YOSEMIGHT... might as well

Last weekend, I went to Yosemite with friends for the 7th year in a row. Next weekend, I'm going to Yosemite for the first time with my family. (Not including when I was a wee young thing; that trip is not in my conscious memory and therefore doesn't count).

So- family-- as you are basically Yosemite virgins, this blog entry is for you, to get a little visual glimpse before the trip! Mainly of the hikes some of you may want to do.

The black and white photo above (and below) is of the view from glacier point-- looking across the valley, you'll see half dome, vernal falls, and nevada falls.

It's an hour drive up to Glacier Point, but it's absolutely worth it for these kinds of views. At the Point, you can wander around a bit, take fantastic pictures


and do an easy hike (1.5 miles, each way, I think?) over to Sentinel Dome, a huge rock with more views of Half Dome.



This would be a good hike for the younger kids; if a 7-month-pregnant woman can do it, the littles can too. She also hiked a more strenuous path in just a bikini, but we won't expect that of the kids.

Also from Glacier Point, you can do the 9-mile hike down and across the valley, over to Nevada Falls and then down the Mist Trail back to the bottom (to the John Muir trailhead, right by our campground). It's a great one-- here I am just a half mile or so into the Panorama trail, soooo happy (and loving the USA)

you go moderate downhill for about an hour to Lilliouette Falls, take a break by the water, have a little snack

then go uphill and some switchbacks for about half an hour (at a steady pace) with some great views,


then downhill-ish again until you meet up with the John Muir trail, a steep uphill path for suckers that also goes up to Nevada Falls but is both more tiring and less scenic.

The "top" is the top of Nevada Falls, where you can lay on the rocks and have a nice lunch, or appreciate the roaring waterfall

or get as close to the edge as you dare. Obviously, I don't dare.

From there, you are halfway to Half Dome, if you so choose to go on. If you DON'T, you have the option of going down the John Muir trail to the bottom (lame), or down the Mist Trail, past Vernal Falls (awesome). It's a steep trail of rocks and steps and some loose footing, but it's sooooo worth it. Just don't skimmer down too quickly or end up running it once it turned into steep pavement, or you might be incredibly stiff for three days. I speak from experience. Here's some views of that trail:

And then some more great views, another waterfall, etc. etc... it gets sooooo old. Booooring.

By the way, after a successful hike, it's great to reward yourself with an It's-It, the San Francisco ice cream (not rice-a-roni) treat-- YUM

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On another note... also fun to do in Yosemite is bike the trails


with views of Yosemite Falls

and then reward yourself with another It's-It, of course. Whew that beach cruising is hard.

This blogging stuff takes forever. No wonder I don't do it. 

So, to end this blog, here's another view of the valley... this one is on the road as you enter/leave... gorgeous. It's going to be a great weekend!