Travel/POI: Yosemite National Park (優勝美地/約塞米蒂國家公園), California - Tunnel View, Bridalveil Fall, El Capitan, Middle Cathedral Rock, Sentinel/Cook's Meadow Loop, Yosemite Falls, Half Dome
Yosemite National Park is in California and designated a World Heritage Site in 1984. Yosemite is recognized for its cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, giant sequoia groves, lakes, mountains, meadows, glaciers, and biological diversity. Almost 95 percent of the park is designated wilderness. The Ahwahneechee People, the indigenous natives of Yosemite, was the only tribe that lived within the park boundaries and other tribes lived in surrounding areas before early American settlements. The 1848-1855 California Gold Rush drew more than 90,000 European Americans to the area in less than two years. The Mariposa War started in December 1850 when California funded a state militia to drive Native people from contested territory to suppress Native American resistance to the European American influx. Then you read the story of conflict, dreams, diversity, hardships, adventures, and preservation of this area from both sides. Beyond the rocks, plants, and animals, human history is also woven into the Yosemite National Park being. In 1864, to ward off further commercial exploitation, conservationists convinced President Abraham Lincoln to declare Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias a public trust of California. This marked the first time the U.S. government protected land for public enjoyment and it laid the foundation for the establishment of the national and state park systems. Yellowstone became America’s first national park in 1872. At Yosemite Valley, overgrazing of meadows (especially by sheep), logging of giant sequoia, and other damage led John Muir, naturalist and explorer, to become an advocate for further federal protection. John Muir and Robert Underwood Johnson, editor of Century Magazine, lobbied Congress for the Act that created Yosemite National Park on October 1, 1890. The State of California, however, retained control of Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove. In May 1903, Muir convinced President Theodore Roosevelt to take control of the area away from California and return it to the federal government. In 1906, Roosevelt signed the enabling bill. I visited Yosemite National Park on May 22-23, 2017, October 9, 2023 and September 12-13, 2024. I'll show you the attractions that I visited.
優勝美地/約塞米蒂國家公園位於加州，於 1984 年被指定為世界遺產。優勝美地/約塞米蒂被稱為是“大自然的大教堂”，是最典型的冰蝕谷，以其懸崖、瀑布、清澈的溪流、巨大的紅杉林、湖泊、山脈、草地、冰川和生物種類的多樣性而聞名。公園幾乎 95% 的面積都被指定為自然保護區。阿瓦尼奇人 (Ahwahneechee People) 是優勝美地/約塞米蒂的原住民，在早期殖民定居之前，是唯一居住在公園地區內的部落，其他部落就居住在周邊地區。1848 年至 1855 年的加州淘金熱在不到兩年的時間內吸引了超過 90,000 名歐洲裔美國人來到這裏。瑪利波薩 (Mariposa) 戰爭於 1850 年 12 月爆發，當時加州資助一支州防衛隊，將原住民趕出有爭議的領土，以鎮壓美洲原住民對歐洲裔美國人湧入的抵抗。之後你會讀到這個地區雙方的衝突、夢想、多元化、艱辛、冒險和保護的故事。除了岩石、植物和動物之外，人類歷史也編織進入了約塞米蒂國家公園的存在。1864 年為了避免進一步的商業開發，自然資源保護主義者說服林肯總統宣布優勝美地/約塞米蒂山谷和巨杉瑪利波薩森林為加州的公共信託。這印下了美國政府首次保護土地供公眾享用的標誌，並為建立國家和州立公園系統奠定下基礎。1872 年黃石公園成為美國第一個國家公園。在優勝美地/約塞米蒂山谷，過度放牧草地（尤其是羊）、砍伐巨型紅杉以及其他破壞事項，導致博物學家/探險家約翰·繆爾（John Muir）進一步為此地爭取聯邦的保護。約翰·繆爾和《世紀雜誌》(Century Magazine) 編輯羅伯特·安德伍德·約翰遜(Robert Underwood Johnson) 遊說國會通過法案，於1890 年10 月1 日創建優勝美地/約塞米蒂國家公園。然而，加州仍保留了對優勝美地/約塞米蒂山谷和瑪利波薩森林的控制權。1903 年 5 月，繆爾說服羅斯福總統從加州奪回這地區的控制權，並將其歸還給聯邦政府。1906年，羅斯福簽署了授權法案。我在2017年5月22-23日, 2023年10月9日及2024年9月12-13日都來過優勝美地/約塞米蒂國家公園，讓我穿叉式地來介紹我去過的景點。
In October 2023, we first passed through the 4,233-foot-long Wawona Tunnel to the first attraction - Tunnel View. The Tunnel View scenic overlook is a historic site affording expansive views of Yosemite Valley, El Capitan, Bridalveil Fall, and Half Dome. Wawona Tunnel is the longest highway tunnel in California. Taking nearly two years to complete, it was completed in April of 1933 and additional improvements were done in 2008. The site remains one of the most popular scenic overlooks in Yosemite National Park, with an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 people visiting per day during the height of the tourist season. From the photos taken in the past three years, we can see that in the spring of 2017, the Bridal Veil Falls had the most water, while in late summer and early autumn, the amount of water in the waterfall was much less.
2023年10月我們先穿過 4,233 英尺長的瓦沃纳隧道 (Wawona Tunnel)來到第一個景點 - 隧道景觀點 (Tunnel View)。隧道景觀觀景台是一處歷史遺跡，可欣賞優勝美地山谷、酋長岩 (El Capitan)、新娘面紗瀑布 (Bridalveil Fall) 和半穹頂 (Half Dome) 的廣闊景色。瓦沃納隧道是加州最長的高速公路隧道。歷時近兩年於 1933 年 4 月竣工，並於 2008 年做進一步的改進。這景點仍然是優勝美地/約塞米蒂國家公園最受歡迎的觀景點之一，在旅遊旺季期間，估計每天有 5 千至 7 千人參觀。從過去三年的照片可看出，2017年的春天，新娘面紗瀑布的水最多，夏末秋初瀑布的水量則減少許多。
Bridalveil Fall is full of water
Yosemite National Park has been among the top ten most visited national parks in the United States for several years. You can imagine the crowd in the high season because of its popularity. To ease the pain of finding a parking spot, you can take a free Yosemite Valley shuttle to access around Yosemite Valley.
優勝美地/約塞米蒂國家公園連續多年上了美國遊客最多的國家公園排行榜前十名。由於其受歡迎程度，您可以想像旺季時的人群。為了減輕尋找停車位的痛苦及麻煩，您可以乘坐免費的優勝美地/約塞米蒂山谷接泊車參觀優勝美地/約塞米蒂山谷周圍的景點。
Plunging 620 feet (189 meters), Bridalveil Fall is often the first waterfall you'll see when entering Yosemite Valley. A paved trail (0.5 mile round trip, 80 ft Elevation gain) leads from the parking area to the base of this waterfall, which flows year-round. When the water is at its peak in spring and early summer, you can expect to get wet! When we visited here in May 2017, the waterfall was so powerful and unforgettable. In October 2023, the water flow was normal. So if you choose a different season to visit the park, your experience would be different.
新娘面紗瀑布 (Bridalveil Fall) 的高度為 620 英尺（189 公尺），通常是進入優勝美地/約塞米蒂山谷時看到的第一個瀑布。有一條從停車場通往瀑布底部鋪好的步道（往返 0.5 英里，海拔增益 80 英尺)，瀑布全年都有水。春天和初夏的水位最高，這時候去，你可能會被淋濕！我們2017年5月去的時候，瀑布水勢澎湃強勁，至今令人難忘。2023年10月及2024年9月則水勢普通。所以選擇哪個季節遊覽公園，經驗就會不同。
Bridalveil Fall is full of water and powerful.
When the wind blows, the flow of the waterfall will change directions.
El Capitan, a granite monolith, is about 3,000 feet (914 meters) from base to summit. It is 2.5 times as tall as the Empire State Building, or more than 3 times as high as the top of the Eiffel Tower. It is a world-famous location for big wall climbing, including the disciplines of aid climbing, free climbing, and free solo climbing. Besides climbing, some people choose to walk to the top. The El Capitan hiking trail covers just under 20 miles and the elevation is about 5,200 feet. The time needed to hike to the top of El Capitan is between 8-12 hours (including the Eagle Peak side trail). For us, we picked the easiest way to drive into Yosemite Valley and parked by the road near Bridalveil Fall to admire this majestic rock formation.
酋長岩 (El Capitan) 是一塊花崗岩巨石，從底部到山頂約 3,000 英尺（914 公尺）。它的高度是帝國大廈的2.5倍，是艾菲爾/巴黎鐵塔的3倍多。這裡是世界著名的大岩壁攀岩地，包括器械攀登(aid climbing)、徒手攀岩 (free climbing) 和無保護徒手攀岩(free solo climbing)等。除了攀登，有些人選擇健行登頂。酋長岩健行步道全長不到 20 英里，海拔約 5,200 英尺。健行登上酋長岩山頂所需時間為 8 至 12 小時（包括鷹峰側道）。對我們來說，我們選擇了最簡單的方式就是開車進入優勝美地山谷，將車停在新娘面紗瀑布附近的路邊，欣賞這塊雄偉的大岩石。
In mid- to late-February, El Capitan is home to a now-famous light show of Horsetail Fall, sometimes simply called “the Firefall” or “the Horsetail Firefall.” Although I have never seen the special sight of the firefall, I must make a note here, maybe I will have the opportunity to see it in the future. Horsetail Fall can glow orange when it's backlit by sunset, which can make it appear to be on fire. This unique lighting effect happens only on evenings with a clear sky when the waterfall is flowing and when the sun is at the right angle in mid– to late February. This attracts many people to visit the park. In order to manage this event, reservations will be required for entry to Yosemite on certain dates in February. Check the website for the information.
二月中下旬，酋長岩會有著名的馬尾瀑布 (Horsetail Fall) 火焰秀，有時簡稱為「火瀑布」或「馬尾瀑布」。雖然我從未看過這種火瀑布的特殊景象，但是一定要在此做個筆記，或許以後有機會去看看。馬尾瀑布在日落的背光下會發出橙色的光，這使它看起來像是著火了。這種獨特的日光效果僅在二月中下旬、天空晴朗、瀑布流淌、太陽處於直角時才會出現。因而吸引了很多人造訪公園，為了管理這樣的活動，二月某些日期需要預訂才能進入下優勝美地/約塞米蒂。請網上查看資料。
The Middle Cathedral Rock lies directly across the Yosemite Valley from El Capitan and little more than half-a-mile away. It also attracts many free-climbing climbers. Its summit is 2,500 feet above the valley floor.
中教堂岩 (Middle Cathedral Rock) 在酋長岩對面，中間隔著優勝美地山谷，與酋長岩相距僅半英里多一點。它也吸引了許多徒手攀岩的攀岩者。其山頂距谷底有 2,500 英尺高。
Our next attraction was Yosemite Falls, but we couldn't find a closer parking lot, so we parked by the road on Northside Drive and went to see the falls via Sentinel/Cook's Meadow Loop. This is a “bang-for-your-buck” kind of hiking trail. From the different segment of the Sentinel/Cook's Meadow Loop, you will see meadows, Yosemite Falls, Swinging Bridge, Half Dome, Sentinel Rock, historic Yosemite Chapel, Glacier Point, Royal Arches, wildlife sightings and beautiful flowers or fall color depending on the season.
我們下一個景點想去優勝美地/約塞米蒂瀑布，但是找不到近一點的停車場，我們就停在北侧路 (Northside Drive) 旁，經由哨兵/庫克草原環路 (Sentinel/Cook's Meadow Loop) 去看瀑布。這是一條「物超所值」的健行步道。 從哨兵/庫克草原環路的不同路段，您會看到草原、優勝美地/約塞米蒂瀑布、平旋橋、半穹頂、哨兵岩、歷史悠久的優勝美地/約塞米蒂教堂、冰川頂 (Glacier Point)、禦弧岩 (Royal Arches)、野生動物和應季節的不同看到美麗的花朵或秋天的顏色。
Yosemite Falls (2,425 feet), one of the world's tallest, is actually made up of three separate falls: Upper Yosemite Fall (1,430 feet), the middle cascades (675 feet), and Lower Yosemite Fall (320 feet). A one-mile loop trail leads to the base of Lower Yosemite Fall. It's also possible to hike to the top of Yosemite Falls as a strenuous, all-day hike. Yosemite Creek, which flows over this waterfall, is fed entirely by snow melt. Yosemite Falls usually runs dry by late summer. On May 23, 2017, the water of the waterfall surged violently, like a galloping array of thousands of horses. It was a completely different look on October 9, 2023. It is incredible that there is no water at Lower Yosemite Falls in September 2024. What is left on the stone wall are traces of erosion by water over the years.
優勝美地/約塞米蒂瀑布（2,425 英尺）是世界上最高的瀑布之一，實際上是由三個獨立的瀑布組成：上優勝美地/上約塞米蒂瀑布（1,430 英尺）、中瀑布（675 英尺）和下優勝美地/下約塞米蒂瀑布（ 320 英尺）。一條一英里長的環形步道可通往下優勝美地/下約塞米蒂瀑布的底部。去優勝美地/約塞米蒂瀑布的頂部也是有可能的，但要花全天的功夫而且也要很費力才能到達。下優勝美地/約塞米蒂溪流過這個瀑布，水源完全來自融雪。下優勝美地/約塞米蒂瀑布通常會在夏末乾涸。2017年5月23日的瀑布水勢洶湧飛瀉，如臨萬馬奔騰之陣。而2023年10月9日則是全然不同的風貌。2024年9月下優勝美地瀑布居然沒水，實在不可思議。石壁上所留下的是長年被水沖蝕的痕跡。
Half Dome is a quartz monzonite batholith, standing at nearly 8,800 feet above sea level and rising nearly 5,000 feet above Yosemite Valley, at the eastern end of Yosemite Valley. This iconic formation is named for its distinct shape. One side is a sheer face while the other three sides are smooth and round, making it appear like a dome cut in half. We are fortunate to be able to stay inside of Yosemite National Park in 2024. We do not need to rush driving out of the park. In the evening, we can take a walk at Yosemite Falls and see the beautiful scene of the sunset shining on Half Dome. The scene is memorable. By the way, if you are up to the challenge, you can choose to take a 14- to 16-mile round-trip about 10 to 12 hours hike to Half Dome. The most famous—or infamous—part of the hike is the ascent up the cables. The two metal cables allow hikers to climb the last 400 feet to the summit without rock climbing equipment. Permits are required to hike the cables whenever the cables are ‘up’, which is usually between the Friday before Memorial Day and the second Monday in October, but depends on conditions.
半穹頂是一塊石英二長岩岩磐，海拔近 8,800 英尺，比優勝美地山谷高出近 5,000 英尺，位於優勝美地山谷的東端。這個非常出名的結構因其獨特的形狀而得名。一面陡峭近乎垂直，而其他三面則是光滑圓胖，使它看起來像一個切成兩半的圓頂。我們於2024年有幸能住在優勝美地國家公園裏面，不需急忙開出公園，在傍晚時，能在優勝美地瀑布散步看到夕陽照在半穹頂的美麗景象，令人難忘。順便提一下，如果你能接受挑戰，你可以選擇來回 14 至 16 英里，約 10 至 12 小時登山健行至半穹頂。這段登山健行中最著名（或最臭名昭著）的部分是攀登鋼索。兩條金屬鋼索讓健行者無需攀岩裝備即可攀登最後 400 英尺的山峰。但需要拿到許可證才能攀登鋼索，鋼索開放的時日通常是在陣亡將士紀念日之前的星期五到十月的第二個星期一之間或應具體情況而定。
We are lucky enough to have booked a room at Yosemite Valley Lodge in 2024. Its close proximity to Yosemite Falls makes it the perfect base camp for exploring Yosemite National Park. The room was very comfortable. Yosemite Lodge Food Court is nearby. You can enjoy the stunning natural view from the dining area by looking out through tall glass windows. What a treat.
2024年我們很幸運訂到優勝美地山谷旅館 (Yosemite Valley Lodge)的房間，它靠近優勝美地瀑布，使其成為探索優勝美地國家公園的完美大本營。房間也非常舒適。美食廣場就在附近，您可以從用餐區透過高大的玻璃窗欣賞令人驚嘆的自然景觀。真是一種享受。
Other Related Posts 其他相關的帖子
- Travel/POI: Sequoia National Park (紅杉國家公園), California - Tunnel Rock, Hospital Rock, Moro Rock Trail
- Travel/POI: Sequoia National Park (紅杉國家公園), California - Tunnel Log, Big Trees Trail, Giant Forest Museum, General Sherman Tree
- Travel/POI: Kings Canyon National Park (國王峽谷國家公園), California - Grizzly Falls, Roaring River Falls, General Grant Tree Trail
- Travel/POI: Yosemite National Park (優勝美地/約塞米蒂國家公園), California - Mirror Lake, Pioneer Yosemite History Center, Washburn Point, Glacier Point
Travel/Point of Interest Posts 旅遊景點帖子
References 參考資料
- Wikipedia: Yosemite National Park
- History: Yosemite National Park established
- National Park Service: Yosemite
- National Park Service: Yosemite Falls
- National Park Service: Half Dome Day Hike
- National Park Service: Chinese Brochure
- Yosemite Mariposa County: El Capitan