I first stopped off in the valley to visit the Ahwahnee Hotel, and got lots of ideas for Katherine and Ryan’s wedding there in November, then grabbed a campsite and waited for my parents to arrive. Even though I came in on a Tuesday, the park was completely full. Absolutely packed- and I literally got the last campsite in the park.

We stayed up in the high country to avoid the crowds, and found some really wonderful areas of Yosemite park that few will visit.

A view towards Tioga Pass, right by the Yosemite National park east entrance station.

Here’s a classic from Glacier Point

A quick hike along the Tuolumne River

And on our last day I took my parents along a grueling (in a fun way!) hike to May Lake, and then through the snow fields and off the trails to the top of Mount Hoffman, at 10,850 feet.

Here’s May Lake (the midpoint) looking up at the Mount Hoffman peak.

Great views on the way up

And there is no question that I have the most fit 61-year-old parents ever. Here’s my dad bounding up the final stretch.

A view back down towards Yosemite Valley

I’m now back in Berkeley, finishing all of my processing for the past few weeks. I’m taking off with Nancy for Erika and Andrew’s wedding in Negril, Jamaica on Wednesday and am working like mad to get all my photo shoots processed before then.