October 6th Tioga Pass to Yosemite National Park

October 6th Tioga Pass to Yosemite National Park

It is an 11 mile drive along Tioga Pass Road before you reach the Main Entrance of Yosemite Nat. Park (YNP). We start at an elevation of 7,000ft from Lee Vinings. This is our second visit, 4 years ago we could not enter the Yosemite as the Tioga Pass Road was still snowed in...and that was in Spring.

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Yosemite in autumn is quite different to Yosemite in spring - it is dry and there are virtually no waterfalls. Looking like great big slabs of chocolate cake with  dusting of icing sugar, we are enthralled by the beauty of these majestic mountains.  Check out the landslide.

There was light snowfall probably the night before.

Entrance fee to the park is now $30 per vehicle, good for 7 days. We are now at 9,934 feet above sea level. What a perfect day for a drive around Yosemite.

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Yosemite is home to more than 20 mountains that are more than 10,000ft in height.

Le truck and me.

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Exquisite alpine Tenaya Lake..surface elevation - 8,150 feet. It is believed Tenaya was the name of the Chief of the Ahwahneechees or Yosemite Indians. However, Tenaya is not a word from this tribe but from the Mono Lake Pauites Indians meaning "Father".

Gigantic slabs of granite hug the OMG ("oh my gawd"!) route as we ascend higher into Yosemite. If you are afraid of heights, take a pill before embarking this drive, make sure your wills are in order...it is a 9,000ft drop and hasta la vista baby!

There are pull outs along the way for photo taking and allowing faster vehicles to pass.

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As autumn is approaching, some facilities in YNP are already closed. Our best bet was in Yosemite Valley where there is a general store, gift shop and the Village Grill. This is what happens when humans feed wildlife..as soon as we sat down to lunch this little Chickaree and his friends came scampering....lord knows they could be gluten intolerant and people are giving them wheaten foods.