Calycanthus occidentalis aka California Allspice or California Sweetshrub near the Arch Entrance at Yosemite
While pulling off the main road into Yosemite from the El Portal access, known as the Arch Rock Entrance (click HERE for a picture), I entered a staff parking lot. In many of the wooded spaces surrounding the parking area, there were numerous bushes of California Allspice also called California Sweetshrub.
At first I thought it might be a type of rhododendron, but I was able to make a positive identification using a field guide. The pretty red color against the lush green foliage was very striking. Some of my favorite moments during my hiking trips are discovering a wildflower or wild plants such as these.
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.
JBRish.com originally published this post *All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.
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El Capitan looms large when viewed from Taft Point
As I worked my way to the edge of a viewing area at Taft Point, I saw El Capitan in all if it’s glory. It was truly impressive. Look at all those nooks and crannies! The Yosemite Valley meadow stands out as a welcoming pathway.
Also visible is the Merced River meandering by on the left of the meadow areas. Look at the cliff on the left in the picture above. Did you notice…
In the enlarged portion of the photo above, there is one person near the left of the photo (circled in red) who is standing up and taking a picture and then there is a dangler under the yellow arrow. I am always astounded at how close to the edge some people feel comfortable.
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.
JBRish.com originally published this post *All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.
Following the Taft Point Trail, we moved closer to the cliff’s edge.
In yesterday’s post about the Taft Point Trail, we showed part of the trail. In the distance, off to the left in that picture were a cluster of evergreen trees. Today’s picture reveals what was behind that group of trees.
There were people peering over the cliff to view the fantastic sight. There were a number of people sitting on the cliff with their feet dangling over while they took a break or ate lunch.
Tomorrow we will reveal the scene beyond the cliff! To be continued…
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.
JBRish.com originally published this post *All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.
“The Taft Point Trail as we neared the end and the ‘big reveal?'”
If you hike to Sentinel Dome, the Taft Point Trail is nearby and makes an excellent companion hike. I don’t think it makes a difference which hike you do in which order, but I do think Sentinel Dome has more awesome views overall. They are both worthy and I would encourage all those who are fit enough to hike both.
The Taft Point Trail seemed a bit easier to me with fewer significant inclines along the path. There are some, but I think Sentinel Dome has more of them and they are a bit steeper. As a matter of fact, there is a loop trail on the map if you care to investigate. We did not do the loop.
The picture above shows a spot in the trail when we could almost see Taft Point itself. We were nearing the end of the trail at this point. Just beyond the cluster of pines to the left of the large tree (right of center) is Taft Point. To be continued…
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.
JBRish.com originally published this post *All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.
Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 119 (Hetch Hetchy – Stairway Along the Trail)
Partial “stairway” along the Wapama Falls Trail at Hetch Hetchy – Yosemite
As other posts pointed out, our day at Hetch Hetchy turned overcast shortly after we arrived and parked the car. As we hiked along the Wapama Falls Trail, the sky would become more threatening at times and then brighten slightly. When the clouds rolled in, the pictures were dramatic, but when the sky brightened and the sky turned solid gray picture opportunities were limited.
This photograph shows part of the trail that offered stone stairs to the hikers. I am so impressed to see these features from time-to-time as I understand the work that is required to construct these “stairways.” Not only do these pathways take a large amount of manpower to construct, they need to be maintained over time.
I believe the waterfall in the upper part of the picture is the Tueeulala Falls.
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.
JBRish.com originally published this post *All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.
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Meta Data – Day 119 YOY – Year of Yosemite
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Yesterday, we showed a view of the Yosemite Majestic Hotel. In describing Yosemite’s more modest accommodations, we can talk about Half Dome Village. This area was formerly known as Curry Village, but with the change of management of the park came the change of names.
As we were hiking through the valley, we were glad to be able to stop at the snack bar and other stores for some air conditioning and a few modern conveniences. The snack bar was quite busy as were several of the other nearby stores.
For those who would like to try camping, this might be one way of taking a dip into that realm. Understand, however, that many of amenities at Half Dome Village will not be had at the more traditional, bring-your-own-tent campgrounds. There are a variety of lodging types from motel-style rooms to to canvas tents. I have provided more links and information below.
The location is very nice and would be a wonderful launching point for many of Yosemite’s treasured hikes.
Below is some of the information from the Yosemite Mariposa County Tourism Bueau’s website: Link #1 below
Half Dome Village
Incredible location just below Half Dome and Glacier Point, Half Dome Village is a unique and scenic place for families visiting Yosemite National Park.
Half Dome Village Features:
46 Yosemite cabins with private baths
14 Cabins that share convenient bathhouse
403 Canvas tent cabins
18 Standard motel rooms
From the National Parks General Reservations web page:Link #2 below
Half Dome Village (formerly known as Curry Village) is the largest lodging facility in Yosemite Valley. Half Dome Village offers many lodging options including, a motel, cabins with private restrooms/showers, and tent cabins without plumbing. Half Dome Village is one of the most popular lodging options inside Yosemite Park, because of its popularity Half Dome Village sells out quickly; make your reservations 10-12 months in advance to ensure availability of your lodging needs.
Half Dome Village Highlights
1 Specialty Cabin
14 Cabins w/Central Bath
18 Standard Motel Rooms
319 Canvas Tent Cabins
499 Guest Accommodations
56 Cabins w/Private Baths
Amphitheater
ATM Machine
Bicycle and Raft Rentals
Coffee Corner
Free Shuttle Bus
Gift Shop
Ice Cream Stand
Ice Skating Rink
Pizza Deck
Swimming Pool – Outdoor
The Taqueria Stand
Tour/Activities Desk
Village Pavilion
Half Dome Village Rooms & Amenities
The following amenities are available at this lodge. Please check individual room listings for room specific amenities.
Generally I put the main description of the blog post under the picture, but this day is a bit different because I am actually offering three photographs.
Whenever I hike, I enjoy finding nature’s surprises. I am always excited to find a new fungus or a natural design created by erosion, veins in rocks, etc.
While hiking the Taft Point Trail, I came across an abundance of light green lichen clinging to several trees. Many of the trees were in various stages of stress or near death.
The pictures below show this lichen in its beauty. The texture and color are very striking especially when seen against the reddish bark of the trees. As the links below note, this wolf lichen can be poisonous to mammals.
The pictures below reveal how I discovered this phenomenon. It begins with a far off photo, moving closer in each successive picture. I hope you find it as interesting as I did!
What is a lichen?
“To a biologist, the answer is simple: a moss is a plant and a lichen is a partnership between a fungus and algae or cyanobacteria (formerly known as blue-green algae). But that may not help you, since you won’t see the algae or cyanobacteria with your naked eye.
So here is a general rule of thumb: Mosses are often grass green and lichens are every other shade of green, or brown, grey, orange, yellow; you get the idea.”
“Letharia vulpina, commonly known as the wolf lichen (although the species name vulpina, from vulpine relates to the fox), is a fruticose lichenized species of fungus in the family Parmeliaceae. It is bright yellow-green, shrubby and highly branched, and grows on the bark of living and dead conifers in parts of western and continental Europe, the Pacific Northwest and northern Rocky Mountains of Western North America. This species is somewhat toxic to mammals due to the yellow pigment vulpinic acid, and has been used historically as a poison for wolves and foxes. It has also been used traditionally by many native North American ethnic groups as a pigment source for dyes and paints.”
Tenaya Lake looking north on our way to Lembert Dome
Tioga Road is one of the major thoroughfares of Yosemite and it leads to some of the major sights in the Tuolumne Meadow area. Interestingly enough, on the way into the park from the NE, there was quite a bit of ice in the lakes along Tioga Road. By the time we returned a couple of days later, the ice was gone, but patches of snow on the land remained.
Tenaya Lake proved to be a very popular stopping point for hikers, photographers and other nature lovers. On this day, the water was very still and reflections were rather crisp. I had hoped for a dramatic cloud or two, but really…who can complain with a scene like this?
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.
JBRish.com originally published this post *All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.
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Meta Data – Day 112 YOY – Year of Yosemite
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For a slightly different view of Tenaya Lake taken with another camera, you can visit this previous post:
Snow melt and recent rains created streams with a strong flow
As we hiked the various trails, there were places where the streams were flowing higher and faster than “normal” because of recent rains and the snow melt. We are not novices when it comes to water crossing, but one must be prepared.
The photo above shows just one place where we had to make a stream crossing. Understand that this was the “best” place we could find for a number of yards in each direction. Other areas were wider or had less debris for our feet to rest. Logs can be very tricky when used as part of a pathway because they can roll. I always “test” them first before putting all my weight on them. This is one place where hiking poles or walking sticks might be helpful depending on our style. I was careful and lucky so my feet remained dry on this hike despite a number of similar crossings.
I think it is important to make sure we have the correct hiking boots or shoes. I strongly recommend having hiking boots/shoes that are waterproof at least partially if not totally. Another precaution we take is to carry at least one extra pair of socks each. Nobody wants to hike in wet socks. Wet socks are not only uncomfortable, but I feel it can cause physical problems for our feet. [I also have a couple of very large safety pins that can be used to pin a wet sock or two to the outside of my back pack to hasten drying if needed.]
What can be more important to hikers than their feet?
BTW…One other thing I learned via experience is to make sure the hiking boot or shoe has a good solid “toe bumper” in the front. Those tree roots and rocks are continuously trying to stub my toes and the more tired, the more they seem to be nipping at them! Generally speaking, purchasing budget hiking footwear doesn’t pay in the long run or walk!
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.
JBRish.com originally published this post *All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.
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Meta Data – Day XX YOY – Year of Yosemite
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Cathedral Peak photographed from the top of Lembert Dome
While standing atop Lembert Dome and admiring the panorama, one mountain stood out above all because of the somewhat unique formation pictured above. Cathedral Peak is one of the Tuolumne Meadows “All Stars”.
The picture was taken with my Canon PowerShot SX50 HS which has quite a reach and from a long distance away. Cutting through that much atmosphere does affect the image negatively, but the view is still impressive.
You can see other photos of Cathedral Peak at these links:
Tenaya Lake looking north on our way to Lembert Dome
Snow melt and recent rains created streams with a strong flow