Towering granite walls graced with North Americas highest water falls are just a couple of the many reasons why people love Yosemite so much. Half Dome (photo to the left), one of the icons of Yosemite soars nearly 4,800 vertical feet above the valley floor, and the park service during the month of May strings the "Cable Ladder" up the last 975 feet of 45 degree polished rock.

The cables allow access up the steep slopes for hikers who are in good enough condition to make the climb all the way up from the valley floor to it's 8,836 foot summit. Half Dome's sheer northwest face is also a draw for technical climbers from around the world.

Half Dome is just one of the many attractions Vernal (for springtime) Falls gets it's name from the canyon below, because it is kept lush and green all year round from the watery spray from above. In contrast to the horsetail plumes of most of the other falls in Yosemite, Vernal Falls is square and broad. At 320 feet it is not the highest water fall in Yosemite, but it is certainly one of the most beautiful. Note the beautiful rainbow in the lower left corner of the photo. This is a common site around Yosemite's Falls, due to the abundance of sunlight and mist that come together in this special part of the world. I find that from mid April through June are the best times to experience Yosemite's water falls. But each year is different, depending on the snowfall, or the lack of it. So check with the park service before making your plans to visit the park.

Most of Yosemite's visitors hang around the valley floor which consists of a piece of landscape that comprises only one mile in width and seven miles in length. During the months of July and August it can be as jambed with traffic (both vehicle and pedestrian) as many metropolitan centers during rush hour. But being in the heart of Yosemite Valley, is a very special experience even though the valley makes up only one percent of the parks 1,200 square miles. There are so many things to do in the valley, that it is well worth the time to explore. I have been in the valley a multitude of times over the years, and I always discover something new each time.

Even a nights stay in Curry Village's tent cabins (shown to the right) can an experience all it's own. Curry Village along with Yosemite Village are the two most active areas in the Valley. They contain most of Yosemite National Parks lodging, dining, stores, and other amenities. For those who want to skip the crowds, and sleep out under the stars, there are plenty of places in the wilderness to spread out your sleeping gear. But all back country overnight camping requires a wilderness permit. When my wife and I first backpacked Yosemite over 35 years ago, regulations were far and few between. But due to the multitudes of people who visit the park and the Sierra Nevada Mountains in general, have to be regulated in order to preserve the beauty of the wilderness for future generations.

In the early 1900´s the first director of the National Park Service, Stephen Mather, decided that Yosemite needed a first class hotel. Well the result of that vision was the Ahwahnee Hotel (photo to the right) and it is certainly a first class hotel. It was designed by architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood who was well known for the impressive hotels he had designed for Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks. If you ever decide to stay in this beautiful structure, make sure you have reservations well in advance. I hear that Christmas time is very special at the hotel, but getting a reservation for Christmas season has to be booked possible years in advance. But the Ahwahnee is just one of many places to stay. For more information, check out the following link: Where to stay in Yosemite. Getting around in Yosemite can be a problem during the heavy traffic months from June through early September. But it is possible to get around the valley in the free shuttle system that runs daily from 7am to 10pm. The shuttle stops at most all the lodging areas, popular viewing sights, and popular landmarks. During the above time period, the shuttle comes around about every 15 minutes. During off-season, expect a 30 minute wait of so. But if you have the time, the best way to get around is on foot. Walking is the best way to slow life down, and that is why most people come to the park in the first place.

El Capitan (photo to the left) is a massive granite block that rises 3,604 feet above the floor of Yosemite. (elevation above sea level is 7,569 feet) The grand rock structure is highly resistant to erosion and contains very few joints or fractures. Features that makes it one of the most popular rock climbing locations in the world. The multi-day ascent of El Capitan requires climbers to use a number of advanced rock climbing techniques.

The first climber to scale El Capitan's sheer wall was Warren harding, who put up the first route up the Nose of El Capitan in 1958. Using fixed ropes, and a mountain of bolts, Warren Harding and a couple of his friends reached the top in 45 days. I remember my parents taking interest in the climb, due to it being televised on the news when I was only 7 years old. Latter Royal Robbins assembled a team and made the climb in 7 days. In 1975, Jim Bridwell made the first single day assent.

But with all due respect, having bolts in place saves lots of time for climbers who have followed in Warren Harding's footsteps. Nevertheless, the speed record that stands out above all the others, is Hans Florine and Yuji Hirayama's. They did the classic "Nose Route" in just two hours and forty eight minutes. A phenomenal feat to say the least. Check out the following link, to see a video of a speed climber going up El Capitan

The height of Bridalveil Fall (photo to the right) is 620 feet and flows year round. The glaciers that carved Yosemite Valley left many hanging valleys which initiated the waterfalls that flow into the valley. All of the drainage areas that fed these falls carved the hanging valleys into steep cascades with the exception of Bridalveil Fall. Bridalveil still cascades into the valley from the edge of the steep cliff that it flows over, although that edge has moved back into an alcove from the original edge of the valley. To the left you see Nevada Fall (upper fall), and Vernal Fall as seen from the Panorama Trail between Glacier Point and the falls below. Yosemite is not only home to some of the worlds greatest water falls, and unbroken granite monoliths, it is also home of the Giant Sequoia. This monster of a tree, can weigh over two million pounds, and grow to a height of over 320 feet. It makes it the largest living thing on this earth. The Sequoia can also reach an age of 3,200 years old, due to it being nearly immune to almost all known pests and diseases. The trees bark is also very thick, and resists fire to a very high degree. The Mariposa Grove in Yosemite is well worth visiting.

At 2,425 feet, Yosemite Falls (photo to the left) is the fifth tallest, waterfall in the world, and the highest in North America. Salto Angel in Venezuela at 3,212 is the highest. Yosemite Falls is actually made up of three separate falls: Upper Yosemite Fall (1,430 ft), the middle cascades (675 ft), and Lower Yosemite Fall (320 ft). You can walk to Lower Yosemite Fall in just a few minutes. A hike to the top of Upper Yosemite Fall is a strenuous, all-day hike. Yosemite Falls is fed by Yosemite Creek, which drains 50 square miles of snow melt from the high country. Peak flow usually happens in late May, and 2,400 gallons per second flow over the lip of the upper fall. But by August, Yosemite Falls is often dry. It begins flowing again a few months later, after winter snows arrive. Well, that is just a small sample of Yosemite National Park's beauty. For more on Yosemite and all it has to offer, please do not hesitate to make use of the below links, for further information and possible adventures that you can experience in this most wonderfully preserved national treasure.