Onwards and Upwards and Southwards

Another early rise to say goodbye and head off to SeaTac airport and a southwards flight to Sacramento. Nice flight, some views, blue skies where we were headed and on landing, warm enough for shorts I'd say (I'm saving them!). Picked up the hire car, off to Walmart to buy snow chains since where we were going requires them by law (the plan is not to use them and return them). 

From Sacramento we headed east towards the Sierra Nevadas and eventually the rolling hills appeared. Quick stop in Jackson for the restrooms, it seems there is a lot of history here and town looked interesting, but we had to continue. Night fell and we began wiggly steep roads up the hills eventually reaching sleet/snow lined roads with the odd little slip but took it canny as the mist often dropped... the choice of hiring an SUV for this trip was rewarded just for those 12 miles of snow. I am sure the views would have been amazing, we have not driven this way to Yosemite before, reaching about 6000 feet at one point. Once over the high point it was down to the valley which turned to heavy rain but we got checked into our abode for 3 nights fine and went off for a late dinner and beer.

This part of our trip is focused on seeing Yosemite in the winter having visited twice in the summer before... last time we totally fell in love with the place and it's probably my favourite places to be. Tonight's snowfall was perfect timing, not too much to hamper our trip but enough to transform the mountains.