Yosemite National Park, May 29, 2013

Marion and I stayed in Mariposa, CA (the word means Butterfly) on the edge of Yosemite, and caught the bus that took us into Yosemite National Park. http://www.nps.gov/yose/

Yosemite

Not just a great valley, but a shrine to human foresight, the strength of granite, the power of glaciers, the persistence of life, and the tranquility of the High Sierra.

First protected in 1864, Yosemite National Park is best known for its waterfalls, but within its nearly 1,200 square miles, you can find deep valleys, grand meadows, ancient giant sequoias, a vast wilderness area, and much more.

Rim Fire

For the most up-to-date fire information, visit InciWeb. Information below updated on September 10, 2013 at 11:30 am. Updated text is in italics. Most of Yosemite National Park is open. Air quality in most of Yosemite has been generally good to moderate, but can change quickly with changing winds. When conditions are smoky, visitors to the area should avoid extended strenuous physical activities outdoors. Additionally, those that are sensitive to air quality impacts should avoid going outside in Yosemite. (See the webcam at the bottom of the page to check current visibility and check InciWeb for an air quality update each morning). The following temporary closures and restrictions are in effect View a map of the closed area [1.3 MB PDF]. (This map only shows a portion of Yosemite National Park.) The Big Oak Flat Road (the continuation of Highway 120 inside Yosemite) is open. The Big Oak Flat Entrance Station and Information Station are open. The Crane Flat Campground, gas station, and store are open. The Hodgdon Meadow Campground, Carlon Falls Trailhead, Merced Grove, Tuolumne Grove, the Crane Flat Lookout, and wilderness areas remain closed. The Tioga Road (Highway 120 through the park) is closed from Crane Flat to 1.5 miles east of White Wolf. The only access to the Tuolumne Meadows area is via Highway 120 from near Lee Vining (view alternate routes). All facilities and areas along the Tioga Road west of Lukens Lake Trailhead are closed, including Tamarack Flat, White Wolf, and Yosemite Creek Campgrounds, and White Wolf Lodge. The Yosemite Creek Picnic Area remains open and the Ten Lakes Trailhead Parking is now open. The Hetch Hetchy Road, including all areas and facilities along the road, is closed. The Old Coulterville Road is closed west and north of its junction with 1st Street (near Foresta). Old Coulterville Road in the community of Foresta is open. Residential access to Flying Spur Ranch is allowed. View a map of this closure [2.7 MB PDF]. Wilderness trail closures: The area west of the Lukens Lake trail north along the Harden Lake bypass trail to Pate Valley, and north from Pate Valley to the junction with the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) then continuing north along the PCT to Bond Pass is closed. The park’s boundary serves as the closure’s northern and western edge south to Crane Flat. The closure continues east ½ mile south along the Tioga Road to the gate 1 ½ miles east of White Wolf. The Big Oak Flat Road is open; however, the area on either side of the road greater than 50 feet from the road’s center line is closed from the park’s boundary to the Crane Flat junction. The trails serving as the eastern boundary of the closed area remain open. The Big Oak Flat Information Station (and associated wilderness center) is open. Fire restrictions: No smoking and no building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, or cooking fire (including charcoal fires) within Yosemite Wilderness or at the High Sierra Camps. Portable stoves using gas or pressurized liquid fuel are allowed. Alcohol and "Sierra" stoves may not be used in wilderness under these restrictions. Campfires and cooking fires may still be used in designated campgrounds and picnic areas in developed portions of the park in accordance with park regulations. This includes the following campgrounds, when open: Upper Pines, Lower Pines, North Pines, Camp 4, Wawona, Bridalveil Creek, Hodgdon Meadow, Crane Flat, Tamarack Flat, White Wolf, Yosemite Creek, Porcupine Flat, and Tuolumne Meadows.) This includes the following picnic areas, when open: Lembert Dome, Tenaya Lake, Yosemite Creek, Wawona, Mariposa Grove, Glacier Point, Cascade, El Capitan, Cathedral Beach, Sentinel Beach, Swinging Bridge, Church Bowl, and Lower Yosemite Fall. If you have questions specifically about Yosemite National Park, please call 209/372-0327 or 209/372-0329. Useful links: InciWeb has current fire information. Webcams in Yosemite show current conditions. Air quality information Updates from DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite Stanislaus National Forest I know that was long, for I wanted you to see what has happened to Yosemite since I was there. It is not closed where we were, but alerts for smoke if you have a physical condition it would be better not to go. Returning to May 29th, the Park was beginning to open more of the upper elevations and the concern was snow, not fires. It was a beautiful day and we left Mariposa at sunrise. I was so happy not to drive and could look at the scenery and the pretty river that flows by the road. We first went to the stables and Marion went horseback riding. I rode the shuttle to the museum and she joined me there when she was done. Some of these photos are hers. The first thing we did was get our "Bear safety lecture" and some breakfast.  Sequoia trees and mountains! What a beautiful sight. Free Shuttle around the park. Yosemite Waterfall in the distance. In Yosemite Village: Welcome to Yosemite Village. So glad I caught this man to show how large the trees. Yosemite Wilderness Center Ansel Adams Art Gallery Behind the Wilderness Center is the Self Guiding Trail through an Indian Village of Ahwahnee. Black Oak Acorn Granary These look small but 4 or 5 teens sat inside while working on their school scavenger hunt. The Indians used wood slats instead of buffalo hides because wood is plentiful.  Ceremonial Roundhouse of the Southern Miwok Indians. Inside the Roundhouse. Amazing. These tots were here longer  than I expected them to be. This is the scene that kept their attention. I enjoyed it, too. Outside the Arts and Education  Center. Where I bought a book for a friend. Meanwhile, Marion was happily riding the trail and seeing Yosemite in the woods. The instructor. Riders of all ages. I love this view. The path by the creek. Signs say along the road, "Watch for falling rocks". We don't know why more rocks don't fall! Well, some rocks do fall. Our next question was, "So, what are we to do? Watch them fall?" When Marion joined me, we ate in Yosemite Village among the multiple signs that said, "Don't feed the bears and don't feed the squirrels" Guess people don't read signs because we saw this poor overweight squirrel being fed french fries. He could hardly move around. The other critters that had infested the park was some little kind of bed lice. These tents were off limits to us while they exterminated the pests. Yes, it is a squirrel, a fat one. The off limit tents. We missed the early bus to take us back to Mariposa, so we decided to ride around the park on the shuttle and take photos. Then we ate at the Ahwahnee Hotel Restaurant and enjoyed the sunset. As we waited on the bus, the mosquitoes enjoyed us for dinner. We got back to the hotel late that night with quite an adventurous day. The contrasting pasture and rock. Half Dome Rock through the trees. It almost looks like a painting. One more view of Half Dome Rock Outside restuarant at Ahwahnee. This would be a nice place to stay. Inside window of the lounge. Even the elevator doors are painted. Sunset on the mountains. Goodbye Ahwahnee and Yellowstone.