I just saw a photo of Yosemite on my Chromecast.
It was a beautiful photo by Colby Brown. framed by four big pines of a waterfall and with the mountain valley behind.
I thought to myself - you know, that's not bad. It is not the Lauterbrunnen Valley, but its not bad.
Pretty scenic. I remember that in Yosemite you do have to get off the valley floor before the hordes of tourists fade away and the true beauty begins.
I wonder what Ansel Adams would have done with that photo.
You're right, Yosemite is indeed beautiful. What left a horribly bad taste in my mouth about Yosemite was the appalling cost and condition of staying in the Lodge or Ahwahnee or Curry Village. The price was astronomical and the conditions FAR FAR removed from the corresponding price tag. Now compare that with the lodgings found in the Lauterbrunnen Valley or elsewhere in squeeky clean Switzerland. I don't mind paying for quality and clean lodging, but Yosemite was just downright embarrassing. I thought of all the times I've been to the Lauterbrunnen area and all of the amazing and clean and friendly lodgings I've stayed in - I'm totally embarrassed as an American to have overseas visitors come to Yosemite and think that's the best we can do here in good old USA.
It's just embarrassing! And then of course there's the lack of any sort of interesting travel methods like gondolas, funiculars, etc. Yosemite has the bus or drive your own vehicle.
Do you have a link, Nigel? The only Colby Brown photo of Yosemite I can find is this one:
Not all that spectacular. (I have taken better ones!). Actually my favorite views and photo ops in Yosemite are in the high country. Unfortunately our past two visits were troubled by smoke from wildfires, so the sky was not blue.
Thanks, Lola.
No, it is not that one - much more spectacular.
Thanks to you, I have now looked through about 3,000 of his photos, including several hundred of Yosemite. Can't find it.
It was only on the Chromecast for a couple of minutes, in their usual rotation of background photos. I'm sure it is a google + photo.
I don't have a clue how to capture a link there when I see it go by again.... I thought everybody would be looking at their Chromecast stick histories.....
Tim, I agree 100% with everything you said. It is absolutely true. And it's shameful. After visiting the Berner Oberland twice, staying in Murren, I have no desire to ever go back to Yosemite... and I only live 4 hrs away.
The pricing for lodging in Yosemite is expensive, but I disagree with the conditions of the rooms. Our daughter got married there three years ago and we reserved 14 rooms for the wedding party and guests. Not one of the rooms were sub-standard. The only problem experienced by our guests was the fact that none of the rooms had AC and it was 102 degrees on the day she was married. We always camp and a campsite was only $20. I think it is now $30. Starting in a year or so Yosemite will have a new concessionier in charge of all hotels so perhaps that will change things for the better.
Just a word of warning for those planning a trip to Yosemite. Rooms can be reserved a year and a day in advance of your trip. You must plan on reserving well in advance as they book up the summer lodging at least 9 months in advance. Camping reservations are the most difficult to get of all national parks. They reserve on the 15th of the month 5 months in advance at 7:00 AM PST. At 7:01, they will all be reserved. We usually have about 10 friends trying to help us get a reservation.
I have been to Switzerland on 3 occasions and I still find Yosemite to be as or if not more beautiful than Lauterbrunnen. Of course if you look at my name that I use on the forum, I can be accused of being biased.
I can always find somewhere habitable in or around the Lauterbrunnen Valley a day ahead, sometimes on the day.
If anyone is interested, here are live webcams from Yosemite.
I'm another big fan of the Lauterbrunnen Valley, and hope to return there soon. In addition to the incredible scenery ("squeaky clean" as someone else described it), there are also good facilities including the unique cogwheel trains, lifts and other things that make it an interesting and easy place to travel.
Hello Nigel. The beautiful photograph of Yosemite National Park (in California) that you saw from the internet -- was the camera at Glacier Point ? In one of my visits at Yosemite National Park, I was at Glacier Point (High above Yosemite Valley), a beautiful young German woman was there. She looked at the mountains that are located to the East (the opposite direction from Yosemite Valley. She thought that view of many mountain peaks in California was spectacular and astonishing ! She had seen mountains in Germany, and I guess in Switzerland. During my most recent trip to England, I intended to travel to the Berner Oberland (Lauterbrunnen, Murren, ...) in Switzerland, but I decided to not travel to Switzerland, because I was informed (through the internet) that no hotel room was available for me at Murren and at every place in the Berner Oberland.
Yosemite is being "loved to death." It is a problem that has been going on for years. But it still holds first place in my heart, ever since I lived in the Valley for a year ( back when employees could actually live in the Valley). An effort to reduce traffic by banning private cars (substituting shuttle buses) started in the 60's and 70's but has never succeeded.
Now we try to spend time in Yosemite each summer, but we do not go to the valley. We camp in Tuolumne or hike to one of the High Sierra Camps. Those are on a lottery system.
The new concessionaire is Aramark, who runs facilities at Denali National Park and Glacier Bay NP. I have not stayed at their hotels so have no idea if things will improve. The park service wants to upgrade some facilities and possibly remove others ( like the swimming pools) consistent with a new environmental plan for the area.
If you do want to stay in Yosemite but not at the valley hotels or camps, consider renting a cabin or condo at Yosemite West, especially if you have more than two people. These are a short drive from the Valley floor but at a higher elevation, so cooler and much less crowded.
My favorite Ansel Adams photo of Yosemite is this one of Lake Tenaya, probably because it is one of our favorite places in the park.
http://shop.anseladams.com/Lake_Tenaya_p/5010115-u.htm
I have our own photo, in color, taken from this exact spot as my wallpaper so I can see it as much as I like.
