The Sarvepallis were no exception as we stood mesmerized with other local and global tourists at almost every turn of the road in this mythical national park – Yosemite National Park. The forest fires of July 2022 added an extra layer of intensity to the already captivating scenery – the allure of the glowing red sun and the ethereal whispers from the misty waterfalls. But the trip did not exactly start that way, so let the tale begin.
Our planned trip to Yosemite had finally arrived – July 19, 2022 – and we were getting ready to travel. On my way to the airport, I read an announcement from the National Park Service (NPS):
“July 19, 2022: Due to high fire danger and enhanced risk to the public, employees, and first responders, Yosemite National Park is enacting park-wide fire restrictions below 8,000 feet elevation to reduce the threat of human-caused wildfires.”
I quickly checked the NPS fire map and saw that Mariposa, one of our planned stops, was closed to the public, and a number of roads on the south and west sides of the park were shut down. Trying to keep optimism high, I didn’t bring it up with the family.
Given Erica’s aerophobia, it was time first to handle the ordeal of flying from the East Coast to the West Coast. Once we landed, we managed to grab a quick bite at Burger King in Fresno, CA. Rajiv then navigated the pitch-dark drive full of winding turns as we climbed up and down mountainous roads toward Yosemite Valley. It was another five-hour drive to reach our Airbnb, beautifully situated inside the national park. On the upside, it was only about a 20-minute drive from Yosemite Village and the key trails.
July 20, 2022: First Impressions
After crashing overnight, we woke up to see that our splendid Airbnb was like a spacious treehouse engulfed in nature. Pine trees surrounded the house with the scent of a peaceful dwelling from ages past. After shrugging off our sleepy eyes, we made it to the park around 11:00 a.m. A beautiful blue sky and a faint smell of smoke gave us the needed motivation to attempt our first hike, as planned by Kiran. We were greeted along the way by El Capitan from at least four angles. I had to stop for a selfie with the granite monolith posing eternally behind me.
Following a group of enthusiastic French tourists, we made our way to the Valley Loop Trail, taking a short, rocky path that felt like a rock-scrambling workout. Kiran’s camera shutter clicked away — what felt like hundreds of “ka-chick” sounds — trying to capture angles of the faint Yosemite Falls and the amazing rock formations. The sun stayed bright and clear, moving through the rocks, creating shadows, colors, and illusions. It felt as though the Psalmist may have stood here when writing, “like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoicing as a strong man to run a race.” Our evening ended with a few more stops to explore potential trails and take more photos of the unimaginable landscapes. After a stop at the Yosemite Village grocery store, we stocked up on breakfast food, hiking snacks, and some ice cream for dessert.
July 21, 2022: Ahwanhee trails
Being late-morning people (except for Erica), we headed out around 11:00 a.m. back to Yosemite Valley and its busy surroundings. We aimed to cover Vernal and Nevada Falls via the Mist Trail — about 12 miles total for the day (roughly six hours). The sunshine was at its peak, with a comfortable temperature around 75°F (22°C) for the long hike. At every turn, you were compelled to pause and admire monolithic landmarks — Eagle Peak, El Capitan, and Half Dome — rising to greet you with their shifting light reflections and gray shadows.
Kiran even caught a baby garter snake sunbathing among the rocks. The waterfalls and the lake near the upper falls were magical with their icy water. However, we ran completely out of drinking water by the time we reached the refill station.
We were tired but happy and ready to find food for ourselves and fuel for our rental van. There was just one catch — no gas stations were open near Yosemite Valley, and the road to Mariposa was closed because of the fires. We managed to grab food at the YNP Base Camp Eatery just before it closed. With only a quarter tank left, we drove back to our rental house a bit nervous about the fuel hunt awaiting us the next day.
July 22, 2022: Lowland trails
We dedicated this day to the lowland trails, as our lungs (and calf muscles) were still recovering from the previous climb. We explored multiple looping trails around Yosemite Valley, seeing only a few people scattered here and there.
We caught more views of the same peaks from different angles, along with several creeks and waterfalls. Once again, we found ourselves out of drinking water as we reached a small pond where Kiran spotted another little snake swimming quickly away from visitors.
The loop eventually brought us to a beautiful view of Bridalveil Fall, which truly lived up to its name — a long, delicate veil of scattered water and mist.
As we finished the trail, steady smoke began rising, and by 6:00 p.m., the sun glowed red behind the haze. There was a slight smell of smoke in the air, though nothing immediately threatening. The dusk walk through the valley was no less exciting — within minutes, we spotted a wild turkey, a bear, and a deer.
To refuel properly, we made the longer drive to El Portal to find the nearest open Exxon gas station. We also stopped at a river restaurant packed with tourists waiting for food. After the pizza hustle, we drove back full of fuel — in more ways than one.
The night was not over for Rajiv and Kiran. On a whim, they ventured out for astrophotography at the famous Tunnel View. The parents’ anxieties about a nighttime mountain drive were eased when they returned safely, bringing handcrafted photographic souvenirs of the trip
As we were finishing the trail, a steady smoke was raising and by 6:00pm the sun was glowing red behind the smoke on the mountains. There was a slight smell of smoke in the air, however not threatening. The dusk walk along the Valley was not any less exciting with the sighting of a wild turkey, a bear and a deer within a few minutes. Finishing this day, we made the longer drive to El Portal to the next closest Exxon gas station and stopped at a River Restaurant which was packed with tourist waiting for food. After the pizza grabbing hustle, we drove back full of fuel (in more than one way) to our resting nest.
However the night was not over for Rajiv and Kiran, as they ventured out on a whim for an astrophotography from the famous Tunnel View. The parent’s anxieties of night time winding drive by two tired youngsters were quelled as they came back with some handcrafted souvenirs to remember the trip.
July 23, 2022: Smoke descends on Yosemite
As I woke the next morning, the sky was a bright blur, split horizontally by a thick layer of smoke hanging like a giant cloud. The air smelled slightly smoky, but the day still seemed clear enough for one more hike.
Packed with extra water, we set off for the Four-Mile Trail leading to Glacier Point. As we climbed steadily upward, smoke began drifting toward Yosemite Valley. The hike started comfortably enough, but around 5,000 feet we noticed ash particles in the air.
Two Italian tourists made the climb look effortless. We continued until reaching Union Point, about 6,300 feet above sea level. By then, the air quality had noticeably worsened. Rock formations that were visible minutes earlier disappeared behind thickening smoke. The wind picked up, scattering ash that visibly swirled in the sky.
As the smoke descended further, we decided to head back down to the valley, where the air was still somewhat clearer. Dark smoke hovered over the peaks, hiding their monolithic beauty and turning the sunlight into a reddish glare.
We spent the rest of the afternoon on shorter valley walks and collected a few gifts from the park stores as keepsakes. Our final stop was the grocery store to gather supplies for grilling sausages and hamburgers at our beautiful rental property. The grocery decisions were settled with minimal debate. I even found two hats on sale — one of which I sent to my sister in Singapore, enticing her to visit the U.S.
That evening, smoke descended heavily, with a steady fall of ash drifting in from Mariposa. The grilling, however, went smoothly. We enjoyed one final dinner together and finished off every dessert item we couldn’t possibly take back on our flight to Washington, DC.
We continued some short hikes inside the Valley exploring a few sites and collecting some gifts from the National Park gift stores as memory of this trip. Our final stop was the Valley grocery store to try to grill some sausages and hamburgers on the grill at our beautiful rental property. The grocery list was settled with little disputes and I even found two hats on sale, one that I sent to my sister in Singapore enticing her to come visit the US. The evening smoke descended with a non-stop slow rain of ashes that were blown over from Mimosa into Yosemite Valley. The grilling however went smoothly at our Airbnb rental with a good dinner and final assault on all the dessert items that we could not take back on our flight to Washington DC.
July 24, 2022 Nostos (Homecoming)
This day was mostly driving, flying, and making it home just in time to reunite with our pets. We apologized to them — and to their caretakers — for the confusion caused by our outlandish Western adventure.
Adventures with the Sarvepalli crew of five will likely become harder to coordinate. Rajiv (22) and Kiran (20) will soon move into their own apartments with their own work and school schedules. Pori will start college next year. And unknown to us is where each of us will be by 2024.
Another memory saved. Yosemite will remain an unforgettable chapter in our family conversations for years to come.
PS: The title “C’est pas vrai “is a French expression similar to the American “No way!” — an exclamation of surprise. I heard it often as French tourists (along with us) stood amazed at the many viewpoints of Yosemite’s beauty.
