Pete and I have been in San Francisco for most of September.
We’ve had the best time, staying with our beloved friends Danielle, Patrick, their wonderful children, and Obi Dog Kenobi.
A week before we left Sydney, Dan phoned us at home.
She knew we were keen to visit Yosemite National Park and had been scouting out accommodation for us. We had the option of checking into a motel outside and driving in, or renting a “tent cabin” in Half Dome Valley. Staying right in the middle of the national park was very appealing, but the downside was that we’d have to share the public amenities – there were no bathrooms in the tents.
“Oh well, so long as the toilets are clean and there aren’t any bed bugs, I guess I can manage”, I told her reluctantly.
My friend snorted with laughter.
“Bed bugs! You should be worried about the BEARS, not bed bugs!”
Err…right. Ten minutes and several expletives later, I rang her back.
“Dan, I’m 52. If I need to get up and pee in the middle of the night, a bear will EAT me. I can do public toilets OR bears, but not both together. We need another option…”
Bless her, after she stopped laughing, our darling friend managed to get us a proper cabin with a bathroom, but it meant making the four hour drive from San Francisco to the Sierra Nevada mountain ranges the day after we arrived. Thankfully, Yosemite was so mindblowingly awesome that we didn’t even notice the jetlag.
As we entered the park, we passed El Capitan, a giant 900m tall granite monolith. The striking sheer cliff faces of Yosemite, carved by glacial action over a million years ago, were completely different to anything Pete and I had seen before…
Our cabin was in Half Dome Valley, with trees and mountains all around…
. . . . .
The following morning, we woke early to watch the sun rise over the mountains. The moon shone brightly in the sky, which was hazy from wildfires in other parts of the park…
The smoky haze wasn’t too bad in the morning, but it muted the blue of the sky and resulted in some hauntingly beautiful photos…
As the sun rose, Half Dome cast a shadow on the smoke particles, resulting in a clear line of light in the sky…
The meadows in the valley are a wealth of diverse plant life, bordered by ancient tree forests. Boardwalks are in place to protect them from tourist traffic. As we walked through, we could see small wallows of flattened grass where deer had bedded down for the night…
We explored the Merced River…
…and hiked the short distance to Lower Yosemite Falls…
Ansel Adams, the American photographer and environmentalist whose advocacy and black and white photos of Yosemite helped to expand the National Park service, has a gallery in Yosemite Village…
As we drove out of the park, we stopped at Tunnel View for one parting glimpse…
Sometimes, life gives us opportunities to do things that we never dreamed possible. Visiting Yosemite National Park was definitely one of those moments! ♥
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
I had NO idea. I thought it was just that place Yogi bear stole pic-a-nic baskets, BooBoo!
I said the same thing. It was pointed out to me that Yogi’s park was Jellystone, not Yosemite. :)
This brings back sweet memories. I was a tour guide in the park the summer after I graduated from high school. It was a lovely experience. <3
Magnificent! Lovely pictures that portray such beauty. Tunnel View is breathtaking. Sounds like a wonderful holiday.
wonderful pictures!
I love Yosemite, our cabin is nearby, but I still have to drive two hours to get there.
Fabulous photos. Looks amazing.
I think your photo may be one of the last of El Capitan in its previous form. Big bulletin on the news this morning to the effect that an apartment block-sized chunk fell off the right hand face, killing and injuring a yet-to-be determined number of people. Glad you’re safe!
Thanks Kate. So sad to read a climber was killed though…
Wonderful stay for you and great photos for memories. Have tried twice: once it poured for the two days and the fog just would not lift the second time around . . . but stayed at the Ahwanee and woke up middle of the night to crunchy noises – the garbage bins being one floor down from our room had a wow of a time watching three grizzlies making a messy ‘inspection tour’ :) !
Welcome in my adopted country I live in since 27 years, after coming over from Germany. I loved your images with text, Yosemite is just such an amazing experience to visit, since living here I’ve done it several times. So happy for you
Glad you are having fun and safe from Bears ) It’s an amazing place.
Your photos are just breathtakingly spectacular – as I am not sure i will ever go there, it is great to see these – but your last words of the unexpectedness of life also gives me hope – strange things happen! Glad you enjoyed your trip.
What a fabulous place to be. There is something quite awesome in those stark and powerful rocks. The photos of the smoke affected sky are wonderful. I would share your ‘excitement’ at the prospect of spending the night in a tent in bear country. A trip to the loo would simply not happen thus avoiding the bear-behind but there would be lots of tears!!
It looks absolutely spectacular. What an incredible opportunity. But I’m with you on the toilets….😀
I had been enjoying your photos, it’s nice to have some context with it. I’m not much of a camper myself, I always say, “roughing it to me, is slow room service”
looks like a paradise without hungry bears of course.
No bears, most important indeed! Lovely photos, Celia. Thank you for sharing your adventure x
Now I have a cartoon style image of you, pyjama clad, making your way to the loo in the middle of the night furtively looking over your shoulder for any sign of bears. Don’t blame you for not braving it! fab photos – it looks great.
Yosemite looks fab! Have wanted to go there and to San Francisco too for a long time – in the meantime, I’m enjoying visiting vicariously via your lovely pics. With a handy loo & no bears too.
What a stunning place. When Trump has gone I might venture back to USA.