Travelogue

Lazy Daze at El CapitanNow that the boys were living on the West Coast and we on the East, planning holiday get-togethers was getting a bit more challenging. Since they didn’t have that much vacation time in their new jobs and the airfare around the holidays is so high, we thought it would make more sense for us to come their way, adding some vacationing on the front and back end of the holiday weekend.

But where to go? I originally thought of Bend, Oregon, a halfway point between Seattle and San Francisco, and that probably would have been really great. But then, just on a whim, I went onto the Recreation.gov website and looked at campgrounds in Yosemite. I wasn’t even sure if they were open this time of year. There it was calling to me – one RV site left in the Upper Pines Campground. My heart started pounding. I didn’t really think this was going to be a possibility. I hadn’t even discussed it with the family yet. For all they knew, Thanksgiving was still going to be in New Jersey.

Family Photo with El CapitanFearing it would be gone if I hesitated, I grabbed the campsite and figured I would ask questions later. Any fee associated with a cancellation was well worth the possibility of doing this. There was one more obstacle to overcome before I brought the family into this plan – where to have our turkey? I had absolutely no desire to cook a Thanksgiving feast in the crowded quarters of our RV kitchen.

A quick search of the Yosemite website showed that there were several Thanksgiving dining options: the Ahwahnee Dining Room, the Mountain Room at Yosemite Lodge, and the Wawona Hotel. I knew the Ahwahnee would be unbelievable but very expensive, and the Wawona Hotel would be a bit too far of a drive, but I figured Yosemite Lodge would be just right. As luck would have it, the only reservation time left for 4 people was 4:00, the exact time I would have selected anyway.

Wawona HotelThe last hurtle was clearing this idea with the family. I really wasn’t sure if the boys had their hearts set on a good old fashioned Thanksgiving at home in New Jersey. Who was I kidding? Like Herb and me, Yosemite was probably their favorite place on Earth, and I barely got the question out before receiving an enthusiastic and resounding “Yes!!” Herb, was a tiny bit more skeptical, however, as he hates the cold and didn’t know what kind of weather to expect in Yosemite in late November.

So that was how our Thanksgiving plans came to be, and now here we were, the four of us together in the motorhome once again, driving to Yosemite. Family morale was extremely high.

We arrived near dusk and, not wanting to waste a moment, quickly headed over to the Ahwahnee Meadow to watch the sun set over Half Dome. Andrew wanted to go for a run, so I went along with him on my bike – the only way I can keep up with him – while Herb and Tommy stayed behind to photograph. It was just so great to be back in the Valley again.

Half DomeAndrew and I decided to run/bike over to Yosemite Lodge to check out the Mountain Room, where we would be having Thanksgiving dinner the next day. The dining room wasn’t open yet, but a peek through the window satisfied our curiosity—not quite the Ahwahnee dining room, but very nice and cozy.

While in the Lodge, we just by chance saw a time schedule for ice skating sessions in Curry Village. I had no idea there even was ice skating in the Valley. My planning skills were slipping. Andrew and I both had the same immediate and very enthusiastic reaction. This was something we definitely had to do, and tomorrow after Thanksgiving dinner would be the perfect time to do it. We could hardly wait to get back and tell Tommy and Herb the good news. Herb was a wee bit less excited than the rest of us, but we knew he would come around when he hit the ice – hopefully figuratively and not literally.

Mariposa Grove, Thanksgiving Dinner, and Ice Skating

Mariposa GroveFor a different perspective on the Park, we drove down to Wawona and the Mariposa Grove of Big Trees, about 30 twisty miles south of the Valley, but not without stopping first at Tunnel View, a turnout just before the tunnel to Wawona, for the iconic and breathtaking view of El Capitan, Half Dome, and Yosemite Valley in between. It was from this spot that Herb and I got our first view of Yosemite 27 years ago, and I can still remember our awed reaction.

The viewpoint was busy as always, so we had to wait awhile before we could get the stone wall to ourselves to pose for the first of many attempts at the Gaidus Family 2013 Christmas Card shot.

Family Photo at Tunnel ViewBefore hiking in the sequoia grove, we stopped at the historic Wawona Hotel, a lovely two-story, wooden structure that opened for business back in 1879, before Yosemite was even a park. We went inside, mostly because I wanted to peek into the dining room to visualize what their Thanksgiving dinner would be like. It was very warm and cozy and would have been an excellent choice as well.

The main reason we drove down to Wawona, however, was to hike in the nearby Mariposa Grove, a grove of about 500 giant sequoias, many of which are more than 3,000 years old. They are considered to be the largest living things on earth – almost 300 feet tall, 50 feet in circumference, and about 2 million pounds.

Lolo Glowing during the Mountain Room Thanksgiving DinnerThe trees are divided into a Lower and Upper Grove connected by hiking trails and a road. During the summer months an open-air tram takes tourists on the road through the grove, past many of the more famous giants. Thankfully, it wasn’t running this time of year and the only way to experience the grove was on foot. Although you can hike both groves for a total of 6 miles, we chose to just do 2.2 miles through the Lower Grove, so that we could get back in time to spend some time in the Valley before dinner. We did see some of the most famous ones, like the Fallen Monarch, the Bachelor and the Three Graces, the Grizzly Giant, the California Tunnel Tree, and my personal favorite, the Faithful Couple.

We drove back to the Valley, stopping once more at Tunnel View for another attempt at the Christmas Card shot under different lighting conditions, and then over to Yosemite Village, which is the main center for visitor services in the park. Our goal in the Village was a hot cup of coffee and then the Ansel Adams Gallery, which is run by his son Michael Adams. There are many wonderful prints on exhibit—actually they are for sale, but I treat this place more like a museum—both by Ansel Adams himself, as well as several contemporary landscape photographers.

Ice Skating in Curry VillageAfter a quick trip back to the RV to shower and change for dinner, we drove over to the Yosemite Lodge for our Thanksgiving dinner. I must say that even if the dinner turned out to be mediocre, none of us would have regretted coming to Yosemite for Thanksgiving. Fortunately, however, that was not the case. The Mountain Room setting was cozy and warm, with wonderful views out its floor to ceiling windows, and the food, with the exception of having to send Tommy’s prime rib, which was totally raw, back for some additional cooking (that’s what he gets for not ordering turkey), was excellent as well. I was so content that I was probably glowing.

Happy Ice SkatersThe fun was not over yet though. There was still ice skating in Curry Village. If none of us broke a limb, the day would be absolutely perfect. We used to ice skate a lot when the kids were growing up, but none of us had been on skates for probably about 10 years. Let’s just say that it’s not like riding a bike. The boys regained their skills a lot quicker than Herb and I, and soon they were careening at high speed around the rink. I, however, and Herb too to some degree, kind of just shuffled awkwardly around the rink a few times before getting the hang of it again. But when we did, boy was this fun again. I had actually been pretty good in my youth and could skate backwards while doing crossovers and even spin around a little. I actually started doing this, and I would have to say I made the boys proud, and somewhat shocked as well.

It had been such a wonderful day that I hated for it to end, but at least we had three more days to look forward to in the Valley.

Rock Climbing, Sentinel Beach, and Ahwahnee Bar

Tommy at Five and Dime WallFor avid rock climbers, such as Herb and the boys, it is difficult to come to this climbing “mecca” and not at least get on the rock a little. However, Yosemite is famous for its multi-pitch, 3,000 foot routes up granite faces such as El Cap and Half Dome, a feat that requires great technical skill, years of experience, stoutheartedness, and, in my humble opinion, a tad of insanity.

While taking on something like El Cap or Half Dome might be a long-term aspiration, this weekend they were looking for something a bit less extreme, like a short “sport” climbing route or one they could top rope. Before stumbling upon a book called “Yosemite Sport Climbs and Top Ropes,” in the Visitor Center yesterday, they didn’t know that routes like this were an option in the Valley. So thanks to that book, today they would get their chance to rock climb in Yosemite.

Tommy was in charge, because he would be the one leading the climbs, so he got to choose where to go. He chose a cliff called the Five and Dime Wall, located just north of the Valley along Route 120. It was a “sport climbing” wall, which meant that unlike “traditional” climbing where the lead climber has to put protection pieces in the rock as he climbs up to keep from falling to the ground, the bolts and protection are already there, permanently fixed to the rock. It’s a bit safer and quicker to set up a climb than “trad” climbing. They love when I use rock climbing lingo like that.

Andrew at Five and Dime WallStill though, Tommy had to lead, which meant that of the three of them, he had the greatest potential distance to fall. When you lead climb you are attached to one end of the rope and a belayer has the other end, which he feeds up to you as you move up the rock, keeping as little slack in the rope as possible, while still allowing the climber to move upwards. As you proceed up the rock, you must clip the rope into each of the pre-placed protection pieces as you get to them.

The furthest you can fall, if your belayer is good, is twice the distance from your last protection. In other words, if you climb 4 feet above your last piece of protection and fall, you will fall 8 feet and wind up 4 feet below that last piece of protection you clipped into. You always want to make sure you are not that far above the last protection that you will hit the ground if you fall.

Often, for me, the approach to the base of the climb is the equivalent of the actual climb for them. This was one of those instances. The Five and Dime Wall is located on the downhill side of Route 120, making its top just about level with the road. This meant that we had to climb down rather than up to the base. The trail was so steep that at one point I somewhat kiddingly asked if I should be roped in so they wouldn’t lose me.

Herb at Five and Dime WallWell, we made it down to a nice flat rock at the base of the cliff, where we set up our little base camp. Oh, the other reason Tommy chose this spot to climb was that it had a southern exposure, which meant that we would be in the sun practically the whole day. This really makes a big difference in the Valley at this time of the year. In the shade, we would have needed warm jackets, but here they were actually able to climb with shorts and no shirt.

This really was beyond all expectations – challenging, but doable routes, and warm, sunny weather. I had thought that morale couldn’t possibly get any better than yesterday, but it actually did.

On our drive back into the valley, we stopped at Sentinel Beach, one of Yosemite’s nicest riverside beaches. In the summer months this is a great place to float in a tube on the Merced, gazing up at El Cap, which is probably one of my favorite things to do in the valley. It was warm today, but not quite that warm, so we spent our beach time photographing reflections of El Cap in the river.

El Capitan Reflection in the Merced RiverHerb and the boys still wanted to climb some more, so we headed over to Camp 4, the famous rock climbers’ campground located near the base of Yosemite Falls. Over the last half century or so, the most renowned climbers in the world have used this as their base camp when climbing in Yosemite, climbers I have even heard of like Yvan Chouinard and Royal Robbins. So important was this site to the climbing community, that when its removal was threatened in the late 1990s, a campaign was started to save it. It worked, and today it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for "its significant association with the growth and development of rock climbing in the Yosemite Valley during the 'golden years' of pioneer mountaineering.”

So here we were, on hallowed climbing ground. Even if you don’t climb, it’s fun to just walk through this camp and watch the climbing and bouldering that goes on here. Also, it was a great base camp for me, because unlike the Five and Dime Wall, there was no treacherous descent to the base. Instead, a nice flat trail ran along its base. This does, however, mean that it is a lot more crowded and you often have to wait to get on the climb you want to do.

El Capitan and Merced RiverTommy had found a good section to top rope called Swan Slab. This was not a “sport” climb, so Tommy would have to put in his own protective pieces on the way up. However, unlike “traditional” climbing where the leader sets up a belay station on the wall from which he belays the other climbers up to him, with top roping the leader climbs up to a secure anchor point, attaches the rope, and then rapels back down, so that both ends of the rope are on the ground, secured above at the anchor point. Then one person belays from the ground as the next climber goes up the route, removing the protective pieces along the way. The reason that it is safer is that the climber can’t fall very far at all, because the belayer has him tight on the other end.

The Swan Slab, like all climbing walls, had dozens of routes up it with varying degrees of difficulty. That is why everyone has guide books with route descriptions and pictures where each of these routes are on the rock. For some reason, they put me in charge of the book, which I diligently studied trying to identify each of the possible routes. I must have looked somewhat knowledgeable, because several real climbers stopped to ask me if I knew what a particular route was, and surprisingly I actually did. The boys were quite amused.

However, this facade of climbing knowledge only made me look the bigger fool later. Somehow the boys had convinced me that I should climb too. While I had done a bit of climbing in the past (way, way past), I had never felt really comfortable with it and as a result had never gotten good at it. It wasn’t that I was afraid I would get hurt – I knew the belayer would have me, but still I was a bit nervous.

Valley Bike Loop ViewpointAs Tommy was setting up the top rope, two climbers stopped and asked if we were all going to climb the route that Tommy was starting up on. They were trying to gauge whether or not they should wait for us to finish so they could climb it afterwards. My regrettable response was, “the four of us are each going to take a run up it,” implying that I was actually a legitimate climber and knew what I was doing.

Andrew went next and quickly scaled the wall, removing Tommy’s protective pieces as he should. Then I heard the dreaded words, “Mom, you’re up next.” I somewhat skillfully tied a figure 8 knot and attached it to my harness, perpetuating the myth that I was a climber. I stared at the rock briefly seeing nothing for me to grip or step onto. “The beginning is a little tough,” Tommy said, “but once you get up about 8 feet you’ll be fine. I’ll help you.”

Famous last words. Over the next 10 minutes, I put on what was probably the most embarrassing display of climbing to every take place in Camp 4. I have to give Tommy a lot of credit for trying. Seeing me struggle to get a start, he gallantly cupped his hands for me to place a foot in to step upwards. When both my feet were off the ground, flailing madly, he placed one hand under each of my feet and tried to push me up the rock. I felt like a puppet.

Bouldering El CapThe climax came when I actually sat on his head for a brief moment before finally hauling myself up beyond his reach. Herb and Andrew were practically rolling on the ground, and to my embarrassment, the climbers I had talked to earlier were still waiting for me to complete my “run up the rock.” I should have been mortified, but at least I was trying. I didn’t see any other 57 year old moms on the rock. The climb actually did get fun after that first part, and I was able to get up to the anchor point and be lowered down without further humiliation.

To prevent any attempts to get me to do another climb, I went off for a run around the Valley, which is not just a physical experience, but a spiritual one as well. Also, I was trying to recover my pride. I actually am a pretty decent runner.

When I got back, it was starting to get dark, but they were still going at it. When the time came for Tommy to climb up to take the top rope equipment down, it was pitch black, and he had to use a headlamp to find his way up the wall. Poor Tommy was really getting the tough stuff to do today – leading the climbs, having his mother use his head as part of the route, climbing in the dark. Everyone was appreciative though, because we wouldn’t have had such a fun day of climbing without his skill and willingness to be such a good sport.

Lolo Bouldering with Tommy as AidThat evening, instead of cooking dinner in the RV, we headed over to the Ahwahnee Hotel to have dinner at the bar. I absolutely love national park lodges, and the Ahwahnee is one of my favorites. Herb and I stayed here with the boys when they were little, way back in 1996, and it was absolutely incredible. Now whenever we are in the park, we like to come here in the evenings to hang out in the Great Lounge. I always feel a bit self conscious doing this when I am not a hotel guest, but I saw plenty of others who I was convinced were doing the same. In fact, I don’t think the staff minds at all. I’d like to think of it as Yosemite’s living room.

Dinner at the bar was good, much more casual and affordable than the elegant grand dining room. However, I do think that everyone should experience eating in the Ahwahnee dining room at least once during a visit to the Valley. It is an experience one will not easily forget. While the guys were finishing up at the bar, I went over to the hotel desk and made reservations for Sunday Brunch in the dining room. Lucky I did, because they were almost booked already. We thought that brunch would be a nice way to wrap up our weekend.

After dinner we found a private sitting room and played a rousing game of family hearts, where I stunned the family with my bold “shooting of the moon” on the very first round. This really was a very good day, despite my climbing debacle.

Inspiration Point, Sentinel Beach, Base of El Cap, and Ahwahnee

Hiking Back from Inspiration PointOver the years we have probably done most, if not all, of the hikes there are from the Valley, and although each of them is well worth repeating again and again, we wanted if possible to find something new. For some reason we had never done the hike to Inspiration Point, maybe because technically it starts just outside the Valley at the Wawona Tunnel Overlook, where we had attempted our annual Christmas photo on Thanksgiving.

Although the views from the parking lot were hard to beat, it was always so crowded there, because it required absolutely no effort to get to. What we have always found is that all you have to do is hike 1 mile away from the car to lose the crowd. We figured if we hiked the 2.5-mile steep trail up to Inspiration Point, not only would we be able to more leisurely compose another attempt at the annual Christmas shot, but who knows, maybe the views could get even better.

Relaxing at Sentinel BeachWe probably passed only about a dozen people, if even that many, on the trail, and when we got to the viewpoint itself, we were the only ones there. The views might not have been objectively better than those from the parking lot, but it certainly felt like they were from the solitude of this ridge.

It was so beautiful that it seemed almost unreal, like one of those fake backdrops they put behind you in a photo studio. Without the pressure of a lineup of people waiting to stand in the same spot, we got the shot that did become our 2013 Christmas photo.

At the Base of El CapThe rest of the day, we passed leisurely in the Valley, stopping for awhile at the El Cap Meadow and then again at Sentinel Beach. We actually dragged our chairs out to the beach, but didn’t last very long. Once the sun starts to dip behind the cliffs at this time of year, the temperatures drop dramatically, and we had to put on all the layers we had. Andrew looked a little like a cross between the Michelin Man and the Great Pumpkin.

We really needed to get out in the sun, along the northern side of the Valley where the sun was still shining on the cliffs. The boys suggested a hike up to the base of El Cap to see where the classic routes up this massive face began. There was a little bit of rock scrambling to do to get there, and I think we got off trail a few times, but getting there wasn’t too bad.

El Capitan BaseThere are few words to describe the feeling you get looking up from the base at this seemingly endless wall of granite – but awe-inspiring, breathtaking, daunting, and intimidating come to mind. We regretted not bringing climbing gear so that we could have at least climbed a little bit of El Cap, but the boys did boulder a bit at its base. Of course the family conversation turned to what it would take to get me up this entire climb, and how they would have to put me in a bag and just haul me up behind them – hahaha, very funny.

Somehow on the way back down from the base, Herb and Tommy separated from me and Andrew, and I just obliviously charged on, leading us into a field of boulders that we had to clamber over. Andrew, thinking that I had Herb in our sights, now questioned the wisdom of letting me lead. I knew we couldn’t get too lost. All we had to do was keep the big fella behind us. I was really cranky by the time we met up with Herb and Tommy on the bottom.

That night, sadly our last in Yosemite, Andrew cooked us a delicious Penne Vodka dinner in the RV. Thanks to Celeste’s training, he was becoming a very good cook, and an enthusiastic one as well. It was a pleasure watching him in the kitchen.

Afterward we went back to the Ahwahnee for one more time and sat in one of the cozy sitting rooms reading and chatting.

Ahwahnee Brunch

Ahwahnee BrunchWell, here it was, our last day in Yosemite. I wasn’t sure whether to be sad or ecstatic that we could still have had such a great time together. I guess I was a little of both.

We still had one more classic Yosemite event left – Sunday brunch in the Ahwahnee dining room. When we got there, we requested a table in the alcove at the back of the dining room, where we had eaten on previous occasions, one of which was Tommy’s 16th birthday. So far, however, we have never been able to get the Queen’s Table, named for the fact that this is where Queen Elizabeth sat during one of her visits here. Still, no matter where you sit, you do feel a bit like royalty when dining here. The food was absolutely delicious and beautifully presented as always, but for me it’s the elegant setting and the views through the floor-to-ceiling windows that are the main attraction.

Afterwards we wandered back over to the Visitor Center and watched the national park movie about Yosemite playing in the auditorium. I think we were all just stalling, not wanting to leave just yet.

In summary, it had been what one of the boys -- I’m not sure which, but I think they both felt the same way -- described as “Our best family vacation ever,” and believe me, that’s saying a lot..

Description

Andrew at Approach to YosemiteYosemite National Park lies near the eastern border of California in the heart of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Its spectacular waterfalls, soaring granite cliffs, and lush meadows are just a few of the reasons it is considered by many to be nature’s ultimate masterpiece. In the words of John Muir, “it is surely the brightest and the best of all the Lord has built.”

This description will focus on Yosemite Valley, which is the section of the park we visited. Although the Yosemite Valley is just a small portion of Yosemite’s 761,268 acres, it is part receives 95% of its visitors. In fact, an estimated 4.1 million people visit the Valley each year, making it extremely crowded.

Tommy at Approach to YosemiteTwo one-way roads traverse Yosemite Valley: the east-bound Southside Drive and the west-bound Northside Drive, which wind through woodlands and meadows along the base of the 3,000-foot-high granite cliffs. As of today, cars are still allowed to enter and drive through the valley, but visitors are highly encouraged to park their vehicles and use the park’s free shuttle bus, which stops at the major attractions in the valley.

Virtual Tour of Yosemite Valley Highlights

• As you enter the valley, the first sight you’ll see is the 620-foot Bridalveil Falls flowing down from a hanging valley to the valley floor. From the parking area, a short paved path leads to the base of the falls. This is one of the few falls in Yosemite that does not completely dry up in the summer.
• Just past the Bridalveil Fall parking area, the Southside Drive begins to trace the Merced River. Soon El Capitan comes fully into view. This 3,000 foot high granite cliff is the largest single piece of exposed granite in the world and one of the most famous landmarks in Yosemite. If you look closely, you might see small dots that are actually rock climbers along its face.
• Continuing east on the Southside Drive are two riverside picnic areas and beaches: Cathedral Beach and Sentinel Beach.
• Right after the Sentinel Beach parking area is the trailhead for the 4-Mile trail, which ascends more than 3,200 feet from the valley floor to Glacier Point and one of the most spectacular views of the valley.
• A short distance further is Swinging Bridge, another picnic and swimming area. This area is also the westernmost point of the 8-mile bicycle loop that goes through the eastern part of the valley. From this point on, the bike path parallels the road.
• Next stop is the picturesque tiny Yosemite Chapel where many outdoor enthusiasts choose to exchange wedding vows.
• Now you enter the congested and developed portion of the valley.
• Right past the chapel, you can either take a left onto Sentinel Bridge towards Yosemite Village and the park exit, or you can continue straight towards Curry Village, the campgrounds, and Happy Isles Nature Center. For now, let’s stop at Sentinel Bridge for what is probably the most spectacular Half Dome viewpoint in the park. It’s a great spot for a photograph of Half Dome with the Merced River in the foreground.
• Continuing east on the Southside Drive, you pass Housekeeping Camp and Curry Village. Curry Village has lodging, restaurants, bicycle and raft rentals, a grocery store, and other shops. Curry Village is also one of the main parking areas in the valley.
• From Curry Village you can either take Northside Drive across the Ahwahnee Bridge back to Yosemite Village and the park exit, or continue east to the campgrounds. The Happy Isles Nature Center is also this way, but only shuttle buses are allowed on the road to it.
• The Happy Isles Nature Center features exhibits on the natural history of the park. It also serves as the trailhead for some of the best hikes in Yosemite. 1.5 mile trail leads to the top of Vernal Falls and then continues another 1.5 miles to the top of Nevada Falls (two waterfalls that flow even in the summer time). From there you can continue even further into the backcountry of Yosemite, including the cable route up the back of Half Dome.
• From Curry Village, the Northside Drive crosses the Ahwahnee Meadow, a wonderful spot to gaze at Half Dome during sunset, and enters Yosemite Village, the main center of visitor services in the park. Here you’ll find the park’s main Visitor Center, restaurants, lodging, shops, a grocery store, a post office, a medical clinic, the Ansel Adams Gallery, an Indian Cultural Exhibit and more. It’s also a good place to park your car and jump on the shuttle.
• A short dead end road from Yosemite Village leads to the majestic old Ahwahnee Hotel, which has played host to Queen Elizabeth, President John F. Kennedy, and Clint Eastwood, to name a few. This beautiful six-story rock structure offers tremendous views from every room. Within the hotel is the elegant and quite expensive Ahwahnee Dining Room (jackets required for dinner).
• Back on the Northside Drive heading west from Yosemite Village, the next stop is the Yosemite Falls parking area. At 2,425 feet, Yosemite Falls is the highest waterfall in North America. It is actually three waterfalls in one, with an upper, middle and lower section. A short walk from the parking lot along a paved walk leads to the base of Lower Yosemite Falls. This is the most visited landmark in the valley. Except in summer when the fall temporarily dries up, you’ll be sure to be covered in spray.
• A little further west on the Northside Drive is Yosemite Lodge, which marks the end of the developed area of the park going west.
• Right after Yosemite Lodge is Sunnyside Campground/Camp 4, a place where most rock climbers choose to congregate. From this campground begins the popular and strenuous Yosemite Falls hike, which ascends 2,600 feet from the valley floor to the top of the Upper Falls. The views from the top are incredible.
• Continuing west, there is nothing but woods and meadows from which to enjoy the views. Along the road there are several pullouts where you can stop and walk down to the Merced River for a swim. Just after the El Capitan Bridge, you’ll come to the El Capitan Meadow where you’re sure to find people looking through binoculars at the miniscule rock climbers clinging to the granite face.
• Just to the west of El Capitan, Ribbon Falls plunges over 1,600 feet down to the valley floor. It is the seventh highest waterfall in the world. However, it too dries up in the summer time.
• Finally the road nears the end of the Northside Drive at Valley View where El Capitan, on the left, and Cathedral Rocks, on the right, frame a magnificent valley view.

Several guided bus tours are also available. The 2-hour Valley Floor Tour is a great way to get acclimated. Visitors ride through the valley in an open tram while a guide leads a informative discussion of Yosemite’s history and geology. There are many photo stops along the way. In addition, there are bus tours out of the valley to Glacier Point, the Mariposa Grove of sequoia trees, and Tuolumne Meadows.

Although much of Yosemite can be enjoyed from the comforts of your car or a shuttle, the best way to truly experience Yosemite is do get out and experience it more directly..

Things to do in Yosemite

• Hike one of the many trails around the valley, ranging from an easy walk to the base of Lower Yosemite Falls to the strenuous 16-mile round trip hike up the back of Half Dome via cables
• Take an overnight backpacking trip
• Bike along the 12 miles of bicycle paths that loop through the Valley. Rentals are available at Curry Village and Yosemite Lodge.
• Rock climb in one of the premier climbing places in the world
• Raft down the calm waters of the Merced River through the valley. Rentals are available at Curry Village.
• Swim or tube in the Merced River. Besides the designated beaches, there are many pullouts along the road from which you can walk down to the river.
• Join one of the many ranger walks, which are offered daily
• Take a free art class at the Yosemite Art and Education Center
• Photograph the amazing scenery of the valley and surrounding granite cliffs
• Browse the Ansel Adams Gallery and see some of the photographs that first made Yosemite famous
• Relax in the meadow while gazing up at Half Dome or El Capitan
• Dine at the 5-star Ahwahnee Hotel, where presidents and royalty have stayed

Although many try to see Yosemite in a day, it is best to devote several days to seeing all the park has to offer. Besides the numerous hotels, lodges, and cabins in the Valley, there are three RV campgrounds: Upper Pines (238 sites), Lower Pines (60 sites), and North Pines (81 sites). That’s less than 400 campsites to accommodate all the people that want to camp here.

Since these campgrounds usually fill-up within the first hour they become available, it is essential to make your reservations as soon as possible. Campground reservations are available in blocks of one month at a time, up to five months in advance, on the 15th of each month at 7 am Pacific time. For example, if your arrival date is July 15 through August 14, the first day you can make reservations is March 15. The National Park Reservation System can be found at www.recreation.gov. Good luck!

Travelogue

Pre-Thanksgiving FeastThe only thing better than Thanksgiving in California is two Thanksgivings in California. While the official Thanksgiving would take place in Yosemite, Celeste’s parents had invited us to a pre-Thanksgiving feast in Sebastopol the weekend before. To give you an idea of just how good a meal with the Bergs is, Tommy flew in from Seattle to join us, which doesn’t seem like that big of a deal, except for the fact that he would be flying down again in 4 days to go to Yosemite.

Celeste’s parents only live about 20 minutes from the Petaluma KOA where we usually live when visiting the Bay Area, but everyone thought it would be much cozier if we camped out in their driveway instead. Our only fear was whether we could get into their driveway without pulling a Lucy in the Long, Long Trailer and taking out their bushes, but Herb did a masterful job and in short order we were safely tucked into our new campsite for the weekend.

Pomo Canyon / Red Hill loop trail HikeThe Thanksgiving dinner was unbelievable and very unique for us in that we ate al fresco on their outdoor patio. This was absolutely unexpected for us. We had no idea that Northern California would be warmth enough this time of year. Moving out here eventually was definitely starting to look better and better.

We originally thought we would go for a post-dinner hike, but we were all too full to move. Plus, although the weather felt like early summer, it still got dark way too early to do much outdoors after 4:00 in the afternoon. So instead, we lazied about, playing board games, eating leftovers, and just generally enjoying each other’s company.

Russian River view from Red HillThe next day, however, we were rearing to go for a long hike—all but Paul who had a race with his track club. There are so many wonderful trails in Sonoma and Marin counties, most of which Hilda and Paul have already hiked, so we left the decision as to where to go in Hilda’s very capable hands. Knowing that we love the coast, she selected the Pomo Canyon / Red Hill trail, which starts from Shell Beach in the town of Jenner and climbs 1,700 feet to the top of Red Hill.

The hike was just what we were looking for – a bit of a calorie burn to counteract yesterday’s overindulgence and absolutely incredible views. For 5.5 miles we hiked through forests and grasslands to the top of Red Hill and a panoramic view of the coastline from Fort Ross to Point Reyes, the Russian River flowing into the sea, and the quaint town of Jenner.

Post Hike Beers at Cafe AquaticaCeleste and Hilda mentioned there was a cute little café in Jenner, right near the mouth of the Russian River where we could get coffee and maybe even an ice cold beer. Everyone agreed this was a wonderful idea and we headed just a bit further north up Route 1 to Café Aquatica on the river. Although they didn’t serve beer, they said we were welcome to buy a six pack from across the street and drink it on their picnic table right on the river. While half the group did that—not hard to guess which half—the rest of us got coffees.

While we were sitting there, we got to talking about how nice it would be to kayak here, and how surprised we were that we would actually be able to even consider that in late November. Hilda had tried paddling once and really liked it, so she went over to the nearby kayak rental place and asked about prices and options of where to paddle. Basically, they told her that we could either go left and paddle upriver as far as we wanted to go, or go right out to the mouth where we would see a lot of seals.

Mouth of Russian RiverSo, while sipping our beverages we came up with the plan to return the following day, Herb and I with our kayaks, and Hilda and Paul to rent them. As they listened to us plotting, the kids starting whining about how they had to go back to work while we got to just do fun stuff. Aww…I felt so bad for them.

On the drive back, Hilda showed us two campgrounds right on the coast, Bodega Dunes and Doran Regional Park that we might want to consider as an alternative to the Petaluma KOA on future trips to the area.

That evening after the kids left to take Tommy to the airport and return to their tough working life in San Francisco, Hilda called a few more kayak rental places in Jenner and found a guy willing to rent two kayaks for $20 a piece for the whole day, much better than the $60 or $70 rates that the others were charging for a few house. He said he w ould meet us in the parking lot by Café Aquatica.

Lolo Kayaking with SealWell, you know the old saying, “you get what you pay for.” When we pulled in the lot the next morning, there was only one other vehicle there – a pickup truck with two white Perception kayaks in the back, the same short, somewhat stubby ones we bought as beginner kayaks for our boys when they were little. We were all silent for a brief moment, before Hilda and Paul went out and proudly claimed their water vessels for the day. The man told them they could keep them out for as long as they wanted and to have fun.

They were terrific sports about it, and the kayaks were fine for what we had in mind that day. We decided to head to the right first and paddle out to the mouth of the river, because that’s where things looked most interesting. As we meandered along, these cute little heads kept popping out of the water right next to our boats. I wasn’t sure at first whether they were seals or otters, but Hilda remembered that otters have paws while seals just have flippers. We definitely saw both that day.

Hilda and Paul on a Test PaddleWe beached the boats on Goat Rock Beach on the southern side of the river’s mouth and walked over the sand to the ocean. The current where the river entered the sea was swift and choppy, so it was probably good that we took the kayak man’s advice and didn’t try to paddle through. Paddling out would have been quite fun and fast, but getting back in might have been a problem, especially with Hilda and Paul’s less than sleek kayaks.

Afterwards we paddled back upriver, past the Café Aquatica and just past the bridge where Route 1 crossed over the river. We found a nice grassy spot to pull over for a picnic and to let Hilda and Paul try out our kayaks.

Post Kayaking Coffee at Cafe AquaticaEventually, we paddled our way back to the parking lot where Hilda and Paul were supposed to just leave the kayaks for the rental guy to pickup later. We were surprised to find him waiting for us. “I saw you guys picnicking up by the bridge,” he said, which we found kind of creepy. “You were out so long that I came looking for you.” Probably no one had ever kept those kayaks out for more than an hour before. He didn’t know Hilda and Paul.

We sat at our table at the Café Aquatica again, sipping coffee and talking about what a good time we had out on the river that day. I’m so glad Andrew picked a girl with such fun parents.

Russian River SunsetThe next morning we were to head down to our campground in Pacifica, just south of San Francisco, for the night. From there we would pick up Andrew in San Francisco and Tommy at the airport – I couldn’t believe he was flying back already – to spend the night in the RV with us and then head to Yosemite in the morning.

But before we left Hilda and Paul’s driveway, we had to transfer the kayaks from the roof of the Subaru back to the top of the RV, an extremely difficult task considering how heavy and awkward they are. Paul volunteered to help, but Herb said no, “Me and Lorry have to practice doing this on our own.” Famous last words. As we were lifting the kayaks off the Subaru roof racks, one of us (and according to Herb that one was me) let the kayak slip out of our hands, smashing the passenger side mirror to smithereens. Oops! Herb was none too happy about it, but remained fairly calm, probably because of Paul’s presence. No problem. We would just order a new one from Amazon –I love that site—and have it delivered to the Petaluma KOA.

We said our thank yous and goodbyes and headed out of the driveway without any further damage.

Description

Sebastopol

California Coast SunsetSebastopol is a charming town in Sonoma County, 52 miles north of San Francisco and about a 20-minute drive to the coast. Sebastopol is known for its apples and hosts an annual Apple Blossom Festival in April and the Gravenstein Apple Fair in August. Today, however, the apple orchards are becoming vineyards as wine-making moves more and more into the region.

Every Sunday, from April to mid-December, there is a Farmers market in the downtown plaza,
where people congregate to enjoy delicious fresh regional food, live music, and dancing.

Sebastopol is home to the artist, Patrick Amiot, known for his whimsical, cartoon-like, junk-art sculptures. There are over 200 of his wacky, found-object works scattered throughout Sebastopol, especially on Florence Street.

Sonoma Coast State Park

Sonoma Coast State Park stretches for 17 gorgeous miles along Highway 1 from Bodega Bay to Goat Rock Beach in Jenner. Rugged headlands, secluded coves, and sandy beaches make this area one of California’s most scenic attractions.

The Park is actually a series of beaches separated by rocky bluffs. From several parking areas, hiking trails lead up to and along the headlands and down to secluded coves.

Some highlights include:

• Bodega Head – rocky headland that forms the entrance into Bodega Harbor. This area is very popular for hiking along the headlands and whale watching.
• Duncan’s Landing – one of the most dangerous spots along the Sonoma Coast due to large and unpredictable waves, which have swept people off the rocks
• Shell Beach – relatively calm beach that is popular for beachcombing, tidepooling, and fishing.
• Goat Rock – beach near the mouth of the Russian River in Jenner that is home to a colony of harbor seals

Travelogue

Time to fly back home to New Jersey once more. The only thing that made it easier leaving was knowing that we would be back in about 7 weeks to join up with the boys for Thanksgiving in Yosemite. Can't wait!!

Description

The Sonoma County Airport Express runs shuttles to the airport every hour from several locations: the Park and Ride in Santa Rosa, the Doubletree Hotel in Rohnert Park, and the Petaluma Fairgrounds. Fares are $34 each way.

Travelogue

Not much to report here -- just a full day of cleaning the RV and prepping it for storage once again.

Description

The Petaluma KOA is an award winning camping resort located within an hour’s drive of San Francisco, Napa and Sonoma Valley Wineries, giant redwoods, and Sonoma County and California Coastal Beaches. It is considered to be the RV resort in the San Francisco Bay area.

On its 70 acres, there are 312 spacious RV sites, 32 camping cabins, and 10 Wine Country lodges.

Other amenities include:
• Guided tours of San Francisco (from May through October)
• Huge heated pool and spa
• Inflatable waterslide
• Rock climbing wall
• Huge playground
• Petting zoo
• Karaoke
• Hayrides and live weekend entertainment

The campground is open all year.

Travelogue

San Francisco RV Resort Sunset out of Lazy Daze Rear WindowI can’t believe I didn’t know about this place before. How did I not know that there was a campground only 15 miles from San Francisco with oceanfront sites? I was really starting to doubt myself as a trip planner. If Herb hadn't bought that book I have been raving about this entire trip -- West Coast RV Camping – I probably still wouldn't know. It gave this campground a scenic rating of 10.

Now I don’t think it will be a replacement for staying at the Petaluma KOA. That’s where we store the motorhome, and it is really a much nicer campground. This one was really just an asphalt parking lot, but a parking lot with an incredible view. The oceanfront sites are perched right at the edge of a 60-foot bluff overlooking the Pacific, perfect for watching a dramatic sunset each evening from your campsite. The oceanfront sites are, however, non-hookups.

This campground is not exactly cheap either - $61 per night for an oceanfront, non-hookup site, and $69 for a full-hookup. It wasn’t the $8 savings that made us take a non-hookup, but rather that incredible view out our back window.

Beach ViewpointThere was, however, a fence separating the campground and the trail that led along the top of the bluff, so there wasn’t really any direct access to the beach.

As we often like to do when arriving in a new place for the first time, we set off on a run to explore the area. We ran along somewhat busy Palmetto Avenue for a bit before finding our way down to Beach Road and the Municipal Fishing Pier. From there, we ran alongside the beach until we came to a steep trail up to Mori Point, another one of those beautiful bluffs along the Northern California coast. However, we had already run about 2 ½ of our 5 mile run, so all we had time for now was a short run up to a viewpoint, before turning around and heading back to the campground. We would have to come back here another time by car so that we could do our entire run up on the bluffs.

Since we were so close to San Francisco, Andrew came down to visit us after work, and Celeste would be biking down later. Celeste is a very avid cycler, and she rides her bike to work at City Hall every day. She thinks nothing of a 30-mile ride up and down the hills of San Francisco and Marin after work, so riding down to Pacifica was no big deal. However, her GPS kept directing her onto busy, non-bicycle-friendly roads and it was starting to get dark, so Andrew went out with his car and rescued her along route. I felt bad because they missed a really beautiful sunset by 10 minutes.

Lolo of Pebble Beach in PescaderoThe next day, we weren’t meeting the kids until after work, so we spent a good part of the day exploring the coast south of Pacifica. We found a great future camping destination called Pillar Point RV Park, right on Half Moon Bay. For some reason, this one was not in my book.

We continued driving south and stopped at a really pretty rocky cove at Pebble Beach in Pescadero, where the rocks are weathered to a honeycomb-like surface texture known as tafoni. They were absolutely beautiful. We could have stayed here all day photographing them.

It was a beautiful, warm day so on our way back north along Route 1, we looked for a nice beach to have lunch and sunbathe for awhile. Just north of Montaro and before the tunnel, we pulled into a parking lot for Gray Whale Cove State Beach, a beach that Herb had heard about before.

Pebble Beach SurfWe gathered beach chairs and a cooler and headed across busy Route 1 and down a series of steep stairs to a beautiful sheltered cover surrounded by towering cliffs. If you are uncomfortable with encountering nude sunbathers, you should head to the left at the bottom of the stairs.

The beach was lovely, and it was actually warm enough to get down to bathing suits. Its colorful cliffs reminded me a lot of Moshup Beach on Martha’s Vineyard, one of my all time favorites.

That evening we drove up to San Francisco and met Andrew and Celeste once again at Planet Granite, their climbing gym. We were back to where we started on this trip. As I mentioned in our first stop, I absolutely love this gym, both for its incredible views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and the Mark di Suvero sculptures in Crissy Field, and its really fun climbing routes.

Lolo at Gray Whale Cove State BeachAfter a good and very fun workout on the climbing walls, it was once again time to eat – one of Andrew and Celeste’s favorite pastimes. As I also mentioned earlier, Andrew and Celeste live a neighborhood with a very ethnically-diverse selection of high-quality restaurants, so the choices seem practically limitless. This time we went to Pho Garden where I had my first taste of Vietnamese food. It was wonderful and amazingly reasonable.

This was the last time we would see Andrew and Celeste this trip, so we said our goodbyes and headed back to our campground in Pacifica. These goodbyes were getting a little easier each time, especially when we had a plan of seeing them again, which we did. We would be back in November to have a pre-Thanksgiving feast with Celeste’s family and then Thanksgiving in Yosemite with the boys. WOOHOO!!!

Description

Beach LandscapeThe San Francisco RV Resort is located in the town of Pacifica, 15 miles south of Golden Gate Bridge. Besides being the closest RV camping to San Francisco, it is also one of the best RV parks in the Bay Area. Situated atop a 60-foot bluff, it is the only campground in the Bay area to offer oceanfront sites and daily dramatic sunsets.

There are 162 sites on paved, level asphalt. All sites, except the ocean sites, have full hookups and cable TV. Ocean sites have no hookups, but all campsites have free WiFi. Other amenities include a heated pool and spa, beach access, and a nearby fishing pier.

The sites range in price from $61 per night for an ocean, non hookup site, to $69 for full hookup. The campground is open all year round.

Travelogue

Lolo Biking the Lake Clementine TrailWe really had no plans from here, other than flying out of SF Airport in 5 days – very unlike my usual anal-retentive planning. Now that we weren’t racing back and forth across the country every vacation, our travels were taking on a different feel, more relaxed and spontaneous. Also, since we knew we would be coming out this way again and again to see the boys, missing something this time was not a big deal, as we would just hit it the next time. I think we are going to like this new toned down pace.

Herb came up with the idea for this stop. He loves river running, and the American River, which flows through the Auburn State Recreation Area, is supposed to be one of the best places in California to do that. This time of year was wrong for that, not enough water flowing, but we thought we could at least check it out for the future, and besides, Auburn had lots of other recreational opportunities that are good all year round, such as mountain biking and hiking.

Lake Clementine MarinaWe found the Auburn Gold Country RV Campground through a search on Google Maps. The owner was extremely helpful in providing us with trail maps and mountain biking suggestions in the nearby Auburn State Recreation Area. That night we relaxed by the campground pool, reviewing the trails, and making our decision for the next day’s adventure.

The directions for the trailhead for the lake Clementine Trail were extremely detailed, but we still screwed up and found ourselves biking for a mile or so down the wrong trail. Finally realizing we had made a mistake, we rode back to the car, remounted our bikes on the rack, and started all over again. I think the mix-up was that there is both a Foresthhill and an Old Foresthill Road.

Anyway, we finally found the correct trailhead and spent the morning on a really nice ride atop the riverbank of the North Fork of the American River. There were a few places, however, where the trail narrowed and dropped off much too sharply for my comfort level, so I got off and walked the bike a few times to avoid plunging into the river.

Herb Biking the North Fork of the American RiverThe trail map was very detailed and pointed out some nice stops we would have missed along the way, such as Clarks Hole. Without knowing that this stop would be in ¾ mile, we would have missed the short, steep side trail down to a pool and a sandy beach. The trail was much too steep for bikes, so we left them on top of the riverbank and walked down. It was a lovely spot, popular for swimming in the summer, but a bit too chilly now.

Continuing upriver, the trail transitioned from a narrow, bumpy dirt trail to a shaded, smoother dirt roadway, which was once the old stagecoach route connecting Auburn with other gold rush camp towns in the mid to late-1800s. The better surface would have made the ride easier except for the fact that now it began to climb quite steeply and continued to do so until we reached Lake Clementine Road, where the trail officially ends. From there we followed the paved roadway for about ¼ mile to an unmarked side trail on the left, which led to a great view of the water cascading over the North Fork Dam, on the southern end of the lake, and the reason this lake is here in the first place.

Broad Street Nevada CityThis is an out and back ride, so from there we turned around and went back from whence we came, enjoying it much more, as most of it in this direction was downhill.

There was still a lot of time left in the day, so we decided to take the 25-mile drive up Route 49 to Nevada City, another historic Gold Rush boom town, which was also a nominee for Outside Magazine’s 2012 ”The Best Town Ever” award.

I do have a soft spot for quaint old historic towns and this one was a gem. We picked up a Walking Tour Map at the Chamber of Commerce and wandered up and down its quaint streets, which really do have the feel of an old mining town.

It’s hard to believe that this was once the third largest city in California and home to 10,000 boisterous souls --miners, saloon keepers, shopkeepers, prostitutes, and every other provider of necessities for men with new found riches in their pockets. Today it’s a quiet little town of 2,800 residents, who have had the smarts to recognize that their new source of wealth is the town’s remarkable history and charm, and they have done an excellent job at restoring and preserving that. Today the entire downtown area is listed as a national historic landmark.

Still, I would have to say that although it’s a nice place to visit, I wouldn’t want to live here. It's just a little too small and out of the way for me.

Description

Main Street Nevada CityAuburn is located about 30 miles northeast of Sacramento via I80. Considered by many to be the adventure capital of California, it is home each year to the Western States Endurance Run/Ultra Marathon and the grueling Western States Endurance Ride. It is also rated one of the best places to live in Northern California.

Like many other cities in California, Auburn’s start was triggered by gold. However, unlike most of the other boom and bust Gold Rush towns, it survived by becoming a major supply and trading center. After a series of fires in the 1850s destroyed many of the wooden buildings in town, the townspeople rebuilt them in brick. You can see many of these restored buildings when visiting Historic Old Town.

While miners originally came to this area to pan for gold in the American River, today outdoor enthusiasts flock to the area to enjoy its recreational treasure – the Auburn State Recreation Area, which encompasses 35,000 acres along 40 miles of the North and Middle forks of the American River. The confluence of the North and Middle Forks is one of the most popular areas for swimming, fishing, and access to the many mountain biking and hiking trails in the Auburn SRA. Also, the American River is a premier river running destination with class II, III, and IV runs.

Travelogue

Bidwell MansionI love mansion tours and seeing how people lived in different times and places. We have been on our fair share of them over the years, our favorites being the grand “cottages” in Newport, Rhode Island. When Tommy was little he used to hate these tours. He called them “butt tours,” because he was eye level with the rest of the tour groups’ butts, and that was all he could see. Well, today we would go on a butt tour of the Bidwell Mansion in Chico, California.

A mansion tour is about so much more than just a structure. For me, it’s an intimate entry into someone’s past, and it is the details of that past that make the tour interesting. Before we got here, I had never even heard of John Bidwell or knew very much about the town of Chico. Nor for that matter, did I really know that much about the history of California, Now that we were going to be spending more of our time in this beautiful state, it was about time we did. The Bidwell Mansion was a good place to start, and I plan to drag my readers along with me.

John and Annie Bidwell Portraits in Foyer with Tour GroupThis was the home of John Bidwell and his wife Annie from 1868 to 1918. Bidwell first came to California in 1841, when he was just 22 years old. He worked for John Sutter, the man who owned the mill where the California Gold Rush began, before venturing out and making his own gold strike near the Middle Fork of the Feather River. He used his new-found wealth to purchase more than 30,000 acres, which he called Rancho del Arroyo Chico, and became deeply involved in the development of the new state of California, its agriculture, and the city of Chico. In fact, it was he that gave Chico its name.

Right around the time the mansion was being completed, Bidwell went off to Washington to serve as California’s representative to Congress. It was there that he met Annie Ellicott Kennedy, who he married in 1868. They were very like-minded and both worked hard on causes to improve the lives of Californians, such as women’s voting rights, prohibition, and education. In fact, it was their original donation of eight acres of their cherry orchard to form a teachers’ college that was the beginning of what is today Chico State University.

Bidwell Mansion Elephant Trunk ToiletThis beautiful three-story, Italianate-style Victorian mansion became the center of the town’s social and political life. Many distinguished guests were entertained here, such as President Rutherford B. Hayes, John Muir, Susan B. Anthony, and General William Tecumseh Sherman.

Today the mansion is a State Historic Park and a California Historic Landmark, where visitors like us can take a tour and step back in time to an interesting part of California’s past.

Description

Bidwell Mansion ParlorThe Bidwell Mansion, located in Chico, California, was the home of John Bidwell and his wife Annie. This three-story, Italianate-style Victorian mansion, with a pink plaster finish, was built between 1865 and 1868.

John Bidwell first came to California in 1841, when he was just 22 years old. During his early years in California, he worked for John Sutter, of California Gold Rush fame. In 1848, Bidwell made his own gold discovery near the Middle Fork of the Feather River, and used his new-found wealth to purchase more than 30,000 acres, which he called Rancho del Arroyo Chico. He became deeply involved in the development of the new state of California, its agriculture, and the city of Chico, which he named.

From 1865 to 1866, Bidwell served as California’s representative in the U.S. Congress. It was here that he met Annie Ellicott Kennedy. They married in 1868. During their life-long, happy marriage, they worked together to support women’s voting rights and the prohibition movement. The home which they shared from 1868 to 1900 became the center of the town’s social and political life, where they entertained such distinguished guests as President Rutherford B. Hayes, John Muir, Susan B. Anthony, and General William T. Sherman.

Bidwell and his wife were proponents of higher education, so in the 1880s they donated eight acres of their cherry orchard to form a teachers’ college, which was called Chico State Normal School. It is now the California State University, at Chico.

Today the mansion is a State Historic Park and a California Historic Landmark. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Guided one-hour tours are required to see the inside of the mansion.

Travelogue

Lassen PeakEvery since friends of ours had visited Lassen and raved about the hike to its peak, I have been determined to get there. Plus, it's probably the last of the major parks in the West that we haven’t checked off our list.

Last year on our trip out west in early-June, we were thwarted by park road closures. There is really a very limited time that you can visit this park, as the roads are typically snow covered from mid-October through mid-June.

This time the roads were open, but the trail to Lassen Peak was closed for a multi-year trail maintenance project. Since climbing to the summit was our major reason for going there, we toyed at first as to whether we should bother, or just wait for another year. However, since it wasn’t too far off route, we decided to go anyway and check it out for a future visit. Plus, there were other interesting things to see in the park.

Bumpass Hell BoardwalkWe entered the park through the north entrance and booked a campsite at Manzanita Lake, not far from the Visitor Center. Although we thought we would stay 2 nights—really the minimum to really explore a park—something made us book only 1. We figured that since the park wasn’t crowded, we could easily add another day later if we chose to.

After stopping in the Visitor Center and confirming once again that we in fact could not hike up Lassen Peak, we drove the 30-mile scenic drive through the park towards Bumpass Hell, the park’s largest hydrothermal area.

We obviously were not the only ones that had the 1.3-mile hike to Bumpass Hell in mind, and the parking lot for the trailhead was quite full. For the first mile or so, the trail traversed the rocky slope of Bumpass Mountain. The trail was fairly level, but the 8,000 foot elevation could make things a little challenging if you are not acclimated to the altitude.

Bumpass Hell PoolAt about 1.2 miles we arrived at the basin overlook, where we gazed out over the bubbling hot springs, boiling mud pots, and hissing steam vents below. A short descent of 100 vertical feet brought us onto a series of boardwalks that allowed us to get safely up close to these amazing geothermal features. It very much reminded me of a mini Yellowstone.

It obviously is very important to not stray off these boardwalks. If they had only been there in 1865 when Kendal Bumpass discovered this place, he would still have his leg. Well, actually he is long dead, but he would have enjoyed a full life with two legs. He made the mistake of walking on a thin crust which broke, plunging his leg into a boiling pool. Hence, the need for boardwalks.

The source of these hot springs and vents is an underground reservoir of boiling water that lies beneath the park. Bumpass Hell is the principle discharge area for that steam. Like Yellowstone, Lassen is still a very active geothermal region.

Geothermal PoolEverything was so colorful. The waters were bright blue and emerald green, and the soil around them were a bright yellow and orange, all stained by sulphur and other minerals in the area. This place was beautiful. Not my idea of Hell at all. The trip to Lassen was worth it just for this.

On the drive back to the campground, we stopped at the Lassen Peak trailhead parking lot, just to look. For a brief moment we considered hiking halfway up, which you are allowed to do, but figured we would come back and do it right when the trail eventually reopened.

Once back at the campground, we took a walk down to Manzanita Lake with our Crazy Creek chairs and a cooler. After sitting by the edge of the lake awhile, I got a bit antsy and asked Herb if he wanted to walk around the lake with me. He was pretty set with his beer and a view of the lake, so I went off alone. I wasn’t more than a ¼ of a mile away before Lassen Peak appeared in the distance. I had no idea that it would be visible from here. I ran back to Herb and told him that he just had to come and see this. We put the cooler and chairs in the car and set off on the trail together, clockwise around the lake.

Lassen Peak over Manzanita LakeThe views just kept getting better and better, especially on the other side of the lake where you could see the mountain reflected in its waters. I am so, so glad that I took that exploratory walk, because this was just too good to have missed.

That night bad weather moved in bringing light rain, strong winds, and a steep drop in temperatures. It was supposed to be like that the whole next day. The next morning when we looked out the window at our poor fellow tent campers, we thanked Lazy Daze for providing us such a warm and cozy shelter. I was also glad that I didn’t book a second night here, because with this weather we would just be huddled in the motorhome all day, which actually isn’t bad sometimes. However, today we decided to move on south, gradually making our way back to San Francisco.

Description

Overlook at Bumpass HellLassen Volcanic National Park in northern California contains Lassen Peak, the southernmost volcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arch, which extends for over 700 miles from British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to northern California. The Cascade Volcanoes are part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, the ring of volcanoes and associated mountains around the Pacific Ocean.

10,457 foot Lassen Peak is the largest plug dome volcano in the world. These types of plug or lava domes are formed when the ejected lava is too viscous to flow very far, and instead piles over and around its vent, creating a big dome over the volcano.

Although dormant now, Lassen Peak was the site of the most recent volcanic eruption in northern California. It began in 1914, spewing rock, gas, and hot ash billowing into the atmosphere. In 1915 it blew a cloud of ash almost 6 miles high and triggered a mudflow, known as a lahar, which wiped out a 5 square kilometer area now called the Devastated Area, which can still be seen today. It erupted for seven years before finally settling down in 1921.

The park is the only place in the world where all four types of volcano can be found: plug dome, shield, composite, and cinder cone. In addition, in Bumpass Hell in the southern part of the park there are bubbling hot springs, boiling mud pots, and fumaroles in six geothermal fields.

If you only have a day to visit the park, the best way to see it is to drive the 30-mile Lassen Volcanic National Park Highway, stopping at various highlights along the way. Starting from the northwest entrance, the following are some highlights along the way:

• Manzanita Lake – the iconic photo of the park is Lassen Peak reflected in this beautiful lake. It is also a good place to kayak, fish, or hike around its shores.
• Loomis Museum where one can view artifacts and photographs from the park’s 1914-1915 eruption
• Chaos Crags and Jumbles Scenic Pull-out – the site of an avalanche 350 years ago from the Chaos Crags lava domes, which scattered hundreds of thousands of large rocks over a couple of square miles
• Devastated Area – a ½-mile interpretative trail looks through the devastation caused by Lassen’s 1914 eruption
• Summit Lake – the midpoint between the northern and southern entrances, this is a great place to take a dip in Summit Lake or to stroll around it on the loop trail.
• Kings Creek picnic area – lovely spot to stop for lunch where the Kings Creeks flows through a meadow at the foot of Lassen Peak
• Lassen Peak Parking Area and Viewpoint – this is the highest point on the park road at 8,512 feet. From here you can just enjoy the view or, for the more adventurous, hike the strenuous 2 ½ mile to the summit, where you can look into the rim or out over the entire park. (This trail is currently closed for trail maintenance beyond the halfway point)
• Bumpass Hell – a 3 mile roundtrip hike brings you up close to bubbling hot springs, boiling mud pots, hissing steam vents (fumaroles)
• Sulphur Works Thermal Area – located near the southern entrance to the park, this is the most easily accessible hydrothermal area, where paved walks lead past boiling springs, burbling mudpots, and sulphur-emitting steam vents.

There are three campgrounds along the Lassen Volcanic National Park Highway that accommodate RVs:

• Manzanita Lake Campground – located near the northwest entrance to the park and adjacent to Manzanita Lake. The campground offers swimming, fishing, kayaking, and hiking. It is the largest of the Lassen campgrounds with 179 sites, some of which can be reserved. It is open from the end of May until it snows.
• Crags Campground – located five miles south of Manzanita Lake on the main park road. The campground offers easy access to the Lost Creek and Devastated Areas, in addition to Crags and Manzanita Lake. There are 45 RV sites, and operates on a first-come-first-served basis. It is open from mid-June to mid-September.
• Summit Lake Campgrounds - located 12 miles south of Manzanita Lake. The campground is comprised of a North and South section, each with access to the lake. There are 94 sites, some of which can be reserved. Summit Lake North is open from late June through mid-September and Summit Lake South is open from late June through late October.

Travelogue

Lolo at Entrance of CaveAs much as I hate to, I am going to have to give Herb total credit for this stop. Although I do most of the research and trip planning, every once in a while Herb comes up with a destination that I never even thought of. What I hate to say even more is that usually he picks a winner. Lava Beds had not even been on my radar. In fact, to be honest, I’m not sure if I had even heard of it before he started bringing it up.

Perhaps, it was our new found interest in geology. After years of visiting the national parks and understanding very little regarding their geological formation, Herb and I discovered TTC (The Teaching Company) videos of various college courses. Every morning after breakfast, we dutifully sit down with a cup of coffee and watch a ½ hour lecture on a particular subject. We had just completed two entire courses on geology (18 hours each), and were anxious to go out and apply our new found knowledge. I really wish we had watched these years ago, because it is so much more interesting to visit a place when you understand how it came to be.

Lolo in Sunshine CaveLava Beds National Monument is pretty small, so it can be covered pretty easily in a day. The park road is only about 15 miles long and most of the interesting sights are conveniently located along the way.

Although we entered the park from the north, we drove directly through it to the southern end, where the Visitor Center and campground were, avoiding the temptation of stopping along the way. We would come back once we had dropped the motorhome off at the campground. Plus, it’s always more useful to go to the Visitor Center first, so you know what the park has to offer.

The remoteness of this park makes is a little visited one, so we had no trouble getting a campsite in Indian Wells, the only campground in the park. After decoupling the Subaru, we set out for a full day of exploration.

Lolo Leaving Skull CaveOur first stop was the Visitor Center, where we unexpectedly got cleared for White-Nose Bat Disease -- not unexpected that we didn't have it, but rather that such a disease even existed. This disease, named for the distinctive white fungal growth around infected bats’ noses, has been responsible for the death of millions of North American bats. To prevent the spread of this devastating disease, park rangers want to make sure that visitors are not wearing shoes or hiking boots that have been in other caves with bats, especially in the Northeast where the disease originated. Although we had been in many bat caves in recent years, we were sporting brand new hiking boots, so we were good to go.

I can understand why the park is so concerned about protecting their caves. These are their treasures. It is these lava tube caves that make the park unique among its volcanic peers, of which there are many along the Pacific Ring of Fire. They were formed thousands of years ago when the Medicine Lake shield volcano erupted, spewing hot molten lava. The outer edges of the lava cooled and hardened first, while the warmer inner core of lava continued to flow within, forming a giant underground tunnel system of tubes and caves.

Hiking to Schonchin Butte LookoutWithin the park there are over 330 of these lava caves. About 15 of them have developed entrances and trails for visitors to explore. Some of them are easy with relatively high ceilings and smooth floors, others require you to stoop and have rougher floors, and the most challenging have portions where you have to crawl on your hands and knees through narrow openings. All you need are sturdy shoes, a good flashlight, and a helmet and kneepads (for the more challenging caves).

While Herb and I usually like to think we can handle a challenge, neither one of us had any desire to crawl along a damp, rough floor in the dark on our hands and knees. The Easy and Moderate caves hikes sounded like they would give us a sufficient cave experience.

View from Schonchin ButteMost of the caves are located along the one-way Cave Loop Road, just southwest of the visitor center, so we drove and parked at our first victim, Sunshine. We liked the name. However, I don’t think we should have been caving if it was Sunshine we were after. I guess everything is relative. This one was called Sunshine because the roof of it had collapsed in two places allowing sunlight to enter. It was rated Moderately Challenging because stooping was required in several places and the floors in the back section were very steep, rough, and wet. The cave was only 466 feet long, but I would have to say that it felt a lot longer.

For our second cave, we chose an easier but longer one called Sentinel Cave. This is the only one that has two entrances, so you can through hike from Upper to Lower Sentinel Cave for a total distance of 3,280 feet. And, we didn’t have to stoop in this one, but could walk upright with dignity. Although it was rated as Least Challenging, it was still a bit disconcerting to be in such a dark place. Of course we had headlamps—you wouldn’t get 50 feet without them—but we turned them off at one point. It was unbelievably silent and scary. I don’t know what I would have done if the batteries went dead.

We picked one more cave because we liked the name: Skull Cave. This one was not on the Cave Loop but about 2.4 miles up the road from the Visitor Center. Although it was named for the bones of pronghorn sheep and two human skeletons found inside, we fortunately did not stumble across any. This cave, which was rated Least Challenging, is 580 feet long.

Schonchin Butte Fire LookoutFiguring three caves had given us a sufficient sampling of a really cool geological feature, we devoted the rest of the day to activities out in the real sunshine. While the caves are the main draw to Lava Beds National Monument, there are many more interesting volcanic features, as well as a pretty exciting human historical past, to explore.

Continuing up the park road, our next stop, and probably my favorite of the day, was the 0.7 hike up Schonchin Butte, a cinder cone with a Fire Lookout on top. When we got to the top, the friendly fire ranger and his wife (who told us she liked coming along with her husband to work when she could) waved us to come on up. Wow. At the Black Butte Lookout in Sisters, we weren’t allowed to climb the tower or bother the fire rangers that lived in the tiny cabin nearby. I guess the difference was that this guy didn’t live up here, but commuted each day with his food and supplies. He was so friendly, and we learned a lot about detecting and fighting forest fires. He also pointed out Lassen Peak for us.

Captain Jacks Stronghold HikeWe passed the turnoff for Fleener Chimneys—we would hit that on the way back—and stopped at the parking lot for Black Crater. While a longer 1.1 mile trail leads to the site of a Modoc Indian battle, we just took a short side trail from the parking lot to Black Crater, a large spatter cone.

Lava Beds was truly a geologist’s paradise, with such a variety of volcanic features to explore. Those TTC geology lectures were certainly coming in handy. Also, our younger son Tommy majored in Geology in college and took a field trip to Hawaii to study volcanoes. It was nice to finally understand a bit of what he had studied.

Most of the lava in Lava Beds National Monument is basaltic, which is thinner and flows faster than other types of lava, such as andesite. The two most common types of basaltic lava flows are pahoehoe and A’a. Pahoehoe is the most common type found in Lava Beds. It is smooth and ropy and forms when lava cools slowly and doesn’t move too fast. A’a is rough and sharp. It forms when lava cools quickly and moves fast, tearing it into jagged pieces.

Native American Medicine PoleAn excellent place in Lava Beds to see a’a lava is the Devils Homestead Flow, just north of Black Crater. It's a vast expanse of black, jagged rocks with no vegetation in sight. It looked like another planet.

We got out of the car at the scenic overlook and, I must confess, I put a few samples of a’a in my pocket. I wanted to show Tommy that I learned something about geology. I would have to find some pahoehoe later to add to my new lava collection.

To understand the significance of the next two stops, you have to know a little about the human history that unfolded in Lava Beds.

Back in 1872, the Modoc Indians and the U.S. Army went to war over this territory. The U.S. Army outnumbered the Modoc 10 to 1, but the Modocs, under the leadership of Captain Jack, were able to fend them off for sometime by hiding out in an natural fortress now called Captain Jacks Stronghold. When we hiked through this area, we understood why they picked it as a fortification. It was an ancient lava flow of rough and jagged rock (must have been a’a!) that made it almost impossible for the U.S. Army to cross.

Herb of Tule LakeFinally, President Grant called for a peace conference to be held between the Modoc and the U.S. Army at a location west of the Stronghold, now called Canby Cross. Unfortunately, this meeting did not go as planned. Two Modoc warriors managed to shame Captain Jack into shooting the U.S. General Canby in the face, killing him. Obviously, that did not help the peace negotiations and the war went on. Eventually the Modoc were defeated and Captain Jack was hung for his crime.

We made a stop at both of these places – Canby Cross to see the memorial to the unfortunate General Canby and Captain Jacks Stronghold, where we hiked the 1.5 mile trails through the amazing natural fortress of lava.

It’s a pretty somber place when you think about what happened here. Most of the Modoc survivors were exiled to the Quapaw Reservation in Oklahoma, but gradually a few of them have begun to return to the Lava Beds to reestablish their spiritual bonds to the land of their ancestors. I’m not sure, but I think we might have come across a place where that was being done – or maybe it was just tourists gone awry.

Lolo of Fleener ChimneysAt the junction of the inner and outer trails at Captain Jacks Stronghold, we came across a medicine pole, or more correctly a medicine branch stuck in the ground, almost completely decorated with a miscellany of stuff—bandanas, flags, feathers, etc. It reminded me of one of those Dutch paintings that are so detailed that you can spend hours looking at it and still find something new. With closer scrutiny we found a baby shoe, a compass, and a Livestrong bracelet, just to name a few objects. I am not sure if these items were random or whether they had any spiritual significance. The Campbell Soup can had me pretty stumped.

After Captain Jack’s Stronghold, the road traced the southern shore of Tule Lake, where we stopped at one of the overlooks. I had had the foresight to pack some wine and cheese, so we sat for awhile by the lake and watched the sun go down.

On the way back to the campground, we stopped at the one stop we missed when driving north, the Fleener Chimneys, the source of all that lava in Devils Homestead. It was already almost dark so we had to be quick. This was another example of a spatter cone, which is created when erupting globs of molten lava get piled up on each other. When this one was created it left a 50-foot deep chimney behind in the center, hence the name, Fleener Chimneys.

It had been a very full day and we had covered a lot of ground through thousands of years of tumultuous history, both geological and man-made. Herb was right. This was a very worthwhile stop indeed.

Description

Lolo Approaching Lava Tube Cave EntranceLava Beds National Monument in northeastern California comprises 46,000 acres of rugged landscape dotted with diverse volcanic features, such as lava tube caves, cinder cones, spatter cones, fumaroles, pit craters, and lava flows, which were created over the last half million years by volcanic eruptions on the Medicine Lake shield volcano.

What makes Lava Beds National Monument unique among its volcanic peers is its more than 330 lava tube caves. These tubes were formed when lava flowing from the erupting Medicine Lake volcano began to cool and harden on the outer edges, while hotter lava in the core continued to flow within, forming a giant underground tunnel system of tubes and caves.

Over two dozen of these lava caves, of varying difficulty, length, and complexity, have developed entrances and trails for visitors to explore. All you need are sturdy shoes, a good flashlight, and a helmet (for the more challenging caves). Most of the caves are located along the one-way Cave Loop Road, just southwest of the visitor center. The Visitor Center has a brochure describing each of the caves in terms of difficulty and length.

Lolo Hiking Captain Jacks StrongholdBesides its tumultuous geological past, this area has also had its share of human violence. From 1872 to 1873, the Modoc Indians used this rugged terrain to defend their territory from the U.S. Army, which outnumbered them 10 to 1. Under the leadership of Captain Jack, about 50 Modoc warriors and their women and children hid out in a natural stronghold near the shores of Tule Lake, where ancient lava flows had formed a rugged, uneven terrain, difficult for the U.S. Army to cross. After an unsuccessful siege attempt, President Grant arranged for a peace conference to be held with the Modoc leaders at a location west of the Stronghold. However, two Modoc warriors shamed Captain Jack into shooting and killing General Canby at this peace meeting. The Modoc were eventually defeated and Captain Jack hung for his crime. The Modoc survivors were exiled to the Quapaw Agency in Oklahoma. In recent years, a few Modoc have begun to return to the Lava Beds to try to reestablish their spiritual bonds to the land of their ancestors.

The best way to explore the parks geological and cultural history is to drive the 15-mile road through the park. Starting from the Visitor Center near the southern entrance, the following are some highlights along the way:

• Cave Loop Road – best place to explore the lava caves. There are about a dozen of them here with varying degrees of length and difficulty
• Skull Cave – a short side road leads to a cave with a more wide open feel, better for those that do not like tight, closed-in spaces. It is named for the bones of pronghorn, bighorn sheep, and two human skeletons discovered inside.
• Schonchin Butte – a 1.5 mile roundtrip trail leads to the top of this cinder cone, where there is an historic Fire Lookout still in use
• Fleener Chimneys – a short side road leads to an interesting volcanic feature, known as a spatter cone. It was created when erupting globs of molten lava piled up on each other leaving a 50 foot deep chimney behind in the center
• Black Crater – 1.1 mile trail along the edge of a lava flow to the site of a Modoc ambush on the U.S. Army during the Modoc War.
• Devils Homestead Lava Flow – vast expanse of black, jagged lava from an eruption of Fleener Chimneys 12,000 years ago. It is an excellent example of an a’a lava flow.
• Canby Cross – memorial to General Canby, who during a peace gathering with the Modoc Indians, was shot in the face and killed by Captain Jack of the Modoc. The cross is registered as a California Historical Landmark
• Captain Jacks Stronghold – 1.5 mile trail through a natural fortress of lava, where the Modoc Indians hid out for the winter of 1872-1872 during their war with the U.S. Army.
• Wildlife Overlooks – along the southern shore of Tule Lake are the East and West Overlooks where one can view migratory and resident birds on the waters of Tule Lake

There is one campground in Lava Beds:

• Indian Well Campground - located at the southern end of the park just downhill from the Visitor Center. There are 43 sites, available on a first-come-first-served basis. It can accommodate RVs up to 35 feet in length. The campground is open year round.