ABOUT US
Our Founders - Y explore Yosemite Adventures was created by John and Catherine DeGrazio after arriving in the Sierra Foothills with a plan to develop an eco tourism business in Yosemite National Park.
Our journeys over the years have taken us from the Na Pali Coast of Hawaii to the Alaska Range. We have summited Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helens in the Cascades, hiked the Grand Canyon, explored the Rockies, and trekked the Appalachians. We are proud to have been able to forge a company that brings outdoor experiences to adventure travelers who wish to enjoy the countless wonders of Yosemite.
Our Members - In July, 2003, five like-minded entrepreneurs shared a desire to create an adventure company that would lead Yosemite visitors in search of unique photo opportunities. Joining John and Catherine that day on the Half Dome Trail were Ram Rao, Ed Chao, and Alice Chao. Together they have joined Catherine and John as the founding members of Y explore Yosemite Adventures.
Our Guides - Each proven leader possesses fundamental outdoor survival skills and a wealth of experience hiking, backpacking, and guiding throughout Yosemite's wilderness. All guides are required to obtain first aid training and complete Leave No Trace outdoor ethics courses. Our accomplished photo guides specialize in natural photography and have attained several publishing credits. Every guide also owns a vast knowledge of Yosemite's terrain which allows us to offer many unique specialty outings throughout the park in all seasons.
Our Tours - Certified wilderness guides provide security and safety while exploring Yosemite's scenic terrain. Our richly experienced photography guides focus on offering expert advice to clients while shooting in prime locations within the natural setting of the park. We outfit every tour with communication devices, navigation tools, and first aid equipment.
The feedback we receive from our clients has been tremendous, and we strive to continue to provide the ultimate customer care to every visitor.
Anyone with a sense of adventure and a love of the outdoors is encouraged to join us for a day on the trails to share memories of a lifetime. Individuals, Groups, and Families are welcome.
Cancellation Policy - We run our tours in all weather without canceling. The only way we cancel a tour is if park roads are closed due to extreme weather conditions.
We require one week advanced notice to cancel a tour for a refund. We will charge a transaction fee commensurate to the amount of charges we incur and will refund the difference. Refunds are not offered to those who cancel within one week but consideration will be given based on the circumstances of an emergency.
"There can be nothing in the world more beautiful than the Yosemite, the groves of the giant sequoias and redwoods, the Canyon of the Colorado, the Canyon of the Yellowstone, the Three Tetons; and our people should see to it that they are preserved for their children and their children's children forever, with their majestic beauty all unmarred."
-President Theodore Roosevelt