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 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.

Photography Guides - National Geographic photographer, Phil Schermeister headlines the faculty for Y explore Yosemite Adventures where each professional possesses a wealth of unmatched photography experience in Yosemite National Park. Phil has completed several single-photographer books for the National Geographic including "The Range of Light: California's Sierra Nevada " and "America's National Parks". Robb Hirsch is a "Nature's Best" Photography Award winner whose fine prints are on display at the Ahwahnee Hotel. Walter Flint is a 25 year Yosemite veteran whose unmatched teaching style is complemented by an expertise developed from years behind the camera while hiking and backpacking countless miles throughout Yosemite's wilderness.Joining them is the highly respected naturalist/artist/photographer, James McGrew, who literally grew up in Yosemite National Park. His studio is located in Portland, Oregon, but he returns "home" each summer to lead interpretive programs for the Parks Department and is available for a limited number of our specialty programs. As a photography guide and climber, Gabriel Mange has been able to share with park visitors brilliant moments of light at many stunning locations. Joshua Cripps is a resident of the Sierra with an outstanding knowledge and understanding of photography which parlays well with his experience in the education field. Chris Falkenstein is a world class climber with a masterful eye who has spent decades living in Yosemite.

Adventure Hiking Guides
& Naturalists- Author, David Lukas, lends his expertise to the faculty of Y explore Yosemite Adventures where several experienced Naturalists direct our hiking tours. David is the author of Wild Birds of California and the newly revised Sierra Nevada Natural History guidebook. John DeGrazio is the company's founder and continues to enjoy sharing wonderful Yosemite experiences with clients of all ages on numerous diverse trails throughout the park. Lindsay Black is bilingual and can lead both English and Spanish speaking tours. Ryan Potts and Tamara Faulkner are expert backpackers who completed the 2600 mile Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) together. Zeb Drivdahl is a trained EMT and Search and Rescue professional who enjoys every minute of the time he spends in the Sierra. James McGrew spends each summer leading interpretive programs for the Parks Department and is available for our specialty programs in Hetch Hetchy Valley. Alexa Melville and Christelle Harris are an avid hiking and rock climbing mother and daughter team whose team building skills are appreciated by all groups. Carrie Carlson is a recreation specialist who has developed several programs for the youth, families, and seniors. Brian, Jacob, and Lindsay have spent countless hours on the trails in Yosemite and throughout the world.

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.

Our Policies-

Payment Policy - We require full payment via credit card or Paypal for all 1 day tours at time of reservation. This will secure a date, guides, and any necessary permits for your tour.

Cancellation Policy - We run our tours in all weather without canceling. The only way we cancel a tour is if the roads leading into Yosemite National Park are closed due to extreme weather conditions.

We require 14 days 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 two weeks but consideration will be given based on the circumstances of an emergency.

Although we do rarely cancel tours for bad weather, we would invite you back on a future tour at a discounted price. The size of the discount would depend on the severity of weather and the ability to successfully complete the tour. This clause applies mainly to our Photography Workshops.

Bad Weather and Fire Policy - We hike in all weather. If bad weather or fire causes a trailhead or a road inside Yosemite to be closed, we will reschedule a comparable tour in a different location of the park.

Short Notice Policy - We reserve the right to charge a $125 privacy fee for all groups booking a tour with advanced notice of 3 days or less.

Backpacking Reservation Policy - We charge a non refundable $500 deposit for all backpacking tours. The remaining balance will be charged two weeks prior to the first date of the backpacking trip.

Specialty Photo Workshops Dynamic Pricing Policy - We offer dynamic pricing for our Specialty Photography Workshops based on the size of the group enrolled on the tour. Each participant will initially be charged $200. If no one else joins the session, the client is charged $50 and receives the benefit of a private photo session for only $250. If two participants enroll in the tour, we will then charge each client an additional $25. If three or more people are enrolled, then there will be no additional charge.

Referrals & Discounts - We offer a 5% discount for all referrals and return clients. We will also apply this discount to members of the military and senior citizens 65 and over.

We occasionally will run a discount special on certain workshops to increase attendance. In this rare event, clients who are signed up for the session will not be eligible for the new discount. If we run a special after a client has signed up for the event, the cost to cancel the transaction and run a new one would be prohibitive and would prevent us from offering the new discount.

"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