May 15 - Yosemite National Park

Hey, the time has finally come; my very first trip to Yosemite National Park!! I'm so excited.

I was up again at 5am and was out the door by 6am.

The gate to the park was not manned yet - so much for buying a Pass.

I find the Merced Grove Trail not far from the entrance. I may hike that if I have legs at the end of my day. There's a Redwood grove there. I've seen Redwoods and Sequoias before but I'm here.

I would be cruising but I'm behind a service vehicle -- he is keeping me at the speed limit which is good.

I pass 3 deer - buck, doe and a smaller probably last year's baby. Could have slammed on the brakes but just left them in peace.

Farther up the road is another 2 deer. I stop this time as the one goes over the edge. The other takes note of me and then continues to eat. She's looks a little thin.

I pass on a pull-off with a view of Half Dome but the sun is rising and fades everything out. But I do stop at another.

I finally reach the valley and stop at Bridalveil Falls as the sun is still rising. It's a short trail along a roaring river. Pretty intense.

I continue driving and pass Upper Yosemite Falls, the swinging bridge as I head to Curry Village. It's my starting point because it's close to the Mirror Lake trail; my 1st destination. It's just 3 shuttle stops.

Boy, the dogwoods are in bloom; big white flowers!

The signage at Curry Village is well crap and there are road closure but I finally see a sign mentioning the Mist Trail and Mirror Lake so I park. I see a trail out of the parking lot with people on it so I follow it out to the closed road. I find the shuttle stop and shoot! The shuttle stop is closed. :(

That means a 1.5 mile walk to the Mist Trail and 2.4 to Mirror Lake - crap! I start walking. The road crosses a bridge and it's not 1/2 Dome but Full Dome!!

Soon I reach Happy Isles (which is the bus stop when there's a bus) and the Mist Trail starts there. This wasn't part of my original plan but I'm here so I'm off to Vernal Falls. The trail is paved and it's steep. It says its only 400 feet in 0.8 miles but I want a check on that. It certainly seems steeper than Lambs Canyon and it climbs over 1200 ft.

Along the way there are good views of the raging river and Nevada Falls the distance. It's one long cascading water fall and there's a lot of mist coming off of it.

I finally reach the Vernal Fall footbridge. It's an absolutely raging river but one can barely see Vernal Falls in the distance.

I debate about going farther because I know I will be stopped at some point by slippery stairs that I will have to go up and down while being showered with a torrent of water. I decide to proceed up to the stairs and no farther.

I reach the stairs and the mist is incredible. Even if I go higher, I'm not sure a photo would be anything more than a big splash of water. But I'm glad I went.

Time to head down. Lots of folks heading up now. Glad I arrived when I did.

Back at Happy Isles, there's a sign that says Mirror Lake 2.9 miles and a bike sign stating 1.4 miles. I start down the road but think that there's got to be a better way to get there so I turn and head back to my car.

I'm assuming there's no shuttle stopping a Curry Village so it's time to move my car. (Later I found out that the last shuttle stop is Curry Village - oh well.)

I end up moving my car to behind Shuttle Stop 1 -- plenty of spots when I get there. I ask an info guy how to get to Mirror Lake -- tomorrow I'm starting/ending at the Ahwahnee Hotel - 2 miles to get to Mirror Lake! 

I catch the shuttle 1 and head to shuttle stop 6 Lower Yosemite Falls. I've seen the upper Falls from various points in the Park, time to see the Lower one. It's a nice walk thru the woods and along a creek. I see a few butterflies (Anglewings) but don't stop to ID. There's a few Stellar's Jay flying too.

Along the way, I can see both Falls 

but at a very windy/misty lower Falls, I can only see the Lower one! Incredible!!

I head back and stop at Shuttle Stop 9, El Capitan Meadow. I can see El Cap from the shuttle stop but it's way better after crossing a bridge

I stop at a picnic table and have lunch - me hungry! I'm trying to finding climbers. There are many people with binocs looking at something but I can't find any climbers. 

After I finish eating and move to a different location do I find one person with colorful bags tailing him. I'm there at least a 1/2 hour and the guy does not move.

I walk down the meadow hoping for flowers and butterflies but there are no flowers yet. I do see a few blues and duskywings but nothing is stopping.

The human trail ends at the river, so it's time to move on. 

Nice river view from the El Cap river crossing.

Next stop in Shuttle Stop 10 Cathedral Beach. It's a big picnic area and frankly a waste of time. I think about walkig the Valley Loop Trail for 1.7 miles past Sentinel Falls and Shuttle Stop 11 but I'm tanked. Legs don't do what they used to :( So it's back on the shuttle and back to Curry Village; I need something to drink. Shuttle is standing room only :(

I arrive at Curry Village and a slice of pizza and a coke sounds good. I find a shady stop to refuel.

I could be done but decide to take the Shuttle back to #7 (Lower Yosemite Falls) and check out the bridge on the other side of the road. Not sure if it's the Swinging Bridge but it a bridge and it goes thru a meadow.

So it's back to #7. I cross the street and this stop is so worth it! The only thing I haven't really seen today is Half Dome and there she is with some snow still on top!!!

There's also the bridge and the other side has another awesome view of Upper Yosemite. 

Ok my day is complete at Yosemite.

Once out of the park, I do make another attempt at Carlon Falls but it's 4 miles, I'm tired and I have gym shoes. Time to head to the hotel.

Great day! Yosemite was fun and the Valley is complete. No I didn't stop at the hotels, shops, museums; it's not my thing.

I hear Glacier Point is open; that's 2 hour drive. I should go but I also want to do Mirror Lake. Guess I'm figure things out in the morning.