Yosemite Blog

There’s something new in the Valley and it’s a good thing for all concerned.

Stockton Record: “A noisy bus engine is about the last thing an exhausted camper wants to hear after crawling into a sleeping bag.

Yet, that’s just what many a camper has heard over the years at Yosemite National Park’s Upper Pines campground. There, some campsites are just a stone’s throw from the road between Curry Village and Happy Isles — and clearly within earshot of the lumbering old diesel shuttle buses that roam Yosemite Valley as late as 10 on some nights.

Park officials say campers won’t have to deal with that noise nuisance much longer, thanks to the arrival of a new fleet of ultra-quiet hybrid-powered shuttle buses.

The new diesel-electric hybrids will be phased in over the next two months to replace the old diesel buses. When all the hybrid buses arrive, supposedly by mid-June, Yosemite will be the only national park with an all-hybrid shuttle fleet.

A few of the new buses, which cost about $500,000 each, already are being used, and visitors like what they see and hear, park officials say.”

I, for one, can say I’m excited by the new buses. The old, smoke belchers seem totally out of place in the Valley.

The first poll on Yosemite Blog is officially over and the results are in. It seems that many of you in our quickly growing readership enjoy the Yosemite Falls trail over the Half Dome Trail, Mist Trail, Four Mile Trail, and John Muir Trail. Click on the graphic below and you’ll be able to see a full size version.

The new poll is already up over in the right hand column. Go ahead and vote. This weeks question, “If you only had one picture left in your camera, what would you take a picture of in Yosemite?”

Thanks again for participating. I had a great time tallying the votes and watching as the votes came in.

Have you dreamed of being lulled to sleep by the click-clack-click-clack of steel wheels only to wake up in one of the most beautiful places America has to offer? Or maybe you’ve dreamed of seeing America’s national parks without the headache of driving, making reservations, cooking dinner, or loading the kids in the car. If you have dreamed either of these things, then the American Orient Express is the “ticket” (all puns intended) for you.

The Rockies and Sierras tour on the American Orient Express starts in either Denver or San Francisco and takes you through some of the greatest scenery the West has to offer. Fall asleep to the sound of the train slowly winding it’s way across the land to awake in a great destination; Arches, Canyonlands, the Rockies, the Sierra Nevada, and Yosemite National Park.

American Orient Express: “We awake this morning in Sacramento, the capital city of California. We arrive in Yosemite after a motorcoach tour that brings us to 5,000 feet in elevation. Yosemite is known for its spectacular granite cliffs, towering waterfalls, unique rock formations, giant sequoia forests and pristine wilderness. Native Americans, particularly ancestors of the Southern Miwok tribe, have inhabited the region for 8,000 years. Today we tour the valley, with stops at Half Dome, Royal Arches and Bridal Veil Falls. Enjoy dinner and overnight at a Yosemite Lodge.

In 1864, President Abraham Lincoln signed a bill granting Yosemite Valley as an inalienable public trust. And in 1890, with the efforts of naturalist John Muir, Yosemite National Park was created. This morning we are free to hike and stop by the visitors center to gain further knowledge of this geological wonder. Tonight, on board the train, we celebrate our journey with a farewell cocktail reception and dinner.”

Most meals and accomodations are provided leaving you nothing to do but sit back and enjoy yourself. For more information be sure to check out AmericanOrientExpress.com.

It’s a beautiful morning in Yosemite Valley. Unfortunately, it may not stay that way for long. The National Weather Service forecast is calling for rain with 3-4 inches of new snow above 6,000 feet through Monday.

Photo courtesy of Phil Baird.

My friend Phil demonstrates the magic of the Lomo camera. Great job Phil. Very beautiful.

Phil says he took this photo a couple years ago while on a field trip with an Archaeology class. The class was mapping burn scars on trees around Yosemite Valley to find evidence of early habitation.