We honor those who laid the groundwork for our National Park System
As we hiked the various paths and trails of the park, we entered the Happy Isles section on an overcast day. We enjoyed the more tranquil walks in this area which also bordered the Merced River. Along the way, we came across this memorial to Stephen T. Mather who has been credited for laying the groundwork for our National Park System.
The inscription may be hard to read, but it says:
“He laid the foundation of the National Park Service, defining and establishing the policies under which its areas shall be developed and conserved, unimpaired for future generations. There will never come an end to the good he has done . . .”
We need to honor those people who saw America’s need for these valuable resources, put politics aside and acted as statesmen.
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.
There were many “rustic touches” in and around the Majestic Yosemite Hotel, formerly the Ahwahnee
If you visit Yosemite, even if you do not stay at the Majestic Yosemite Hotel, it is a stop you should plan to make. There are so many beautiful areas you can visit. We had planned to have a glass of wine in the lounge/bar area, but it was under renovation during the time we visited. The rear meadow with woods and the river provide a delightful area for a stroll and to take some photographs
The picture above is my attempt to capture the rustic nature of the building. The lights, wood and stones look so very old. If you look closely, you can see some hardware to the left of the lamp housing. If the building was constructed today, I believe these mechanisms would be internal.
Processing the Photograph – To add to the rustic look, I used Lightroom to apply significant contrast and some detail enhancement to bring out the lines and colors.
This (above) is the original photograph prior to applying the filters in Lightroom
Which of the two pictures do you like better?
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.
Half Dome was given an old fashioned look for this post
As most photography buffs and National Park aficionados will note, Ansel Adams chronicled the major sites of Yosemite National Park. His technique of spending hours in the darkroom is legendary. He was an expert craftsman.
I am not comparing myself to Ansel Adams or any other accomplished photographer, but from this post forward and from time-to-time, I thought I would put a different spin on some of the Yosemite scenes. There will, of course, be some that may be similar to those I have shared in prior posts.
This will provide a different perspective and style to the pictures captured. I hope JBRish readers will enjoy them. The picture above has had a number of filters applied via Lightroom to give Half Dome that old fashioned appearance.
For the sake of interest, I will also post the original picture at the end of the descriptions for comparison purposes and to validate the Meta Data provided.
This (above) is the original photograph prior to applying the filters in Lightroom
Which of the two pictures do you like better?
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 145 YOY – Year of Yosemite
File Name: 3501.JPG
Capture time: 3:39:40 AM/PM
Capture date: June 5, 2016
Exposure: 1/1250 sec @ f/7
Focal Length: 10mm
ISO 100
Canon PowerShot A590 IS
A closer view of the house-like building on the cliff at Hetch Hetchy
Yesterday’s post showed a picture of a building we spotted on the way back from the Wapama Falls hike. We hadn’t noticed the building on the way in, but as I noted in the previous post, the views are often quite different when hiking in the opposite direction, i.e. returning along the same path.
To add to this, I changed the perspective a bit by zooming in with my bridge camera. After all, if you have a large zoom, why not use it? Here the house is more of the main subject and not just an object of interest. You can decide which picture better portrays the scene, but I think they both have merit for different reasons.
I guess the point I am trying to convey is…try more than one perspective if you have that ability. I didn’t have a true wide angle lens, but that might have given a different impression/view as well. In the era of digital photography, the cost of “trying” something different is really minimal so give it a try!
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.
I was taught that when taking photographs, always look all around. Occasionally there is a great scene waiting to be captured, but it is behind the photographer.
That can also be somewhat true of hiking. When returning along the same trail, if it is not a loop, the scenes usually look different. It may be the lighting or the way the branches of a particular tree align with the background, but there is something along the twice trodden path that makes it different when viewed in the opposite direction.
We were leaving Hetch Hetchy as the sky was threatening and on the way out, across the lake, I noticed the scene above. There was something there I hadn’t noticed prior to the return trip. A house was beautifully positioned at the edge of the cliff; a lakefront view. It is nestled so nicely among the ledge and the trees that it blends well with the surroundings. (right-hand side about 1/5 of the way left of the margin)
I wouldn’t mind spending some time in there, but then again, who would?
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.
One of the many wildflowers at Yosemite during the spring
The Clarkia is particularly attractive with its multi-color petals. This variety is very showy because of the dark purple claret cup shape on each of the pink petals and the white bottom border. It is truly a beauty. The Owl’s Clover can be seen at the center left completing the pink theme. The photo was taken along the Wapama Falls Trail, Hetch Hetchy.
NOTE – Similar pictures have been labeled as Clarkia williamsonii, but I could not definitively identify this specific variety as such. Any clarification would be appreciated and this post would then be modified if appropriate.
You can read more about the Clarkia family of wildflowers at the link below:
Yosemite Falls can be seen from many points along the Valley Loop Trail
As the other iconic sites at the park, Yosemite Falls looms over a large area and can be seen from many places. Part of the fun and excitement of hiking in Yosemite is to see how different these beautiful natural wonders look at different distances and from different angles.
Seen from the Valley, the falls have a large, almost intimidating persona. When viewed from Glacier Point, which is quite a distance away and much higher, it looks totally different, but still impressive in comparison to the other falls seen from the outlook.
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.
Yosemite Falls proved to be the loudest and perhaps most powerful of all the waterfalls we saw
If you are fortunate enough to visit Yosemite when the waterfalls are flowing well, Yosemite Falls will astound you! The sound alone is enough to foretell the power of this cascade. Note the narrow stream of plunging water at the top of the falls as it widens into a curtain of power expanding outward as it travels down the rock face of the mountain.
Our lodging was just a short walk from this waterfall and we could hear the low rumble throughout the night. It was calming. Each day as we walked to the food court for breakfast and/or dinner, we would pass the waterfall and I think I stopped to look at every time. It was captivating. Our pass by Yosemite Falls this time however, was when we were on the Valley Loop Trail!
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.
This is one area of the Merced River that was calm after all the rains and ice melt
The Valley Loop Trail skirts the Swinging Bridge Picnic Area where the picture above was snapped. There had been people floating by on inner tubes and rafts while others took the opportunity to go kayaking.
In the distance two people have left their boat and are walking along the far edge of the sandbar. Picnickers and hikers alike were enjoying this calm section of the Merced River of Yosemite National Park.
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.
El Capitan viewed from a filed near Bridalveil Fall
Thus far, I may have portrayed hiking in Yosemite as nearly ideal and this is not really my intent. Yosemite (and all of the National Parks I have visited) are beautiful places with special qualities. They each have their own “personality” if that word can be used in this context. Arches is unlike most of the others and remains near the top of my favorites list. Zion is so vast and varied; truly a marvel. I could go on and on, but I think I have made the point.
We must keep in mind that whenever and wherever we have crowds of people, there will be the less glamorous side of the experience and our National Parks are not immune. Someone has to take care of the trash, the porta-potties, etc. and this is not always done to our personal preferences. We must remember that it is not possible or desirable to have a flush toilet on the top of Half Dome. There are some decent bathrooms, when considering park standards, at Glacier Point and other out-of-the-way locales.
As we hiked through the many trails at Yosemite, we would come across certain areas that were less than scenic or may have had some recent litter. The parks need to rely on everyone to carry their trash out and most comply. There are always exceptions.
Not every inch of the park can be groomed. It is a natural environment so there are going to be fallen trees, rocks and boulders in places that become inconvenient and trails that may be a bit circuitous. We need to keep in mind that this is nature. Natural environments are not necessarily the most comfortable for humans.
The picture above is a field across from Bridalveil Fall which sits directly opposite of El Capitan. El Cap looms so large that it often looks closer than it is. This field was a wild place with fallen trees and large rocks that can be seen in the foreground. It is perhaps a bit unsightly, but El Capitan still manages to provide an umbrella of grandeur over the area.
We always need to remind ourselves that this is not a man-made amusement park. It is a place of nature with all the attributes that encompasses.
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.
