John Muir's Gift

Two years ago now, Cindy and I ventured off to visit California's Yosemite National Park.   I had held off visiting the place, because so many people go.   I figured I wanted to avoid the crowds.  Well as usual, I found, if you step off the main path, no one was around - backpacking to north dome was a treasure I will never forget.   Yosemite National Park exists today because of John Muir, a man who if he existed today, most would consider him a nut.  He spent years of his life living in the as a hermit in the woods, traipsing from tree to tree, mountain to mountain, river to river and everything in between.  He would occasionally venture to the city to praise the park, and rave about nature.   In the end his meeting of influential people like Teddy Roosevelt and Ralph Waldo Emerson and his voice saved it from being turned into another development.

Here is Yosemite:

North Dome viewed from deep within Yosemite Valley.

Three mule deer on alert in Yosemite Valley.

Yosemite Falls viewed from above on Sentinel Dome.

Please let me know what you think.