Damkier's Travels: June 2017

Yosemite National Park - June 2017

I was not planning to visit Yosemite National Park, but after seeing some footage of the waterfalls, I checked the reservation system for any last minute cancellations. Bingo! I snagged one weeknight in a tent cabin which allowed me to take a quick trip to one of the crown jewels of the National Park System during my vacation.

Half Dome with Wildflowers

Like Lake Tahoe, I have visited Yosemite many times over the years. It has always been a popular place with my family, and the sheer beauty of this glacier valley remains impressive. Half Dome is the star of the valley with many pictures of this iconic rock posted on dorm walls and Instagram feeds across the globe. Late afternoon provides the best light to really capture the beauty of it, and I hope I did it justice.

Water created Yosemite, so this is the place to see water at work! All the winter snow is melting creating high levels on the untamed Merced River flowing through the valley and cranking the waterfalls to near peak levels. I have seen the falls at near trickles during dry seasons, but they are flowing at full steam creating a nice background rush across the valley. Bridal Veil and Yosemite Falls are popular, but even the smaller ones are running high creating some unique and rare sights.

Tent Cabin Interior

Lodging in Yosemite is also historic. Early visitors had access to opulent lodges and basic tents to fit most budgets. Before propane and camper shells, travelers had to use facilities at their destination. Even so, the lodges were well prepared being virtual resorts with many creature comforts even in the most remote locations. This tradition continues with the lodges and camping in the valley complete with hot food, cold ice cream, and the weakest LTE coverage you can find! My tent cabin was basic and cold requiring lots of clothing to block out the cold and the snoring of my neighbor.

Hello!

It was a bit tough to cram Yosemite into one night, but I was able to see the highlights in a quick tour. I have hiked and driven through most of the park over the years, but it was nice to play tourist during the peak season. Going on a weekday avoided the epic traffic jams, but I was still playing "human Tetris" with the hikers on the transit buses running at peak capacity. The creature comforts were rustic and expensive, but worth every penny to enjoy such a beautiful place. Please enjoy the rest of my photos below.

Yosemite Falls with Flooded Merced River

Half Dome Meadow

Half Dome Trees

Ansel Adams Imitation Part 1

Vernal and Nevada Falls

Ansel Adams Imitation Part 2

Ansel Adams Imitation Part 3

Tent Cabin Exterior

Hike to Vernal Falls

Pizza and Beer after Hike to Vernal Falls

Pancake Breakfast after Snoring Neighbor

Yosemite Falls View

Lake Tahoe - June 2017

Parasailing over Lake Tahoe

No, that is not me in the picture parasailing over Lake Tahoe. On a spectacular Memorial Day weekend, many people were in and around the lake, but the water was still a bit too cold for my tastes. Most of my trips to Lake Tahoe are short day trips since I live close enough to drive home, but this time I was able to spend three nights at the Hard Rock Casino in Stateline, NV.

View from Hotel Room Balcony

The Hard Rock used to be the Horizon, which used to be the Del Webb High Sierra, which used to be the Sahara Tahoe. It is right across the street from Montbleu which used to be Caesars Tahoe. Both are next to Harrah's and Harvey's which used to be Harrah's and Harvey's. For many years, casinos were only in Nevada, so many of them opened up on the Nevada state line in Lake Tahoe catering to the rich and famous for many years. Now, the casinos are much less of an attraction with larger and nicer options closer to town. Most are somewhat run down and old with small floors and dark halls. Fortunately, my older room faced the lake with gorgeous views.

Cruising the Lake on the M.S. Dixie II

I have visited Lake Tahoe MANY times and taken MANY photographs since moving here in 2001. This was the first time I took a lake cruise aboard the M.S. Dixie II paddle wheel boat. This boat cruises between Zephyr Bay and Emerald Bay with food and drink served on ship. It is a relaxing cruise with great views and packed with families and visitors of all ages and cultures. As a local, it is always a reminder that people travel long distances to enjoy something we may take for granted. The food was bad, but the trip was still great.

State Line through Van Sickle Bi-State Park

One of my new finds this trip was the Van Sickle Bi-State Park. This park is run by California and Nevada and has several trails running under the Heavenly Gondola and various hills surrounding the lake. It is easily accessible from the casino area with lots of parking and a deceivingly challenging trail system with great views. Hiking is also a great way to say Bonjour or Guten Tag to all the European visitors!

I'm On A Boat!

Even with all the traveling, it was nice to have a relaxing stay at Lake Tahoe to enjoy the natural beauty and cool weather over Memorial Day weekend. I lost money, but won a great time! Enjoy my pictures below.

Edge of Emerald Bay facing Nevada

Vikingsholm from Boat

Fannette Island in Emerald Bay

Sailboat Entering Emerald Bay

Clouds forming over Mt. Tallac

M.S. Dixie II

Zephyr Bay Clear Water

Hiking near South Lake Tahoe

Mono Lake & Eastern Sierras - June 2017

Carson River near Genoa, NV

A fortunate series of events allowed me to finally take a major road trip to some of the more remote portions of California and Nevada. I was able to secure some comp rooms from two casinos in Lake Tahoe and Reno and a last minute cancellation in Yosemite National Park over the week of Memorial Day 2017. Having a base camp in South Lake Tahoe allowed me to visit the back side of the Sierra Nevada mountain range including Highway 395 in rural California.

Mono Lake

The historic amount of snow dumped on the California mountains has remained long into the warmer months creating some spectacular scenery on the eastern side of the Sierras. This land sits in a major rain shadow and is usually hot and dry except for melting snow charging rivers and lakes. One of these lakes is Mono Lake which has no outflow.

Brackish Water with Tufa Island

All the water flows into the lake, but it evaporates slowly over time turning the lake salty and brackish. This has created some raw and unique scenery including several mineral tufa towers that create a surreal backdrop especially surrounded by the mountains.

Abandoned Mining Equipment at Bodie State Park

But most people did not come here for the scenery. They came for gold and silver. The eastern slopes of the Sierra held less fortune than the western slopes, but that did not stop the rush in the high desert. Bodie State Park is a well preserved ghost town very far away from anything. You need to take a long dirt road to get to the park entrance and hike around near 8,000 ft in elevation with little shade and extreme conditions.

No Gas Today

Even so, the town once was the center of civilization with near constant activity mining and playing like there was no tomorrow. Until they ran out and left the town nearly overnight. Books, bottles, and wagons were abandoned - not worth the effort to haul away. Bodie now sits as an eerie reminder of the boom and bust history of the region.

Remember the stuff about historic snowfall? The Walker River follows Highway 395 between Topaz and Bridgeport, and as you can see in the video is very full. The whitewater is both dangerous and fascinating and makes for a great background noise when driving in the area. Even the landscape is changing as the water is causing major landslides and destroying parts of the road. Erosion in action!

Genoa Bar

Nestled up against the back side of Lake Tahoe on the Nevada side is the small town of Genoa. It is home to the oldest bar in Nevada with a rich and colorful history. As you would expect in Nevada it is open 24/7 with no open container restrictions. Of course there is a video poker machine inside, but most people ignore it since they are focused on all the historic decorations and having a cold drink with their friends. What a great way to finish the post! Enjoy the rest of my pictures below.