游山记：我说，他说，她说（6）― 从冰天雪地到酷日当头

我说：
在文学城上看了梦娜湖（Mono Lake）的照片，一直想去看看那个魂飞梦绕的地方。于是我们做了计划，从优胜美地的南门进入，再从东门出去，最后的目的地是梦娜湖。

我们的第一站是婚纱瀑布（Bridalveil Fall），这是一条很短的小径，只是瀑布水流飞溅，女儿的鞋子进了水，让她羡煞了旁边穿着拖鞋戏水的女孩。

我们来到了Olmsted Point，由于海拔很高，周围都是冰雪，儿子与女儿兴奋地打起了雪仗。站在高高的岩石上，俯视着由峭壁组成的Tenaya峡谷，以及峡谷中巍然耸立的半屏山，让人感受到了气吞山河的气势。回头一看，一只小松鼠悠闲地吃着，远处是一线碧蓝的Tenaya湖。

下一站是图奥米草原（Tuolumne Meadows），好一片美丽的雪山草地。优胜美地的东门海拔9，995英尺，到处是冰天雪地的世界。

我们一路开下来，终于来到了目的地梦娜湖。酷日当头，一望无际的沙漠，在华氏一百度的高温下泛着白光，周围一丝阴凉地也没有。浅蓝色的梦娜湖就在那遥远的尽头，我们骤然失去了走近她的斗志，在空调的梦娜湖中心消磨着剩余的时光。

梦娜湖是一大失望，不过东门附近的优胜美地美若仙境，也算是不虚此行了吧。

儿子说：
Today is Friday, the 6th day of the vacation, also the last day we went to Yosemite. We went to Mono Lake as planned, a very long drive. Fortunately, the drive went mostly through Yosemite so we were treated to beautiful rock formations and waterfalls throughout. We had several stops before going to Mono Lake. First, we went to see the Bridalveil Fall. The fall was not as tall as the Yosemite Falls that we saw yesterday, but it was just as grand. The mist from the falls sprayed us from many feet away. We also stopped at Olmsted Point, a flat rock place that was a great safe vantage point to see the Tenaya Canyon and the distant Half Dome. Then, we drove off to Mono Lake. Mono Lake was a big beautiful lake. However, its specialty was mostly its qualities that could not be seen. The Mono Lake is 2.5 times as salty as the Pacific Ocean, has petrified springs throughout the lake, and its center island was actually an underwater volcano that was exposed after the lake shrunk. We then said good bye to Yosemite National Park.

女儿说：
Today I walked into riverbeds 5 times. Not one, not two, not three, not four, but FIVE TIMES. The first and second times were when we went to the Bridalveil Fall. This vista point supposedly shows a view of the waterfall.
 
On the way there, a creek flowed across the path. It wasn’t just a teeny tiny bit of the path. It flowed across a whole portion of the path, so at one point, everyone would have to step into it. The stream, though, was very shallow. Nonetheless, I still got my shoes wet going there and coming back.

When we got there, the first thing that I noticed was the mist. The mist completely blocked the waterfall. I could only see the top of it.

The third and fourth and fifth time was when we went to Olmstead point. From there, we could see Half-dome, but it looked like something much different from the famed dome that had been sliced in half by glaciers.

To get to another vista point, we had to walk along a trail that went over snow and stone. I slid more than once. On some of the path, a creek ran through it. I stepped in it twice, once going there and once coming back.

The fifth time I stepped into another river was when I stepped into a creek coming back. I only stepped in it once, because it was off the path and I just wanted to step into it once.

Oh, yeah, we also looked at Mono Lake. It may be an ecological marvel, but it’s also another long and tiring hike for hikers, or frustrations that the hike takes so long.

So, now my shoes are wet, my socks are wet, my feet are wet, and my toes are SOAKED! What a water-soaked day.

婚纱瀑布（Bridalveil Fall）


看见那圈彩虹吗？


从不同角度看半屏丘（Half Dome）


Olmsted Point








Tenaya湖


Tenaya峡谷




图奥米草原（Tuolumne Meadows）






梦娜湖（Mono Lake）