North America - Clean Breaks: 500 New Ways to See the World - page 193

Yosemite NatioNal Park

The founding father of modern conservation, John Muir spent many years living in
California's Yosemite Valley, and his campaign to safeguard its wild beauty convinced
Congress in 1890 to establish Yosemite National Park. Today visitors pay a fee to
enter the park, and if you want to stay overnight in the backcountry (only one in a
hundred visitors do) you also have to obtain one of the limited “wilderness permits”
(one per person, approximately 10-40 per trail; available from the Tuolomne Meadows
Wilderness Center on T [phone]). This quota system acts to reduce the
impact of tourism on the park's ecology while helping to fulfil its mandate to provide
“outstanding opportunities for solitude”. Those who venture forth discover a landscape
still as beautiful as the one that inspired Muir: magnificent mountain vistas, huge granite
domes, wildflower meadows, meandering rivers and towering waterfalls. Here are our
favourite ways to enjoy this specially protected area.

253 Follow the trail to anywhere
With around 1300km of hiking trails snaking
their way across the park - of which 95 percent
is designated as wilderness - you can walk for
days and only see a handful of people. In the
backcountry you are free to camp wherever you
wish, subject to a few safety limitations, though
in some of the more visited areas you can pitch
on primitive campgrounds. There are several
popular trails (such as the John Muir Trail) but
one of the least trodden paths - with no less
magnificent scenery - is along the north rim of
Yosemite Valley, a 50km, 2-3 day hike that links
the summit of El Capitán with Eagle Peak, the
top of Upper Yosemite Fall (with lots of good
places to camp) and North Dome.

Need to know For bus information in Yosemite
National Park see W www.yosemitepark.com. For a
list of trail quotas see W www.yosemite.org.

254 ski cross-country
With visitor numbers a fraction of what they're
like in the summer, winter is an excellent time
to visit Yosemite - especially for cross-country
skiers, who have virtually the entire park at
their disposal. Whole topics have been written
about cross-country skiing here so the options
are endless, but if you're looking for lessons or a
skiing spot near rental facilities then head to the
Badger Pass Ski Area, where there are a couple
of restaurants, ski-hire facilities, a school and
560km of skiable trails (ninety of them marked).
From here you can ski 17km (4-5hr)
to Glacier Point, stay overnight at the
rustic Glacier Hut -where you'll dine
on a wholesome, carbohydrate-rich
dinner - then return the following
day; the more adventurous can join a
guided ski tour at Glacier Point and
stay out for several days.

Ranger-led snow-shoe walk
in the Bader Pass Ski Area,
Yosemite

Need to know For prices of equipment
hire, lessons and trips to Glacier Hut
see W www.badgerpass.com; T +1 209
372 8444.