Another awesome day. I left the campground even earlier this morning. I had been warned that Yosemite can get really crowded on weekends. I arrived on the valley floor about 7:30. I stopped at Bridalveil Fall first. There was no one in the parking lot. I walked about a quarter mile to the observation area. I was all by myself, unlike yesterday when there were probable 50 people. I sat there for 15 minutes this morning, all alone. The sound of the water falling drowned out any traffic noise. For a brief few minutes, until other people showed up, I felt and saw what John Muir felt and saw over 120 years ago. There are very few, if any, places in the park where that experience can occur. By 8:00, traffic was building.
While Yosemite is one of the most beautiful places I have visited, it is also one of the most crowded. Park officials are doing their best, and in general everyone is courteous, but we are on the verge of loving it to death. I don't know what the answer is. Others deserve to enjoy it just as I have.
I did get to catch a nice view of the morning sun hitting El Capitan this morning. As luck would have it, I was on the river bank and witnessed a nice reflection.
What I was really interested in seeing today was Hetch Hetchy. It is so far out of the way that far fewer people go there. Hetch Hetchy is an eight mile long reservoir located within a National Park. It is very unusual, in that the river was damed and the reservoir created after the park was created. The 1906 earthquake destroyed San Francisco's water works. Creating the reservoir was a solution. John Muir fought against the dam, but the public and politicians felt sympathy for the San Francisco people due to the catastrophic destruction, so the reservoir was created. While the reservoir is beautiful, the Hetch Hetchy Valley would probably equal the Yosemite Valley in beauty. Again, this is another of those "there is no perfect solution" issues. Some want to tear the dam down, but I think that would be creating a mistake on a mistake. The damage is done. Let it be.
After leaving Hetch Hetchy, I either had to drive back throughout the Yosemite valley floor again, or take a different route and avoid all the traffic. So, when I got to the fork in the road, and everybody turned left, I turned right. Best thing I did. Was it Robert Frost who suggested "choose the road least taken," or Yogi Berra who said, "when you come to a fork, take it." In any event, the return trip took me through some new country and some great new views.
In fact, following up on my John Muir theme of the past several days, I actually stumbled onto a section of highway (and of course took it) called "The John Muir Highway." Go figure. :-)
One other thing. I've been seeing these signs on the road warning that speed kills bears. Well, I finally found out what they are. One is put where ever there is a car - bear accident, along with the date. Interesting.
I think I will catch up on house cleaning and resting on Sunday. Monday I head off to Sequoia National Park to meet a former student, Lyndsay Belt, who works there.
All for now.........
Dave - We really enjoyed our trip "with you" over Sunday morning coffee today! Robert used to live in CA and spent a lot of time hiking and rock climbing in Yosemite in the mid-70's. I've never been there. So, it's been really fun for him to see the photos and re-live his time there, and for me to see it through your eyes and his. He was surprised to see water at the falls this time of year!
ReplyDeleteFall arrived in Savannah yesterday as temperatures dropped from the 90's into the 70's. We actually had a fire in the fire pit last night and I'm wearing a sweater this morning (quite the event!!!). Savannah's tourist season is in full swing; the city is packed with people from all over the country and the locals just try to keep from running them over.
It must be wonderful to be in John Muir country - the best he could do in Savannah was 6 nights camping among the graves and tombs in Bonaventure Cemetery. It must have been a far cry from Yosemite for him but, ever the gentle optimist, he wrote "The rippling of living waters, the song of birds, the joyous confidence of flowers, the calm, undisturbable grandeur of the oaks, mark this place of graves as one of the Lord’s most favored abodes of life and light."
Wishing your safe travels as you continue on....
Char and Robert,
ReplyDeleteNow that I have been here once, it's on my bucket list to get back to Yosemite in the Spring. The Rangers all comment that while it is unusual to have this much water in the waterfalls at this time of the year, it is nothing compared to April and May.
I would have liked to do more hiking, but the National Parks, probably right so, do not allow dogs on the trails. They strictly enforce it. Dogs can upset the fragile ecosystems in addition to all that we humans are doing.
Thanks for the John Muir quote. The more I learn about him, the more I admire him. When I taught about him, he was just a historical figure. Now I'm learning about the man. I wonder who is taking his place for our generation.
Thanks for writing.