There is so much forest here, not just the sequoias but also 'normal' trees. People here live with forest fires and there are warning signs everywhere. That and for bears who have not as yet been visible. There are also 100% black cows here. Presumably black ones must taste better in the burgers? It is still very hot and we were very glad to arrive in Mariposa - again, a place situated at an economic distance from the entrance to a National Park. However, Yosemite being Yosemite, the distance needed to be further...
We actually ended up staying just across the road from where we stayed in 2014 - and just across the road from the Yosemite Climbing Museum - rusty pitons and bits of old rope...
We have, with practice, worked out our strategy for these National Parks (another 60$ 'saved'). The hikes are proving too strenuous in the heat, but we can manage 4 to 5 miles as long as it's not too steep for too long. Then we visit the Visitor Centre as they usually have an auditorium showing a welcome film. And the auditorium usually has padded seats and aircon...
After we had our hiking day we rode west to east through the National Park - over the Tioga Pass. Between Los Angeles and San Francisco there are only a handful of east-west roads that cross the Sierra Nevada and the Tioga is one of them - but only in the summer as snow closes it from the end of October. As this road is one of the main entrances into Yosemite, we reckon it becomes impossible to enter the valley from the east in winter. The Sierra Nevada is effectively a big block of white granite 400 miles long that has been thrust up by the earth's tectonic movements. White granite that bizarely looks like snow in the sun.
By going to Los Angeles and Sequoia we had avoided Death Valley. In 2014 when we crossed Death Vallley it registered just over 100°F. During last week it registered 128°F (54°C). Hikers have been reported as having died through dehydration throughout Arizona, Nevada and Utah in the last few weeks and a motorcyclist also died through lack of water in Death Valley whilst we were heading to Los Angeles.
One of the things that has amazed us a number of times over the last few weeks is how far you can see without there being any man-made impact on the vista. We crossed the Sierra Nevada via Tiago Pass and it was great in a number of ways. Firstly it was quite a lot cooler due to the altitude (3,000m). Our stolen breakfast picnic tasted all the better for it. There were also some beautiful lakes and meadows up there. And some striking white rock outcrops with trees seemingly growing out of nothing. And some excellent views of the other side of Half Dome where the cables are supposed to help you 'hike' up it. And our accommodation for the end of the day at the bottom of the pass also had a coffee shop with home made cakes...
