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One of the more intimate ways to explore Yosemite: on a photography-centric tour, revisiting Ansel Adams's famed shots.
(Photo: Courtesy of the Ansel Adams Gallery) |
Follow in Ansel Adams’s footsteps at some of Yosemite's most iconic sites, including Mirror Lake and Half Dome, where the pioneering photographer took some of his most famous images of the park. Learn about his legacy at the in-park Ansel Adams Gallery, which offers regular exhibits, talks, and other shutterbug-centric events. Free camera walks, ideal for novices, take place every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. More experienced shooters can hone digital-camera techniques and dig deeper into Adams’s methodology during four-hour classes ($95/person), during which you’ll find your own inspiration in the exact spots where Adams shot Yosemite’s most celebrated waterfalls, lakes, and rock formations.
Indulge in one of the less expected pastimes of these parts�wine tasting�along the Yosemite Sierra Wine Road, showcasing three local, highly regarded wineries and tastings for just $5 (refundable with purchase). Start by driving to Fäsi Estate Winery, where you’ll sample small-production, organic wines with an Argentine influence, including an excellent Malbec, plus some full-bodied Syrahs, in its elegant tasting room. Make an appointment ahead of time for your next stop at Westbrook Wine Farm, producing outstanding Bordeaux-style bottles, including its flagship Fait Accompli, a full-flavored blend with six grape varietals. End your tippling tour at Idle Hour, in the town of Oakhurst, where Anna Marie dos Remedios specializes in sustainably grown, single-vineyard wines like tempranillo. Bottles feature gorgeous artwork by L.A.-based artist Tim Cantor; pick up a few to take home, and mingle with locals at the winery’s laid-back wine bar and beer garden, with more than 90 wines and 30 beers from around the world.
Explore Yosemite’s natural grandeur without the crowds, via a variety of smaller guided excursions on foot and bike (park entry fee $20/car, good for seven days). Cruise through Yosemite Valley under the moonlight during a two-hour Full Moon Bike Ride, offered several times each month ($20.50; bikes provided). When the weather’s cooperative, navigate your way up the granite rocks of the park during guided climbs with no more than three people per guide, from the Yosemite Mountaineering School (from $169). Wrap up the day with an impromptu, alfresco happy hour at the meadow across from El Capitan�at 3,000 feet tall, it’s the largest granite monolith in the world and a coveted destination for rock climbers. Grab beers from the extensive selection at the Yosemite Village Store (try the Tuolumne Meadows IPA, a hoppy brew with notes of pine), dig out your binoculars, and spot climbers on their quest to El Cap’s summit (when dusk falls, look out for their twinkling headlamps).