Team Breitmann World Tour: Yosemite

Yahweh Shammah - "The Lord is there!" Exactly! If you're a Christian you can't help but feel the presence of God in this place called Yosemite National Park. We traveled from Sequoia National Park back into the "valley" and up thru the towns of Fresno, Madera, Merced and Mariposa and on into the tiny little town of Greeley Hill, which is about 30 miles west of the Big Oak Flat entrance of Yosemite. Unfortunately, pictures can not do this place called Yosemite the justice of experiencing it. I hope that the pictures that follow will inspire you to come for a visit of your own and feel His majestic
creation in person! Enjoy!

Stacey took this picture from our motor home as we came in on Highway 49 into Coulterville, CA. We had no idea how challenging this road was going to be in a nearly 60' foot long rig (our motor home + towed car). You can see a part of Lake McClure on the left.

Yikes! That sign ahead says 10 mph. Holy hairpin turn, Batman! It was like this for a looooong way! Me and my transmission got a work out!

Camped out in the Sierra Nevadas. We were nearly the only ones in this campground called "Ye Ole Yosemite RV Park". The owners, Malcolm & Heidi, really made us feel at home and gave us all the pointers of what to see and do in Yosemite. We also found out that they are a homeschooling team, as well. Malcolm told us that they left the LA area and bought this place in the mountains nine years ago and never looked back. What a change in population and culture! The local "town" called Greeley Hill, according to the 2010 census had a population of 915 people. Los Angeles = 3.7 million!

Looking for the perfect swimmin' hole?! Well, this is it! The Rainbow Pool, located a short distance from our campsite along Highway 120 on our way to Yosemite. It is located on the south fork of the Toulumne River. It has rock over hangs that are approximately 20-30 feet above the water, which is about 30-40 feet deep. Malcolm told us that he sees kids taking the plunge into the pool all the time. Well, that might sound like a ton o' fun...this time of year the water temperature is icy cold due to the snow melt feeding the rivers. The air temperatures were in the 80s and 90s but the water could make your feet go numb in seconds! Here you see Hailey changing her mind about jumping in after she feels the water!

Yosemite National park is beyond description! The park itself is roughly the size of the State of Rhode Island. However, 95% of people only visit the 7 square miles known as Yosemite Valley. Make no mistake, they aren't being short changed! The valley itself is breath taking and the diversity of life and geology is awe-inspiring.

Bridal veil Falls. This is one of the most popular falls in the Yosemite Valley because it flows year round. This waterfall plummets 617 feet into the valley below. We found out that even though it "flows" year round, by the time of late summer the water flow is so that nothing but mist will hit the valley floor. The Native American tribe called the Ahwahneechee called this place Pohono, which means; "Spirit of the Purifying Wind" and believed that inhaling the mist of this waterfall improved ones chances of marriage. Move along girls, move along girls, Dad doesn't want to think of your marriage just yet! Maybe later we will come back and I'll be saying; "Breath deeply girls, breath deeply!" :)

Bare foot and fancy free on the valley floor! Ah, to be a kid again!

Yours truly soaking it in after a hike!

Here you can see the lower part of Yosemite Falls. Yosemite Falls consists of an upper and lower falls. The totality of the Yosemite Falls is ranked as the sixth highest waterfall in the world and the highest in North America. It plunges 2,425 feet.

Normally I'm over protective but...I said; "Okay, let's check these falls out at close range but, follow me..." Famous last words! I had a heck of a time reigning in my adventurous red-heads!

Climbing the rocks towards the lower falls.

I snapped this picture as I was leading from behind!

Okay, that's far enough! The rocks got really slippery and it was COLD! Heidi gives the "victory" pose as we get up to the base of the falls. Hailey is rushing to me to get warm!

In between visits to the park, we took in the local towns of Jamestown, Sonora and Columbia. All of these towns owe their heritage to the great gold rush of 1849, when gold was discovered in the Sierra Nevada foothills.

After learning about the gold rush, Heidi and Hailey are eager to learn how to pan for gold and find some gold of their own. They find out quickly that this panning for gold stuff is not easy. Here they learn just how in depth panning can be.

In the town of Columbia, which has a section of town that is re-created to look like it was in the hay-day of the gold rush, the girls get a taste of what it was like to take a stage coach out to California from "parts East".

Uh, oh! Our stage coach is held up on our way to gold country! Luckily, this would be stage coach robber realized that we did not have anything of value and let us go on our way!

One day, Hailey and Stacey take an art class in Yosemite Valley. Here is one of their watercolor "masterpieces"! Heidi and I, who do not fancy ourselves as artists decided to make a hike out to Mirror Lake.

Heidi the trailblazer! She is signaling me to follow her! She is so much like her Momma!

Heidi is Queen of the Trail to Mirror Lake!

Heidi took this picture of yours truly in front of Mirror Lake.

Mirror lake is a small, seasonal lake located on the Tenaya river in Tenaya Canyon between North Dome and Half Dome.

Heidi and Hailey at the top of Glacier Point.

Me and the "gals" at Glacier Point. Glacier Point is located at the top of the south wall of Yosemite Valley and is at an elevation of 7,214 feet above sea level (3,200 feet above the valley floor). From this point you have breathtakingly, spectacular views of Yosemite Valley, Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall.

View from atop Glacier Point looking down into Yosemite Valley. In the upper left you can see the entire Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls.

Hailey atop Glacier Point with North and Half Dome in the distance.

Heidi with Half Dome in the distance.

As part of her Jr. Ranger program, Hailey has to visit the Indian Museum. Here she visits a re-created Ahwahneeche Indian village.

Hailey accomplishes another Jr. Ranger accomplishment and adds her name to the Yosemite National Park roll of Jr. Rangers, who have successfully completed the program. You go, girl!