Yosemite and More

 I took a trip to Yosemite a couple of days ago just after the storm cleared. It was a magical day, fresh powder, snow on the trees, few people and great reflections. The road was packed snow and ice when I first got there, it eased up a little when the sun warmed non-shaded areas. This Pine Tree took the weight of the snow pretty well. Kinda looks like a hunched snow monster.   Tunnel View in the Winter never gets old. And there weren't many people. And of course El Capitan, reflected in the Merced River Then came the Three Brothers Just about anywhere you looked was great. These frosted pine needles caught my eye. The oaks formed a canopy over part of the road.  This oak leaf has a winter coat on. As did this railing The Swinging Bridge that doesn't swing The clouds played with El Capitan all day. Iconic Half Dome from Paparazzi Bridge Line of snow covered trees along the Merced River You can guess from these trees which way the wind was blowing. Go, See, Enjoy, Stay Sa...

 Went to Yosemite the other day hoping to catch the first snow of the season. There was rain, snow, sun and overcast. It was a very good day. Since it was raining when we first got there we went to the Ahwahnee  to have some cover from the eves surrounding the motel. Going up the stairs to the second level I came across these vases. Considering it was handheld I'm happy with the outcome. Not many bars have an foyer like this. No I did not imbibe. Might be a little chilly to have a seat here. It truly was a time where fall and winter collided in the best way. The rain brought back to life a lot of streams that were dry just a day before. Some of the 'streams' you only see after a rain, and maybe in early spring. The rive at the Pohono Bridge was flowing pretty good, perfect backdrop for some fall oak leaves. As the sky cleared for a bit the snow covered peaks began to peek through. El Capitan is always a beautiful site. Especially after a snow storm I like how the mist seems...

 I Finally upgraded my computers memory, it was either that or get a new one. It's a  lot easier to edit photos now so hopefully I'll get down to it. I have a number of blog posts pending. I was lucky enough to get up to Yosemite a few days after a snow storm  and experience a brief little flurry while I was there. I'm always in awe of Yosemite, especially in winter, it seems like everywhere you turn there's beauty. This was taken before you get to the Valley looking back down the Merced River Canyon. The high country is always impressive, especially with snow on the trees. You can almost feel the cold. And of course the view from the Wawona Tunnel is always pretty special. There's even a little water coming over  Bridalveil Falls I decided to take a trip to the Ahwahnee Hotel and while I was heading back to my car to get my wallet so I could buy a chocolate truffle I spotted the shelves behind the Ahwahnee Bar. If you look closely you can see the plexiglass shields...

Last week they predicted snow in Yosemite Valley and that it would end about 10am with variable cloudiness after that. The first snow of the season was just too tempting and I headed up, getting there about 10am. On the way up I stopped along the Merced River several times. While overcast there wasn't any rain and I wondered what would happen in Yosemite. As you can see the colors along the river were pretty good. As I got to the park it wasn't snowing, but a good layer of snow had already fallen. This is one of the first indications that it was going to be a very good day to photograph.  Yes, it was going to be a very good day. Then it started to snow a little, you might be able to see some snow blur on the lower portion of the photograph. Then it started a little harder. I was worried because I'd left the rain cover for my camera at home and I'm a little paranoid about wet cameras. While taking this one a young lady near me remarked how special it was to visit Yosemit...