Yosemite is a hiker and climber paradise with tremendous peaks that challenge the most expert of trekkers and sportsmen. Certainly the peaks of El Capitan and Half Dome are the most impressive of all, and look all the more so when seen from different viewpoints. We spent the first day is the Yosemite Valley which is in the western part of the park and home to the great mountains.

We hiked to the lower Yosemite Falls because that was the only trail Apollo was allowed on. All the falls in the park were dry as they usually are in the fall, but even more so in the midst of a serious western drought, hence no photo ops here. On the second day we went to the southern end of the park and hiked through the Mariposa Grove with its giant redwoods.