Yosemite Valley

We have just returned from a short holiday to California. One of our stops was Yosemite National Park, located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, east of San Francisco. I’ve had my eye on Yosemite for awhile as a photography destination. It’s appeal goes well beyond the photo opportunities it offers. We had a truly enjoyable three days, surviving without television, internet and cellular phones. It’s a very relaxing experience to be disconnected and free of a fixed agenda. We stayed at the Wawona Hotel, a National Historic Landmark dating back to 1879. The hotel’s tranquility makes this a favorite of those who prefer a relaxed environment and the gracious charm of a bygone era. Here’s what it looks like from out front.

 

Today’s post will focus on Yosemite Valley, the heart of the park and the source of the iconic scenes for which Yosemite is known. My first picture is entitled Tunnel View, not for the appearance of the scene but rather for its location. Tunnel View is what you see upon emerging from a tunnel leading into the valley. It is probably the best known scene in Yosemite and has been photographed innumerable times. Why not make it innumerable plus one!

I took this photo in late afternoon and regret that I didn’t wait longer for the sun to go down and avoid that big shadow. Impatience! There is nothing of importance hidden by the shadow, but I don’t like it anyway. Looking down the valley, the left side is dominated by El Capitan, a 3000 ft. (910 m) cliff, popular with rock climbers. From this angle it obscures pretty much all of that side of the valley. At the very end of the valley, in the centre of the picture you can see Half Dome, another much photographed landmark. (More of that in a future post.) Looking down the right side of the valley, you see the Leaning Tower and below it the Bridalveil Falls. Immediately beyond are several peaks known as the Cathedral Spires. I would like to return to photograph this same scene in winter.

The Bridalveil Falls are a prominent feature in the valley, visible to the arriving visitor from Tunnel View. It’s 617 ft. (188 m.) in height and flows all year round. Water flow is at a minimum in the autumn but these falls put on a good show nonetheless.

The next sequence of pictures was taken at various locations along the Merced River which meanders through the bottom of Yosemite Valley. This first scene features El Capitan, viewed from the east. A gorgeous reflection; I was fortunate to have a calm morning and to be at this location where the river’s flow was very quite slow.

I found this next scene at a location called Valley View. I zeroed in on this bend in the river eschewing the surround grandeur in favour of the beauty of this shady corner. I really like the colour of the leaves reflected in the water, the stones protruding from the river bottom and the lush grasses sprouting along the shoreline.

Another bend in the river and another pretty scene. This one was taken earlier in the morning and features the Three Brothers, reflected in the river. Note the morning sunlight striking the tip of Eagle Peak, tallest of the Three Brothers.

My next shot features the Cathedral Spires, also nicely reflected in the river.

Autumn in Yosemite NP! Not many signs of autumn but I did find a nicely coloured tree along the river’s edge. The trees in front have shed their leaves, allowing a good view of the bright colours behind and providing an interesting pattern of naked branches.

My last shot for today is one of Yosemite Point and the waterfall descending from it, Yosemite Fall. You cannot see the entire waterfall from this location. There are three sections totaling 2,425 ft (739 m) in height, the highest in North America and the sixth highest in the world. Water flow is quite low at this time of year; of course the volume is considerably greater during the spring runoff.

I wish to thank my guide and coach for the day, Robb Hirsch for his pleasant company, for helping me find some great photographic locations and for sharing his expertise with me.

I’ll be back later this week with more pictures from this great national park.