Yosemite Village
September 12, 1996
Tunnel Viewpoint with El Capitan (left) and Half Dome in the background.
Since we were heading directly for the valley we did not stop at Tuolumne Meadows and did not hike to Olmstedt point (one more reason to come back someday). We entered the valley and drove along mighty El Capitan to the eastern part of the valley. Back in 1996 there was only one campground within Yosemite Valley where camp sites were offered on a first-come-first-serve base. We arrived there about 6:45 am. A handfull of people was already queuing up but we got a vacant spot without any problems again.
Our first measure against unwanted visitors was to put all our food into a therefore proveded metal box. Then we set up our tent and got into the car.
Please note:
Both pictures probably were not taken on this very morning. Perhaps later that day. The river shot will always stay in my mind. No, not because of the beautiful setting. Although that would be the best reason. When we arrived on the scene nobody was there. It was calm. Quiet. Only the sound of the lapping water was audible. Simply put: wonderful. I closed my eyes ... In this precise moment a bus arrived on the spot and a busload full of Japanese tourists bursted out - boom!
