Driving into Yosemite
"I perked up a bit in my seat as I saw a clearing ahead of us with a sharp right curve. My mouth begins to fall open."
When you're entering Yosemite National Park from the west side entrance, there is this bend you drive around. You don't know the view is coming and boy, does it hit you hard. You see beautiful views as you make your approach to the valley, but if it's your first time, you have no idea what's coming. I'll never forget the experience. We drove up windy roads surrounded by magnificent trees blocking the views. I perked up a bit in my seat as I saw a clearing ahead of us with a sharp right curve. My mouth begins to fall open. We were so high up and could see so much of the park and we haven't even gone around the curve! We slow down (there was no one on the road) and pull out our cameras to take a quick snapshot of the view. Little did we know, there was something even more jaw dropping right around the corner, and that's exactly what happen. I hear a gasp coming from my girlfriend as my eyes are distracted by the view. I flinch and re-direct my attention to the road thinking I was about to hit something.. Well, I didn't hit anything, but that view slapped me right in the face. Seeing El Capitan for the first time in all of its glory and all of the beauty surrounding it took my breath away. Yosemite has a lookout point right where we were so I immediately pull over into it. Back our SUV up to the view and pop the trunk. That is where we spent the next hour taking photographs and soaking in the view.
If you every have a chance to get away for a few days, do not miss out on this opportunity to experience this.
-yours truly
Maraki - The Light Chaser
I've been there and your description actually makes me feel like I did not fully appreciate the beauty of the views and makes me want to go back! (Not to mention I didn't have my camera or my new lens back then--that's it, I gotta go!!)
Were you just there recently? I'm wondering if now would be a busy time to visit.
@speecees, If it makes you feel any better, I've lived in Florida my whole life, so seeing a hill excites me (insert embarrassed face here lol). Definitely go back though! Especially if you have new gear! We went for a week on the very last weekend before they close the north side of the park for winter. We were there in late Aug . It was a weekday when we drove into the park so it was pretty empty, however that weekend was the centennial weekend so it was packed. You're probably safe to go now but a majority of the park is closed in the winter. you'd still see this view and get to the valley, but going to the north side of the park, or to glacier point is a no go :( I'd say to go within the first month of them opening the park back up again.
ps. thank's for the comment :)
There are no hills in Florida?! Haha That must have been quite the contrast then. Oh right, I didn't even think about it being winter! I'm used to there not being snow here in California!