We stop at Olmsted Point where we get a good look down Tenaya Canyon to the back side of the Half Dome. From this vantage point, we can actually see (with binoculars of course!) the line of hikers waiting to use the cable rings to climb to the summit.
Neither of us are feeling up for a big hike today, despite the abundance of hikes to choose from. Still, we make a stop in Tuolumne Meadows, the largest subalpine meadow in Yosemite, to do a leisurely walk ("to stretch our legs" Keir says) towards the bubbly soda springs. The "springs" are somewhat bubbly, but mostly dried up. However, the surrounding views make up for the lackluster springs.
We love the brilliant blue of the lakes that dot this area.
The drive out from the east side of the park provides quite a view. We are up close to snow, lakes and a plummeting valley with waterfalls to boot!
Near the town of Lee Vining (with a terrific view of Mono Lake) we stop at the Mobile gas station where we have heard rumor that an excellent deli exists. Really? Well, the "Whoa Nellie Deli" is indeed an oasis of gas station eating. The picturesque picnic tables on green grass with an unobstructed view down to Mono Lake is the perfect spot to tuck into a plate of fish tacos (one with mango salsa the other with ginger coleslaw). We love fish tacos and ordered them all the way up the coast when we were in California last time, so this was a happy find.
We find ourselves now, on this Thursday night at the Silver Lake campground along the June Lake Loop. Our campsite overlooks the back of the Ansel Adams Wilderness Area and is the most visually exciting campsite we have stayed at in this Yosemite area. We get jaggy peaks speckled with snow, roaring waterfalls that we can both see and hear and a lovely flat meadow in which to park our tent.
Tomorrow we aim to head up to Lake Tahoe, which could be a mistake, given that we will be arriving for the weekend. We'll see...
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