Yosemite Day 3

Half-dome

Nevada and Vernal Falls

Today was one of the few sleep in days.  Not sure if this was because of the late night (most likely) or that we just needed it.  Probably a combination of both.  Anyway, we set out for another day within the park and started by heading to Glacier Point.

Half-dome

From Glacier Point you could get different vantage points which either offered views of Nevada and Vernal Falls and Half-Dome or of the Yosemite Valley.  We spent a long time at this location moving from the different vantage points. 

A guy had a large telescope aimed at half-dome.  We could see all the people who had climbed to the top and were enjoying their view.  We had originally thought about hiking either up (no way!) or at least down from this point but kind of glad we didn’t.  The hike would have been very strenuous.  When we were at Olmstead Point a few days earlier we thought that was the best view within the park.  We were wrong.  The view and general feeling from Glacier Point topped everything.  We could have spent all day there.

We then took off down to the valley to Yosemite Village.  We checked out the visitor center and walked along some of the paved paths towards half-dome.  Aileen caught up with her family as we walked along.  We came across private residences along a filed at the base of half-dome.  Not sure who owns these but what a place to stay. 

We took a nice dirt trail back to the car.  The trail ran behind the different buildings and offered a whole different scenery than experienced before.  I believe the woods were all Black Oaks and the path was quiet and serene.  We ultimately came onto a path that led to the Yosemite Lower Falls.  This was a populated trail but still worth it as it took us to a bridge near the base of the falls.  Many people were climbing over large rocks/boulders for about 1000 feet to get directly to the base of the falls.  Some were just hanging out in the river bed dipping their feet in the still water.  Very cool spot.  We took off from there and made it back to the car and out of the park.