 |
| You have dried fruit? I'm very fond of dried fruit. Unsulphered, of course. |
A big part of a Yosemite visit
in any season is sport. In 1864, the U.S. Government set aside Yosemite Valley
and Mariposa Grove as a reserve for the State of California to “be held for
public use, resort and recreation…inalienable for all time.” In 1890 the high
country surrounding Yosemite Valley was designated a National Park, and the
valley floor became part of the park in 1906. Rock climbing is huge here, as is
hiking. In cold winters, Badger Pass ski area is open for winter sports (now
closed for lack of snow).
In compensation, hiking trails that are normally
off-limits in a cold winter are open. We took the Mist Trail up to Vernal
Falls. My daughter, who has climbed Half Dome four times, said that hiking the
Mist Trail in summer means trudging along with a steady stream of people. We
didn’t see more than a dozen folks on the trail this time; same for walking the
loop trail around the valley floor. Though we did encounter a few school buses
on day trips, we were often alone. All the trails ascending from the valley floor
go UP from the 4,0000-foot elevation of the valley floor itself; it made for
some heavy breathing, and not the good kind, so expect a few stops to catch
your breath along the way.
The mild winter brings wildlife
down into the Valley. Close to Vernal Falls, we met a very personable gray
squirrel who, having previously overwhelmed other hikers with cuddly cuteness,
crossed the trail in front of us, hopped on a rock to be closer to our faces,
and assumed a prayerful attitude. VERY hard to resist, but we did. There are
plenty of warnings about bears, but what we saw most often were coyotes.
Judging from their curiosity, plush coats, and low-fear attitude, these guys
had obviously persuaded visitors to break the law and hand out snacks in the
past.
The Curry Village ice rink was
open, and a few skaters made the rounds. One woman we talked to, a Yosemite
employee for 20 years, said she liked to take the alpenglow shift on the ice,
to see the sun light up Half Dome. It was spectacular.
 |
| Twilight, as seen from the Camp Curry Ice Rink |
On the way out of the Valley, we took Hwy. 140, following
the scenic Merced River. An enormous rockslide closed down part of the road,
covering the old route with what looked like 100 tons of boulders and causing a
one-lane detour. This original paved road into the park parallels the old
stagecoach route, which can still be seen across the river. In the town of
Mariposa, the first city on the route out of the park. We stopped at a place
recommended by Lisa Cesaro, PR Manager for Delaware North, the company that
currently owns and runs the concessions in Yosemite. It more than met Lisa’s
description: funky on the outside, amazing on the inside. 
