Yosemite: Tunnel View

This is the story of our first trip to Yosemite in October 2022. Having lived in California for over 40 years, it was embarrassing that we hadn't visited it yet, so we went.

We read that the Tunnel View location was spectacular at sunrise, so we left the hotel about about 6 AM to make the 50 mile drive and be there at 7 AM.  What a rookie city folk mistake...can't drive 60 MPH on curvy roads.  Once we realized this we resigned ourselves to missing sunrise.  Which was sort of true...while the sky was blue when we arrived, it had not peaked above the horizon yet so we were in luck!

My wife snapped this spectacular photo - kudos to her for one of the best shots we took at Yosemite!!

A shot I took with my camera.   

This location is called Tunnel View because it is located at the end of the tunnel on Wawona Road as the start of Yosemite Valley.

On the left is El Capitan, on the right is Bridalveil Fall and way in the distant right is a glimpse of Half Dome.

My wife.  She looks a bit cold but very happy - it was 30 degrees.  Luckily the air was perfectly still - no breeze at all.

Yours truly at the same spot.

Looking towards Bridalveil Fall.

Another shot (not sure why I included 2 in this post).

At this point we were across the road from the other shots.   A woman stands on the wall enjoying the view.

Looking back towards where we were, note there were about a dozen other people taking "sunrise" shots, some with tripods.

My wife again.  There's that smile!

And me.

Can't resist one more shot~!

OK one more.

I have to say I think Yosemite is the most beautiful place I've seen on Earth.  It is very impressive.

Long live California.

Yosemite: El Capitan and Bridalveil Fall

 

The first thing that took our breath away upon leaving Tunnel View was the view of El Capitan.

It was spectacular in the early morning light!   The sub-freezing temperature, the quietness, the majestic nature of the granite rising.  Mother nature at her finest!

I pulled the car over immediately and took a few photos...so did several other cars!

Bridalveil Fall was visible from the same location and was still flowing, even in the fall!

Not much water was going over the falls, but at least there was some!

Yosemite: Merced River

 

Walking along the Merced River provides peacefulness, serenity, and beauty that is equaled by few places on earth.

The Merced River flows very gently in the fall.

Coming from the hustle and bustle of San Diego,  it was very welcome change.

My wife on the Swinging Bridge.

There were a few other early birds out taking photos.  I believe the woman in red wore that outfit specifically for a photo shoot on the bridge.

El Capitan to the upper right.

Just an awesome place to stand and reflect.

There were many rock formations visible from Swinging Bridge over the Merced River.  Yosemite Falls is visible in the background of this shot.

More of El Capitan.

Looking towards Yosemite Falls which was dry - no water over the falls.

Merced River.

El Capitan.

Yosemite Falls.

Yosemite Falls framed by a Yosemite Valley meadow.

Cathedral Rocks.

Three Brothers rock formation.

El Capitan.

Yosemite: Southside Drive

 

Driving along Southside Drive in Yosemite Valley was incredibly beautiful.

Here is a view of Sentinel Rock.

There are many pull-outs along Southside Drive to stop and take photos.  They probably get very busy in the summer, but in the fall the park is not crowded.  We went early in the morning and there were very few people around.

A view from El Capitan to North Dome.

Very peaceful early in the morning.

My wife just east of Cathedral Beach.  Note the lack of cars in this lot.

Returning to the car.  This is probably about 8 AM.

A good view of Southside Drive. 

There were sections where the leaves were turning various colors - unfortunately there was no place to stop and take photos in those spots.

Yosemite: North Dome and Half Dome

 

From there we headed to Mist Trail and John Muir Trail intending to do a bit of hiking - but we hadn't counted on the 30 degree temperature so we changed our mind.

Instead, we stopped along Happy Isle Loop Road and took a few photos.  That's our rental car with the lights on.

North Dome is in the upper left of the photo, Half Dome is across the crevice to the right of North Dome.

Another shot of North Dome with the Yosemite Valley in the foreground.

Looking at Staircase Falls from Yosemite Valley on Happy Isle Loop Road.

Notice no water is falling from Staircase Falls - one of the disadvantages of going to Yosemite in the fall.

Yosemite: The Sequoias

 

We arrived at the Mariposa Grove Welcome Plaza about 3 PM on Wednesday with intention of taking a quick look around and going back to the hotel.

But it quickly dawned on us we had enough sunlight left to do a little exploration of the Sequoias in the area.

All trails start at this point.

Just a few steps up the path.

Here is the diagram of the trails.  We planned to do the complete Grizzly Giant Trail loop.  Spoiler alert:  it had taken so much time and energy to get to the Grizzly Giant that we turned around and followed our steps back - we did not do the complete loop.

One of the first things we came upon was this fallen giant.  Note the dirt still embedded in the roots - we surmised that this one fell not too long ago.

Another fallen giant that no longer had dirt embedded in the roots.  The plaque stated that no one knows when this one fell but it was discovered by the native tribes centuries ago.

The bark and sapwood has decayed by the heartwood is fortified with tannins that protect the tree and will probably keep the tree from completely decomposing for several more centuries.

We continued along the path.  Here is a photo of my wife.

Over the river and through the woods...

Grizzly Giant

Our first glimpse of the Grizzly Giant tree.

It is about 209 feet tall, 28 feet in diameter, and 96 feet circumference at its base.

It is about 2,500 to 3,000 years old and still living.  The scar on the trunk is from past fires - historically fires have swept the forest every 20 or so - except after 1850 when man began protecting the grove from fires.

With the lack of fires, it was noticed that fewer new sequoias were germinating and other trees began to dominate the grove.  Prescribed burns were started again in 1970 to return balance to the forest.

 

Here I am at the foot of the Grizzly Giant.  6 feet versus 210 feet.

My wife and I.

Another tree visitor.

About halfway up a large 7 foot diameter branch appears and turns skyward.

This is because the Grizzly Giant, like may older sequoias, has a damaged top from fire or lightning.

It is just a gorgeous tree.

A closeup of the top half.

And a photo of its nearest neighbor.

OK, time to hike back to the trailhead!

Somewhere along the path back.

More majestic sequoias.

Bachelor and Three Graces

We came across something we hadn't noticed on the walk in.  Four trees named the Bachelor and Three Graces.

These trees have grown so close together that their roots are very intertwined - if one falls they likely all will fall.

A better view of their base.

Our last view of the Bachelor and Three Graces before moving on.

Continuing on our journey out...

...just some average glimpses of the scenery.

I was amazed to find what appears to be something similar to Horsetail Reed Bamboo in the forest!

I have some in my back yard that we planted intentionally.  Is this native to California?

Another shot on the walk back.  I didn't want to leave the impression that the entire walk was picturesque.  There are spot where nature is rebuilding naturally.

This is the point where the bus drops off hikers at the trailhead.  Note at the back by the sun the trees appear to be dying.

My first thought that perhaps they were damaged by the buses that regular run by them - either from exhaust or weight.  But there are areas of damage like this through out the forest so I'm not sure if the buses caused this or not.

Back at the Mariposa Welcome Center, they have a cross section of a fallen tree.

Amazing to think back on all this tree lived through.