Yosemite National Park,USA

 My first brush with “Yosemite” was Yosemite Sam an animated cartoon

character depicted as a grouchy western outlaw with an intense hatred for a special rabbit aka

Bugs Bunny who was out to steal his well grown carrots. It always ended with Sam firing his

shotgun at a fleeing BB shouting @#$%! .

Many decades later Aditya and I visited the real thing, Yosemite National Park(YNP). We were

debating between Lake Tahoe and YNP and we voted for the later as it was a shorter drive for a

day trip. Adi has developed a bit of “Cold Feet” about my driving in international freeways without

proper documents.I cannot find fault with this as I do not have Insurance

With a small brunch pack of Egg sandwiches, Bananas and Lays and a full tank of Gasoline, we

set out with a borrowed Navigator as support, lest we lose our way and botch up our plans for a

day among wilderness.

We sang Oh Bloody Oh Bladah Life goes on ……..

After a few hours of a very hot North CA Sun we were in the vicinity and stopped at Mariposa, a one horse town with a main street just as in Clint Eastwood’s old Spaghetti westerns. We clutched some brochures and off we went through the meandering roads with a stream on one side and the Sierra range yonder

Now for some facts and some History

For its towering cliffs, spectacular waterfalls, granite domes and spires, glacially-sculpted and polished rock,and beautiful alpine scenery, Yosemite National Park is world famous.YSM, in east central CA, covers an area of 1200 SQ Miles and reaches across the western slope of Sierra Nevada mountain chain the longest,the highest, and the grandest single mountain range in the United States outside of Alaska. Simply stated, Yosemite Valley, only 7 miles long and nearly 1 mile wide, is a flat-floored, widened part of the canyon of the Merced River. But this broad rock-hewn trough with roughly parallel sides, is boldly sculptured and ornamented with silvery cataracts. From the valley floor at an elevation of 4,000 feet, the magnificent cliffs rise 3,000 to 4,000 feet higher to forested uplands on either side.

Native Americans probably came to the Valley well over 2000 years ago! When Columbus made the discovery of NA the valley was occupied by Miwok Indians.

Bunnell, a Physician while camping at the valley in 1851 suggested that the Valley be named '"Yo-sem-ity",after what the Sierra Miwok tribes, who feared the Yosemite Valley tribe,called them..Later translations found that the actual term, while possibly derived or at least confused with the uzumati or uhumati (meaning grizzly Bear), was in fact a Southern Sierra Miwok word Yohhe'meti meaning "they are killers".

We paid our dues at the entrance which allows you to camp for a week, if you happen to fall in

love with YNP, in many different types of accommodation inside or pitch your tent and do not

mind the grizzlies. We drove a short distance and lo & behold there was this majestic view of a granite cliff on one side and a water fall on the other. Stop the Car I hailed and shortly we were walking to a spot to train our camera on these views. Here they are-

Granite forms the bedrock of much of the Sierra Nevada, including most of Yosemite National Park.

Granite, in the broad sense of the term (granitic rock), is a rock with a salt-and-pepper appearance due to random distribution of minerals

Bridalveil Fall is one of the most prominent waterfalls in YNP. Legend has it that Bridalveil Fall was home to a vengeful spirit named Pohono which guarded the entrance to the valley, and that those leaving the valley must not look directly into the waterfall lest they be cursed. They also believed that inhaling the mist of Bridalveil Fall would improve one's chances of marriage. Bridalveil Fall is 188 metres (620 ft) and flows year round. 

By now,it was 2 PM, hunger pangs were at work as brunch was gone through long back. So we said let’s go look for some food. As we left the crowds at Bridalveil and drove up we were witnessing humanity as we had only seen at Niagara. The difference being there it was mostly Indians and here it was mostly Americans and Europeans. They love their Parks for all they can do, such as Jogging, Cycling, Skateboarding, canoeing, Kayaking, Camping and what have you. We somehow found parking and Adi braved the crowds to see whether we could get something to eat. A while later he returned with some whopper sandwiches and a bottle of coke and boy did we wolf down the meal.

We resumed our tour and took in Yosemite Falls, tallest in the US. Read on..for facts

Highest waterfall in North America and the world’s fifth tallest. The water drops down at total distance of 2425 feet or 739 meters from the top of the Yosemite Falls to the ground. Depending on how much snow fell during the wintertime the water in the Yosemite Falls flows from winter through early to mid-summer. The Yosemite Falls is at its height in spring, when the melted snow plunges over the cliffs into the valley and is usually dry during summertime, beginning in August. In winter Yosemite Falls are especially spectacular when the cliffs are covered by snow, ice, and frost.

Yosemite Falls are actually made up of three different falls. The Upper Yosemite Fall (1,430 ft), the middle cascades (675 ft), and Lower Yosemite Fall (320 ft). To walk to the Lower Falls would take you just a few minutes. A hike to the top of Upper Yosemite Fall would take you all day 

Bored with the diatribe? Well! you will have to bear with us a little longer as we drive up from the valley to the surrounding cliffs.We were now climbing way beyond 5000ft! Every 1000Ft there would be an observation point and we would stop for a view as all the others.It is contagious...We were looking at the Granite cliffs,water falls,Sequoia,the Sierra and so on. I requested a charming Senior to take our picture and then we got in to the mood of picture taking.This is what we got.

We  come to the “Finale” of the grand tour and are now up at 7300Ft.It feels much cooler here even though the temperature has not dropped much.The air is thinner and it shows up as I walk up ¼ mile to the“Glacier Point”

Glacier Point is certainly one candidate for the world's greatest view point that can be driven to. I believe only views of the Grand Canyon have this kind of scale and sweep. A stupendous vista stretches out for many miles north and east, over the forests and meadows around the Merced river, the enclosing cliffs and lofty domes.

From above, it is a great view of the valley, Roads hugging the cliffs with cars and tourist buses, you can see parking lots, camping grounds and even people cycling or walking.

And now a salute to Yosemite as a glorious day comes to an end and we drive down the way most reluctantly but with a firm resolve that we shall come back once again to nestle in the valley and cliffs once more

Hail thee, Yosemite, park of sublime, Majestic, peerless and old!
Ye mountains and cliffs, ye valleys and rifts, Ye cascades and cataracts bold!

None, none can divine the wonders of thine, When told of the glorious view! 

Lafayette Houghton Bunnell. In 1851

Adios!