By: Edward Arthur Dalton & The Dream Chasing Family

This Yosemite trip is more of an adventure filled love story than anything else, and one that is hard to match at that.

If you have brothers and/ or sisters, you can probably relate when I say there is always that one unpredictable sibling who the family worries about more than any others. My sister Annie was that wild card for my family, which i've learned was ultimately a really good thing, at least in Annie’s case, even though she had us all wondering for a while what her fate would be. If there was ever something certain about Annie, it was her unpredictability.

What I mean is, free spirited personalities like Annie’s keep you on the edge of your seat because you never know what is coming next from them. Even when we thought we had Annie figured out, she would surprise us with the unexpected. This was certainly the case with her dating life, which gripped the family in anticipation for years as we anxiously waited to see the type of guy she would decide to settle down with (because she brought around some very… lets just say… interesting characters.)

Her free spirit is probably what saved her from herself in this regard. Annie loves to travel, so when she was invited to join some friends on a weekend trip to Yosemite while she was living in California, it came as no surprise that she joined them. It also came as no surprise that she found a boyfriend on that trip, but this time one worth keeping thank heavens!

They dated, he proposed and she said yes. Then, in true Annie fashion, she surprised us yet again, this time with a perfectly simple plan to have the whole family travel to California for their wedding and a celebration in the place they first met, YOSEMITE!

Of course, we weren’t going to complain, Yosemite has been one of those destinations we have dreamed of visiting and the only thing that could have made visiting it any better, was visiting it together as a family, which is exactly what we were about to do.

After an intimate wedding in the Oakland California Temple, we road tripped to the Yosemite Valley with family and friends for a weekend celebration of love and adventure!

One of the most beloved quotes ever made of the outdoors was by historic wilderness activist John Muir, who was drawn to Yosemite’s inescapable beauty and was a major force in the reason it ultimately became a National Park in 1890. In a letter to his sister Sarah from the beautiful Yosemite Valley, Muir wrote the short, but famous sentance that has echoed ever since;

Like Muir, people are drawn to the wild for different reasons. People throughout time have sought after and explored its’ beauty to find purpose. Sometimes we go for recreation, sometimes for religious or spiritual reasons, and sometimes simply to escape from life’s fast pace and reflect. For me, it is all the above. It makes perfect sense why people like Moses went into the wilderness and climbed mountains to be close to god, after all, are they not his creations? If Yosemite isn't the crown jewel of his canvas, then i’m not sure what is.

We knew Yosemite was going to be beautiful, but I don't think we realized just how awe-inspiring and jaw-dropping it would be. From the giant Sequoia trees that somehow look small against the backdrop of glacier carved granite walls over 3,000 feet tall. Simply put, Yosemite is larger than life, a magical place nestled in the Sierra Nevadas. Our first trip made it clear why Muir was so in love with it. To echo part of his famous quote, if you haven’t been yet, you “must go”! Oh... and don't forget your climbing gear like we did! 

I don't typically make wedding videos, however I do try to for family. Here is the adventure wedding video I filmed for Annie and Jordan.

Follow along to see more and join the chase for #AllThingsAdventure.

How we did it.

Travel

We flew into Oakland International Airport and drove to Yosemite from there. The drive is about 4 hours.

Lodging

We stayed in Half Dome Village and it was perfect. The tents are magical and unforgettable!

Restaurants

Since we stayed in Half Dome Village, we found ourselves eating often at the Pavilion Lodge, but there are numerous dinning options throughout Yosemite Valley. 

Packing List

• Climbing and bouldering equipment

• Camera

• Swimsuit

Adventures

• Endless hiking

• Swimming

• Climbing and bouldering

• Dinning

• Camping and glamping