Yosemite, April 17

Entering the Park

We visited Yosemite, one of the first wilderness Parks in the US.  The park valley was free of snow and the warm weather allowed tours in  open tramss ear;y this year, so we took one.   Following are some of our photos.

Bridal veil falls at about 2 O clock (position)   

Tunnel view (similar to Inspiration Point view).  El Capitan left and Bridal  Veil f Falls near center

closer view shows Half Dome in background

Ribbon Fall,flows off a cliff on the west side of El Capitan, and is the largest single-drop waterfall in North America. The fall is fed by melting winter snow; while therefore dry for much of the year, the fall is a spectacular 1,612 feet (491 m) in the spring.

El Capitan is a vertical rock formationlocated on the north side of Yosemite Valley, near its western end. The granite monolith extends about 3,000 feet (900 m) from base to summit along its tallest face, and is one of the world's favorite challenges for rock climbers.   

The Nose was first climbed in 1958  in 47 days using "siege" tactics: climbing in an expedition style using fixed ropes along the length of the route, linking established camps along the way.  Expert climbers now climb it in 4-5 days, but the record is less than three hours.

They once said Half Dome never has been, and never will be trodden by human foot.  It was first climbed in 1875.  today with teh help of hand cables it is a difficult day's vertical hike  

Yosemite falls - tallest falls in North America

one of he critters we saw