Everyone has their own preference for natural beauty. Some like the stark desert while others love seascapes. I'm partial to mountain scenery. One of the bonuses of moving to Central California ten years ago is proximity to the Sierra Nevada. My wife and I will be spending the weekend in what is to me the most beautiful spot on Earth, Yosemite.
El Capitan, Glacier Point, Yosemite Falls, Half Dome. All these world famous landmarks are all in view at the same time. Late spring should see Yosemite, Bridal Veil, Nevada and all the other waterfalls at peak volume. The world's largest single exposed block of granite, El Capitan, stands sentinel over the entrance to John Muir's "heavenly valley." Fantastic glacially-scoured miles-long walls of stone hang thousands of feet over your head on all sides with a picture-perfect river and flat valley floor of meadow and forest in your foreground. The flora, the wildlife, the mountains, the roar of cascading water and the clouds of mist make this an unforgettable and awesome spectacle.
The national parks, sometimes called "America's best idea," are a treasure trove of gems. And Yosemite is my favorite of them all. If you would like to help preserve America's wonderlands and historic heritage, I'd like to recommend a membership in the National Parks Conservation Association for your consideration. You can go to their website here.
2 comments:
I'm already a member, but thank you for letting others know about the organization.
My grandmother had an album of Yosemite that she used to show her son (my dad) from time to time, telling him that after she retired that's one of the places she'd liked to visit. Unfortunately, she passed away before that dream could be realized. We moved out to California about a month after she passed away and the next summer, we did our first family camping trip to Yosemite. I'm convinced that my dad made a pilgrimage for his mother that summer.
I don't remember much of that first trip, being only 4 at the time, but I've been back to that heavenly valley at least 10 other times. You're right. It's a wonderful place.
What a poignant personal story, Webfoot. It was marvelous to see so many people from all over the world happy, smiling and getting along, Americans taking pictures of Indian families with Yosemite Falls in the background and then the Indians taking pictures of Japanese or Germans or Chinese, everyone being considerate of the views and on the trails. It was for me a vision of what the world ought to be and could be.
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