Yosemite with Friends (Yosemite National Park, California)

Cass and I had offered to take our friends Tony and Carole to see Yosemite this summer. They had only moved to the area from the east coast a little over a year ago and had always been curious to see the famous Yosemite Valley. As our friends are not avid campers, quite so much as we are, we spent our first night in the small town of Lee Vining, along the shores of Mono Lake. While there, we enjoyed a wonderful meal at the Whoa Nellie Deli, which is set inside the Mobile Gas station at the entrance to Tioga Pass. While it's not exactly fine dining, the food is gourmet and great; the best gas station food you will ever have anywhere!

We awoke early Saturday morning and made our way into the park. I think they were amazed a the grandeur of the mountains. Few places can compare. Throughout the day, we visited many sites within Tuolumne Meadows and then inside Yosemite Valley itself. Finally, after our adventures, we drove to our next hotel in Mariposa. A nice dinner, some wine, and we were all ready to hit the hay.

On the agenda for day three was a trip to Glacier Point and the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. For the grove, we opted to take the open tram tour, as the hike uphill through the grove can be exhausting for those not used to it. I think everyone enjoyed it though and of course, our friends were amazed at the massiveness of the trees.

We then made our way to our last planned stop during our visit, Glacier Point, which in my opinion is one of the grandest views in all the world. From high above Yosemite Valley, it is possible to see Half Dome, El Capitan, and of course the Merced River cutting through the granite. Truly magnificent and I think Tony and Carole enjoyed this stop most of all. I hope we have inspired them to come back.