Yosemite Trip: Part 3

As previously mentioned, we took an 8 hour tour of the park on Sunday. It was absolutely amazing. The guide from the lodge drove our party of 6 and another couple in an SUV all over Yosemite. We started out with a short hike (in some snow!) to find some Sequoia trees.

This tree is special because it was burned in a fire, but it's basically rebuilding itself around the damaged part.

These two trees are conjoined! The guide said that this kind of phenomenon has not been documented anywhere else in the world!

Our tour guide was awesome and we learned a lot about the trees, forest fires and Yosemite in general. The Sequoia trees were really impressive, but to be honest, they don't even compare to the Redwoods.

After the hike we drove around to a couple of locations and then had a picnic next to a river. Then we went to several more locations around the park.

This is a fresh water spring! We had a few sips of the water in hopes that it would cure us of all ailments and make us look younger.

According to our guide, this shot is one of the most photographed places in the world (or the U.S., but it was something impressive like that)!

At the base of Bridalveil Falls

Yosemite Falls in the background

Getting closer to Yosemite Falls

The base of Yosemite Falls

After the falls we drove through Yosemite Village and then on to the Ahwahnee Hotel. It's a super fancy place in the park and the room rates are $400-$1000 per night!! Next we began our drive back, but made one last stop to watch some climbers on El Capitan. Apparently it takes 3-5 days to climb up this thing! You have to sleep suspended in air AND you have to go #1 and #2 into a bag and keep it with you the whole time. No. Thank. You.

Once we returned to the lodge we had dinner and then decided that we (Jake, his mom and I) would head home that night instead of the next morning. We made it back around 1 am. I may have slept on the couch that night just so I could be closer to my new rug ;)

We had an amazing time and we're so fortunate to have parents that will take us on awesome trips like this.

P.S. Towards the end of our tour the man from the other couple that was with us mentioned that he'd just heard we were newlyweds and congratulated us. He said that during the course of the day he'd thought I was just part of the family and didn't realize Jake and I were married! I guess we should be nicer to one another and hold hands more often or something :)