trail, so I was shocked when my trail shoes started to give way on the slippery rocks. I have never used hiking boots before, but I would assume they would be a better investment for hiking in Yosemite than trail shoes are.
My family chose to do a 7 mile hike from Yosemite Valley to Vernal Falls to Nevada Falls and back down through the John Muir trail. Now let me tell you, hiking to the top of a waterfall is hard! First of all, everyone loves waterfalls, so the trails are crowded. Second of all, waterfall trails involve climbing high in elevation over short stretches of trail, so the hikes are steep and tend to be along the edges of cliff-like drop-offs. Lastly, if the trail is called a "mist trail," don't be fooled by the idea of a nice damp breeze to cool you off after a physically taxing uphill battle.
Turns out, the mist trail to the top of Vernal Falls was completely covered in water, which meant that the trail was even more slippery than before! I was literally climbing on all fours up the stair-like stony trail while trying to simultaneously dodge the hoards of people surrounding me, wipe the freezing mist out of my eyes and not fall of the edge of the trail into the churning river. I actually hyperventilated at multiple points during the mist trail, but it was worth it in the end when we finally made it to the top of Vernal Falls.
 |
| Top of Vernal Falls |
The hike to the top of Nevada Falls was thankfully not a mist trail, but it was equally as steep and rocky. Parts of the hike were extremely narrow and there was almost always a canyon to one side of the trail, which lead to a beautiful, but scary view (It's only scary if you're afraid of heights like me). Again, I hyperventilated while climbing on all fours up a steep stretch of trail, but in the end, the hike was totally worth it!
In my opinion, there's something about adrenaline-pumping hikes that make them x100 more rewarding than relaxed hikes.
 |
| Top of Nevada Falls |
The four mile trip from the top of Nevada Falls back down to the Valley felt like a breeze after all the struggle climbing uphill. However, be warned, hiking downhill on rocky trails is surprisingly difficult because it's extremely easy to slip. As long as you stay focused on your footwork, you'll be fine! We deliberately chose the John Muir trail because the elevation drop occurred over a larger stretch of hike, meaning that the trail down was less steep than the trip up.
No comments:
Post a Comment