Yosemite: The Valley Part 2

Glacier Point again?  You betcha!  Only this time, we'd be taking a shuttle to the top and then hiking back down along the Panorama Trail (make sure to reserve the shuttle ahead of time, and yes, you have to pay).  We chose the earliest shuttle to get started before it was too hot, as well as in the hopes that it would mean less hikers.  

Besides the fact that this hike goes down into the Valley, it was great for several other reasons: unique views of Half Dome and the valley, less populated (for the upper part), and the hike includes the Mist Trail which passes both Vernal and Nevada Falls.  In other words, it was our favorite hike in(to) the Valley.

The nine mile hike would take us down to Illuote creek, up across the ridge, and then down again past the waterfalls to the Valley floor, where we'd pick up the Valley Shuttle back to our hotel.

Yosemite: A Bike Ride in the Valley (Part 1)

After spending several days in less crowded areas of the park, it was finally time to descend into the valley for a few days to complete our visit to Yosemite.  Leaving from Glacier Point, highway 41 once again took us through the Wawona Tunnel to one of the best views of the Valley - Tunnel View.

Each time we passed this point (going or leaving), Nate was sure to hop out for a few minutes to snap a few pictures.  Though the waterfalls were light this time of year, the overall scale of the scene was impressive each stop.  Both of us want to return earlier in the year for our next visit to see the full scale of these massive waterfalls (that is, assuming a decent winter snowfall).

We'd driven through on a few occasions, but had not spent more than a few minutes in traffic on our way to another section of the park.  The high country was warm, but the valley would have a high of around 100 each of the days that we'd be there.  This, as well as the crowds, would play a part in our plans over the next two days.

Yosemite: Wawona, Mariposa Grove, and Glacier Point

We descended from the Alpine Meadows, but it took us a little longer than we expected to finally arrive at Wawona Hotel. After dropping our bags off, we sprinted over to the shuttle stop in order to try to catch the last tram tour in Mariposa Grove. The Park Service operates small, open-air trams (kind of like in the Disney parking lot) that allows you to admire the giant trees while sitting down rather than hiking the entire loop. We planned to take the tram to the furthest point and then hike back down.

The Park Service and various guidebooks recommended taking a shuttle to Mariposa Grove since the parking lot is usually full. However, after waiting and waiting and waiting for the shuttle, we got nervous that we would miss the last scheduled tram tour. So, Nate decided to risk the "full" parking lot and drive while Ashley continued to wait for the shuttle. We're not really sure why we split up. It's unlike us as we strongly believe in the buddy system. We weren't sure whether the car or shuttle would arrive first so we hedged our bets so one of us could at least buy the tickets and stall the tram. Ashley probably would have "won" on the tram since it arrived soon after Nate took off for car. Yet, for some unknown reason, the shuttle driver pulled over halfway there for a break. Sadly, Ashley watched Nate pass in the car through the window. The shuttle ride seemed especially long since a local decided to sit next to Ashley and ask an endless number of random questions and then criticize her answers. He also didn't seem to believe her that she was meeting her husband when she got off the shuttle. That led to another line of random questions. She has a knack for attracting weird interesting strangers.

After finally arriving at the Grove, Nate sadly informed Ashley that the last tram tour had already departed. Thus,we'd have to hike a little more than we anticipated. At least we were at a lower elevation. Ashley remains disappointed in the shuttle system.  (Update: The tram has since been closed permanently due to renovations in and around the Mariposa Grove).

Undeterred, we started hiking the roughly three mile uphill Lower Grove Trail. The trail leads past most of the tree all-stars located in the Park. Not far from the Parking Lot, we saw the Fallen Monarch - made famous by a photograph of cavalry lined up in front of and on top of the tree. Although she didn't have a horse, Ashley posed for a picture in front it as well. Get ready for a lot of photos of us in front of big trees to demonstrate scale.

Yosemite: Tuolumne Meadows and May Lake

Since we had spent most of our time in the high country completing alpine hikes, we started the morning in the area's namesake meadows. Still recovering from our Cloud's Rest summit (or near-summit in Ashley's case), we chose a leisurely path (i.e. flat) through the meadows along the river for an opportunity to view the Soda Springs. Despite the ease of the trail, we encountered few hikers this early in the morning and enjoyed the peacefulness of the High Country. We probably wouldn't truly appreciate that peacefulness until entering the chaos of the valley later in the trip.

Yosemite: Tuolumne Meadows and Cloud's Rest

"Half Dome without the crowds."  "No chains."  "No lottery to get a coveted spot to summit."  "Views of Half Dome from the top."  That's what we heard about Cloud's Rest.   It sounded like the perfect high country alternative to the more famous Half Dome hike.

Yosemite: Tuolumne Meadows

Tuolumne Meadows Lodge sounds fancier than it actually is. The "Lodge" refers to the dining room and reception area, but the rooms consist of semi-permanent canvas tents.  Beds, linens, and a wood burning stove are included, but communal restrooms and showers are located in a separate central building.  We are still debating whether this constitutes camping or glamping. You be the judge.

California: Monterey and Big Sur

Monterey:

After landing at the San Jose airport at nearly midnight west coast time, we drove to Salinas to be closer to Monterey for the next day's adventure. San Jose served as an excellent gateway to the Monterey area and Yosemite without the congestion of the San Francisco airports. 

Feeling better after finally getting some sleep after the prior day of traveling cross-country, we drove to Monterey Bay for a guided kayak tour. Monterey may be best known for their aquarium, but we opted to experience the local sea life in their natural habitat by kayaking in the bay. 

Monterey Bay Kayak allows visitors to rent kayaks or participate in guided tours. Unfamiliar with the area, we chose a guided tour, which also included the necessary gear such as spray skirts, tandem sea kayaks, and wetsuits - their strong suggestion to wear the wetsuit and the repeated safety demonstrations on how to exit a capsized kayak did make us slightly weary that we may end up closer to the sea life than preferred. 

Pacific Northwest: San Francisco to Seattle

A driving tour from San Francisco to Seattle.

Itinerary:

• Napa Valley - 2 nights
• San Francisco - 2 nights
• Redwood National Park (Trinidad, California) - 1 night
• Lassen Volcanic National Park (Chester, California) - 1 night
• Crater Lake National Park - 1 night
• Oregon Coast (Newport, Oregon) - 2 nights
• Portland - 1 night
• Seattle - 2 nights