We left Bakersfield and headed north on CA-99, still surrounded by fields of trees in every direction, only now they were no longer orange trees, they were almond trees. After a hundred miles or so, we veered NE onto CA-41 and the terrain changed quickly. The orchards turned into forests, and the fruit trees were replaced with dense stands of tall evergreens perched on rolling hills. Pastures opened in the valleys, and we saw grazing cattle and grass. Yes, green grass. We couldn't recall the last time we had seen green grass! The temperature stayed in the upper 60's, and the sky was sunny and cloudless, without a hint of the snow storm that ravaged this area just four days before.
We were now in the Sierra Nevada, a part of the American Cordillera which is an almost continuous chain of mountain ranges that forms the western "backbone" of the Americas. It runs along the eastern edge of California for 400 miles north-south and 70 miles east-west, and is host to three National Parks and two National Monuments. Ron and I couldn't get to all of them, but we did manage to spend the better part of a day in Yosemite.
We entered the park at the South Entrance. Although most of the snow was gone, the damage from the storm was significant. We saw many homes and park buildings crushed by falling trees, literally sliced in half. Huge logging equipment and logging trucks worked tirelessly all over the park, trying to clear the wreckage. Several of the roads and trails were closed to visitors due to the storm damage, including access to the Mariposa Grove which is home to a fantastic stand of old growth Sequoia tress. No worries, we always have a Plan B!
Not far from the entrance along Wawona Road is a turn off to the Chilnualna Falls Trail. Yosemite is home to some of the most fantastic waterfalls in America, and the falls we discovered along this trail was well worth the effort to get there. Signs at the trail head warned of recently sighted bobcats, and slippery, steep climbing. We had the whole forest to ourselves. We stopped so Ron could count the rings on one of the victims of the recent storm. Over 200 years old, he concluded. For the last part of our climb, we couldn't even talk over the roar of the waterfalls. I climbed all the way to the edge of the falls for a photo, and was drenched in the spray. Kissed by a waterfall in Yosemite!
We hiked back to our car, and continued along Wawona Road for twenty or so miles toward Yosemite Village. We could have spent days along this road, stopping at every pull out to enjoy vista after vista, waterfall after waterfall.
There was a wonderful "Ow- Ah" moment when we came out of a tunnel and saw the entire Yosemite Valley - El Capitan, Clouds Rest, Half Dome, Bridalveil Fall and Cathedral Rocks. We parked, gawked, and were instantly tourists, taking turns photographing families until it was our turn for THE photo.
It was only about five more miles to the Village and Visitors Center. Four million people visit Yosemite every year. In the summer season, it might take hours to inch along the well travelled road, waiting for a spot at a pull out, or just waiting for the car in front of you to move. We were lucky we came this time of year, out of season, and on a week day. We pulled over often!
Too soon we were in the Village. It was a lovely walk to the Visitors Center through incredibly beautiful canopies of cypress, pine, hemlock, and fir trees. It is hard to capture in a photograph just how tall these trees are, until Ron suggested I put him in the frame. Can you find him?
We still had a long drive ahead of us, and it was time to leave this beautiful place.
We stopped to enjoy one last snack and realized we had a spectacular view of the tallest waterfall in the United State, the Yosemite Falls which has a vertical drop of 2,425 feet. We knew would never be able to see all of Yosemite, but we believe we experienced it.
"Into this one mountain mansion nature had gathered her choicest treasures, to draw her lovers into close and confiding communion." -John Muir
Car Talk
Distance: 336 miles
Driving Time: 7 hours, 50 minutes
Mileage 33.1 mpg
Average speed: 43 mph
Trip Total to date: 4,161.6
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