First light fills the sky. Soft, ephemeral rays dance on granite walls. There’s beauty in all things living and dead.
Light Breaking Through Clouds by John P. DeGrazio
Bridalveil Fall and Merced River by John P. DeGrazio
Rays and Merced River by John P. DeGrazio
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Photography and Naturalist Workshops in Hetch Hetchy and Yosemite Valley May 14-16, 2010
YOSEMITE, CA – John Muir once called Hetch Hetchy a “wonderfully exact counterpart” to Yosemite Valley, and the Yosemite Twin Valleys Waterfall Workshops on May 14-16 (www.yosemitetwinvalleys.com) will offer nature enthusiasts and photographers unique opportunities to compare and contrast features of these grand landscapes through their own interpretive expressions. Activities will include photography seminars along with birding walks and other naturalist hikes throughout the twin valleys of Yosemite National Park.
James McGrew returns as the leader of the three day event, and he will be joined by several local Yosemite naturalists and professional photography guides. James and David Lukas will each lead an interpretive hike to launch the proceedings on May 14th that will serve as an introduction to the landscape and its rich history. A two day combined photography and naturalist workshop conducted by McGrew will begin on the 15th and will span both valleys. Alternately, several options of morning and evening light photo field sessions will be available on all three days from a faculty of well known Yosemite photographers. Central to all programs will be a focus on the spectacular waterfalls during their peak season. Walter Flint, a twenty-six year Yosemite veteran, will guide daily sessions focusing on ‘Rainbow and Reflections’, and National Geographic photographer, Phil Schermeister will be directing his acclaimed Abstracts in Nature class from Yosemite Valley. Both Robb Hirsch and Joshua Cripps will share elements of composition with aspiring photographers in Hetch Hetchy. David Lukas will lend his expert knowledge of birds and Sierra ecology with outdoor enthusiasts who wish to discover the natural world of Yosemite. Other naturalist guides will be on hand to share countless discoveries from a different perspective.
The Yosemite View Lodge in El Portal will provide preferred lodging at a discounted rate and serve as the center for the event’s evening programs. Free slide show presentations and a photographic symposium will be hosted at the lodge’s on site banquet room.
A portion of the proceeds for these workshops will benefit both the Mariposa County Arts Council and the Central Sierra Arts Council of Tuolumne County.
Founded in 2006, Y explore Yosemite Adventures is a leading provider of professionally guided adventure hikes, nature excursions, and photography workshops in Yosemite National Park. The company is recognized as a top attraction on the TripAdvisor travel review website for providing innovative tours and creating personal experiences that connect outdoor enthusiasts to the natural world they encounter.
Storm Clearing above the Brothers by John P. DeGrazio
Sentinel Rock and Clouds by John P. DeGrazio
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Unmatched View by John P. DeGrazio
Frozen Oak Leaves by John P. DeGrazio
Trees and Shadows by John P. DeGrazio
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Yosemite above the fog by John P. DeGrazio
The Tioga Road is open in winter for non-motorized (human) vehicles only. In other words, grab your skis or snowshoes and enjoy the incomparable solitude offered by a snow covered landscape. Lat winter, my friend Evan wanted to hike down the Tioga Rd to the South Fork Bridge on snowshoes to photograph the waterfall with ice. We had an excellent journey but decided to shorten the trip before we reached the fall because I had to return to Sonora to coach at the high school. He spent the past twelve months lamenting what could have been so when I told him there was no school last Monday, I knew what his response was going to be.
Photographer at work by John P. DeGrazio
We ambitiously embarked on our sojourn at the Tuolumne Grove parking lot and found ourselves breaking trail as we trekked upslope along the Tioga Rd. There were ski trails to avoid, but even they disappeared after we reached Gin Flat. The snow was deep and we passed many signs covered under drifts over ten feet high. Our snowshoes sunk with every step through the powdery upper layers of the fresh fallen snow.
Stop... for snow by John P. DeGrazio
This was easily our favorite sign of the day. The early morning sun glistened and beauty was restored to the area destroyed by last summer’s Big Meadow fire.
Tioga Road under snow by John P. DeGrazio
Captured in Light by John P. DeGrazio
South Fork of the Tuolumne River by John P. DeGrazio
Our day was long, and we reached our destination just after lunch time.
South Fork fall in snow by John P. DeGrazio
We were exalted and exhausted for we knew we had to hike 7.5 miles on our return trek where we finished just before sunset. Some time after noon, we experienced the phenomenon known as Sierra cement where the upper crust of snow is melted by the hot sun which turns the slushy mixture into a heavy snow forming an icy adhesive to the crampons of our snowshoes.
The long road awaits by John P. DeGrazio
On our return trip, we met a man on skis who had probably made this trip at least a few dozen times. We explained that he was less than a mile from the bridge so he continued. As he disappeared so did the sun. A light snow began to fall. Fine grained flakes fell on us as the intensity increased. There were no real accumulations, just enough to add to our sublime experience. About three hours later, as we crunched through the snow, we heard a swishing that was our friend finally making his return. We all quietly shed our gear and used the last ounces of our energy to load our cars before saying our final goodbyes which were brief. All in all, it was another spectacular day in Yosemite.
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What I love about cycling on Jamestown Rd. 1)a 17 year old kid yells “FAGGOT” out the window of his mom’s passing car. 2)I hear about 50 rounds of live ammunition fired from the Mother Lode Gun club that’s only about 200 feet from the road. Once I made it to the peaceful tranquility of Shaws Flat Rd, I was serenaded by a couple of dozen Red-winged Blackbirds in an oak tree.
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Clouds Rest and Half Dome from Crocker Point by John P. DeGrazio
What is it about Half Dome that makes it Yosemite’s most recognizable and probably most photographed landmark? And for the past 10 years, it has easily been the most popular hiking destination in the park as well. It has become so popular that the National Park Service has decided to limit the amount of people who attempt to reach its summit with a permit and quota system on summer weekends. Anyone who has hiked Half Dome on a Friday-Sunday between May and September knows that action needed to be taken, and I think a quota system will eventually be very good for Yosemite.
I agree with the park service that there needs to be limits. Their studies show that on any given weekend day, between 800-1100 people would attempt to reach the cables leading from the sub dome to the summit. Any way you look at it, that number is far too many. The permit system is to limit the amount of hikers to a maximum of 400 people per day on the weekends. While I agree with the premise that there needs to be a limit on the amount of hikers to attempt Half Dome each day during the summer, I believe the current plan definitely has a lot of room for improvement.
This plan obviously affects Y*explore as well as the other tour operators who guide people to the top of Half Dome. I sincerely wish the decision makers would have considered some input from us or the other guiding companies since the announced decision was made to promote safety. As someone who has guided this hike over 30 times in the past three years, I consider myself a safety expert.
I can’t begin to count the times I have personally offered tips to assist hikers, who were not even clients, successfully navigate their way up and down the cables. I have shared plenty of food, countless bottles of water & Gatorade, and even pumped filtered water for several people who were not prepared for this hike. It is my belief that the park should rely on the guiding companies to assist in promoting safety on this trail and we should be included in the decision making process. That is why I will be vocal when allowed to comment and make suggestions for improving this plan. I also believe that anyone who is affected by this decision should take part in the comment period before a permanent solution is formulated in 2012. I guess the next two years will be interesting to say the least.
For more information, you can go to the National Park Service link here.
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The alarm went off. I hit snooze and contemplated skipping my planned snowshoe hike. My throat was sore, and after enduring 3 days of my daughter coughing and wiping her nose on me, I finally succumbed. I was feeling the effects of her cold to which she proudly told her mom “Now, me and Dad are both sick.” I knew I hadn’t been to the park in over a week and really wanted to scout out the snow on the South Rim. I managed to roll out of bed before my seven minute window had expired and turned off the alarm.
Clark Range from Dewey Point Trail by John P. DeGrazio
Before I knew it, I was parked at Badger Pass and on the trail (um road) to Dewey Point. It was a crisp and clear morning and there were quite a few Nordic enthusiasts on the trail. Glacier Point Road was freshly groomed and I did my part by staying all the way to the right edge for the cross country skiers.
I made it to Summit Meadow and out to Dewey Point where I saw several snow campers hauling away their gear on sleds. Once on the trail, there was no clear distinction between ski and snowshoe tracks. The skiers didn’t mind because they easily made new tracks in the powdery snow. Word to the wise, do not snowshoe with your ipod. You need to have your sense of hearing with you as the skiers approach you on the trail so you can step aside.
The first view of the Clark range is always breathtaking, and
Yosemite Valley form Dewey Point by John P. DeGrazio
to see it from a snow covered perch made the experience all the more enjoyable. Dewey Point was a little crowded, but everyone was in a good mood. How could they not be?
Dewey Point by John P. DeGrazio
I ventured onto the rocks for more photos and decided to add another mile to my day and approach Crocker Point. Everyone knows about Dewey, but Crocker is the one that’s far less traveled. It’s the Clouds Rest to Dewey’s Half Dome.
Ribbon Fall, El Capitan, and Bridalveil Fall from Crocker Point by John P. DeGrazio
The view is just as good if not better because you see two of Yosemite’s most iconic falls, Ribbon and Bridalveil. Lesser known fact, Ribbon Fall is actually Yosemite’s tallest single drop waterfall. I was the only person at Crocker Point so I stopped and ate my lunch. Why are all my sublime experiences centered around food? It was only PB&J, but it sure tasted better than normal. After finishing my orange, which I carefully peeled and deposited into my trash bag, I scouted an area for some photographs that I had seen on the website from our good friends at OARS.com that I really wanted to capture. I found the exact spot, but the lighting conditions were less than kind. They are never great at 1 pm. I’ll just have to wait until my next camp out along the South Rim.
I decided to return via Trail 14 and it was a good challenge with a lot more slope than Trail 18.
Last Look West by John P. DeGrazio
I did manage to get one more shot looking west and another of the Badger Pass resort on my way out.
Badger Pass by john P. DeGrazio
I am already planning some extended snowshoe trips out here over the next few weekends. The abundance of snow ensures that we will have several more weeks of opportunity especially since more storms are coming through this week.
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The title of this update is a bit misleading. Although it is a goal of mine, I didn’t actually hike Half Dome this month. There was a very slim possibility earlier this new year, but I have yet to act on my desire to hike it at least once in every calendar month. I didn’t even make it into Yosemite this past week with all the snow. I was actually enjoying Monterey for the very first time. I do plan on venturing into the valley when the storms die out by the weekend. For now, here are photos of Half Dome from the Yosemite Falls trail as a smaller storm cleared earlier this winter.
A window to Half Dome by John P. DeGrazio
Half Dome with light on Clouds Rest by John P. DeGrazio
Clearing Above Half Dome and Glacier Point by John P. DeGrazio
Light on Washington's Column as Half Dome steams by John P. DeGrazio
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We had a very active day on Saturday as we tried to beat an epic storm that began on Sunday and should last for at least six days. Yosemite is supposed to receive about ten feet of new snow by the end of this week, and we need it badly. After 2 drought years in 2007 and 2008, we had an average year for snowpack in 2009. This winter started well, but it has been so warm recently. Here are some of the last glimpses of sunlight we will see in the park for the next several days.
Late afternoon light on Giant Sequoias by John P. DeGrazio
Big Trees of the Tuolumne Grove by John P. DeGrazio
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