Yosemite Tour

By: Waypoint Tours

Narrated by: Janet Ault, Mark Andrews

Yosemite became a National Park in 1890, 200 million years after the granite rocks formed within the earth; 20,000 years after glaciers eroded the gritty granite; 4,000 years after Ahwahneechee Indians were caretakers of the meadows; 2,000 years after Grizzly Giant, one of the largest and oldest sequoias was a seedling; and 41 years after gold was discovered in California.

The rugged geography of Yosemite Valley kept it secret and isolated for many years. Only in 1851, when early miners and settlers felt their livelihood threatened by Indians, and vice versa, did white man intrude upon the valley.

To some, Yosemite is a place to check off their list, sights to be seen or mountaineering routes to scale; for others, Yosemite is a destination of solitude, peace, and escape. With the large number of people visiting the valley each year, how do you avoid the crowds at peak times and find the true beauty of Yosemite? Change. Change your timing and your focus. You can stay on the beaten paths, but travel them early or late in the day, or find the trails less traveled. While others are looking up, cameras clicking to capture the familiar falls and formations, change your focus to find what they are missing, the fragile ferns at your feet, the black and white crystals peppering the rocks, or the ripple in the stream.

John Muir instructed "Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves."

Download the accompanying tour map.©2005 Waypoint Tours (P)2005 Waypoint Tours

Excellent information, but....

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

This selection contained an excellent and balanced overview of Yosemite National Park. I am a tour guide and naturalist, and am always on the lookout for information add to my repertoire of knowledge. I was pleasantly surprised to find this audible guide to be heavy on natural history information.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

I would have rated this tour guide higher, but the incredibly annoying background music detracted from an otherwise enjoyable experience. The music strongly reminded me of the most annoying and cheaply produced high school geography/social studies filmstrips from the '70s. It was often overpowering-ly loud, making it hard to concentrate on the narration. Also, I am while sure the narrators were professionals, they obviously lacked a science background. As someone who works in the National Parks, their goofy pronunciations of common scientific/geologic terms drove me nuts. Next time, I wish the producers of this tour would recruit a local guide with decent communication skills who can deliver this information in a more appealing manner.

Was Yosemite Tour worth the listening time?

All that said, I still think "Yosemite Tour" is well worth the time and minimal cost.