We tackled Yosemite much the same way we tackled Sequoia. It was a day-trip with a driving tour and a few short day hikes. I have to say, it was surreal to see the valley so empty. Don’t get me wrong, there were still people around, but it felt like a ghost town compared to every other time I’ve seen it.
We prepped the kids for the enormity of El Capitan (and the Valley, in general) by watching a few climbing videos the night before. They were beside themselves excited to actually see climbers on the wall. The first time I saw Yosemite, I was in my 20’s. I didn’t make it to the backcountry there until my late 30’s. I keep trying to image how much it might have changed my life had I experienced Yosemite earlier in my life.
An early winter storm was coming in toward the early evening, so we made a point of making it to all the epic views and opted to skedaddle out before the weather had the opportunity to become an issue.
Even as a short trip, Yosemite obviously still makes an impact. I’d love to take the kids back and stay for a week or more. It’s just one of those places that you have to immerse yourself into so the overwhelming enormity of it all can wear off some and you can actually enjoy it.
