hiking

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 116 (Yosemite Valley – Sentinel Rock)

Jeff

Sentinel Rock, YosemiteSentinel Rock stands tall in Yosemite Valley

Interestingly enough, even the supporting cast of mountains, lakes and trails assume staring roles at various times. While hiking Yosemite Valley and at the edge of certain paths, when El Capitan and Half Dome are not directly in view, one tends to focus on other Yosemite features. They are absolutely “ready for their closeups!”

Sentinel Rock is a beauty in its own right, but it is difficult to compete with such extraordinary neighbors. Like Devil’s Tower, this formation could probably stand on its own if it dwelled elsewhere!

We enjoyed encountering Sentinel Rock during our hikes and noting how beautiful it was rising from the meadow with all of the lush green grasses providing the “red carpet” treatment!

 
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 116 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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Capture time: 2:53:56 PM
Capture date: June 8, 2016
Exposure: 1/60 sec @ f/18
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Nikon D3300

 

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 115 (Lupines – Valley Loop Trail)

Jeff

Lupines along the Valley Loop Trail 

A wet spring brought wildflowers to Yosemite and the lupines were abundant!

As YOY followers probably know by now, one of my favorite subjects to record as I hike are wildflowers. The diversity and tenacity of nature to have flowers of such beauty that fend for themselves in the wild leaves me in wonder.

As we hiked the Valley Loop Trail, we would come across pockets of lupiines, but this particular specimen appealed to me because of the colors of the nearby ferns and the lupine leaves. The leaves have a unique (palmate) form and dark green color with lighter highlights along the ridges. Not only that, but lupine leaves have a water-gathering quality. If you look at them after a rain (or watering) you can see that the water beads and collects in strategic places on the plant.

A careful examination of the flower might remind you of a pea. Yes, it is a member of the pea family.

My wildflower ID skills are only “fair” so I am guessing these are Gray’s lupine, but they could be Brewer’s lupine. I am providing links to each below so you can decide.

Gray’s Lupine

Brewer’s Lupine

 
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 115 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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Capture time: 12:16:43 PM
Capture date: June 8, 2016
Exposure: 1/60 sec @ f/13
Focal Length: 38mm
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Nikon D3300

 

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 114 (Half Dome – Bridge Over the Merced)

Jeff

Half Dome and Merced River 

As we drove back to Yosemite Valley, we passed a bridge over the Merced River and Half Dome held court!

After a day of hiking, we turned down a bend in the road and crossed a bridge over the Merced River where Half Dome could be seen in the distance. I pulled over as quickly as I could, reached for my camera in the back seat and headed to the bridge for a few captures.

There were a number of people floating down the Merced this day. Some had kayaks while others had inflatable rafts or inner tubes. This photograph brings a smile every time I see it!

 
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 114 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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Capture time: 3:13:41 PM
Capture date: June 8, 2016
Exposure: 1/60 sec @ f/22
Focal Length: 18mm
ISO 560
Nikon D3300

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 113 (Liken Lichen – Taft Point Trail)

Jeff

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!

Wolf Lichen on a dead tree

Wolf lichen on a tree in distress near death

A healthy cluster of Wolf lichen on a tree branch

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.”

Via – Washington Native Plant Society blog

“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.”

Via – Wkipedia

 
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 – None for this series of photographs

 

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 112 (Tenaya Lake)

Jeff

Tenaya LakeTenaya 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

File Name: 0312.CR2
Capture time: 10:12:08 AM
Capture date: June 7, 2016
Exposure: 1/400 sec @ f/5.6
Focal Length: 5.75mm
ISO 100
Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

For a slightly different view of Tenaya Lake taken with another camera, you can visit this previous post:

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 9

 

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 111 (Water Crossings – Sentinel Dome Trail)

Jeff

Stream CrossingSnow 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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Capture time: 3:56:45 PM
Capture date: June 7, 2016
Exposure: 1/60 sec @ f/4.0
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Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 110 (Cathedral Peak from Lembert Dome)

Jeff

Cathedral Peak, Yosemite 

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:

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 30 (Cathedral Peak)

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 46 (Tuolumne Meadows)

 
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 110 YOY – Year of Yosemite

File Name: 0318.CR2
Capture time: 1:29:43 PM
Capture date: June 7, 2016
Exposure: 1/400 sec @ f/8
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Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 109 (Nevada & Vernal Falls vs The Map)

Jeff

Nevada & Vernal FallsNevada & Vernal Falls with Big Cap off to the Left as seen from Glacier Point

In preparation for visiting a national park for the first time, it is very hard to visualize the relationship of the major points of interest. Looking at a map is abstract. Of course it provides a “sense of place,” but it can not prepare one for the actual physical experience (IMHO).

Let’s take the photograph above for example. The map can pinpoint Nevada Falls (upper) and Vernal Fall (lower), but it cannot adequately convey the juxtaposition to each other and the overall physical relationship to their wider surroundings. (Half Dome is not in the picture, but is off to the left.)

See the partial map below with noted points outlined by ovals and rectangles:

 
Map of Glacier Point

I particularly like the zig-zaged relationship of the falls that flow in the Half Dome neighborhood, but this cannot be truly appreciated from looking at a map. The other half of the problem is that when looking at photographs, it is hard to get a sense of the total layout of the area because pictures are narrow in scope. Plan we must, but we also need to be prepared for “surprises” and to be flexible in our goals.


***** BTW *****

I didn’t see one person arrive at Glacier Point and leave within a few minutes. Everyone I watched lingered and walked around as though they couldn’t soak in enough of the views. I admit, I was one who lingered for a length of time.

I wish these photographs and my skills could depict the grandeur of the panorama that was cast before me, but they are only a lesser reproduction.

For another part of the panorama seen from Glacier Point incuding Half Dome, located just to the North (left) of the above photo check the link below:

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 63 (Glacier Point-Half Dome)

 
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 109 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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Capture time: 3:01:40 PM
Capture date: June 6, 2016
Exposure: 1/400 sec @ f/6.3
Focal Length: 20mm
ISO 100
Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

 

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 108 (Another Pass – Tunnel View)

Jeff

The main players seen from tunnel viewAs we passed by Tunnel View again, the color of light was changing and painting the landscape

This picture taken from the Tunnel View overlook and parking area shows the sun beginning to reach that golden stage. We had just finished hiking in the area and were heading back to Yosemite Valley. Although we were tired, the scene was so beautiful, we just had to stop.

The main players, Half Dome (background), El Capitan (foreground – left) and some of the “pinnacles” (foreground right – perhaps Cathedral Rocks) were exhibiting their finery for all the onlookers; and there were many.

This scene is awe inspiring. Changes of the sun’s position and light as well as the seasons provide variations on the theme; daily weekly, monthly!

 
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 108 YOY – Year of Yosemite

File Name: 0329.CR2
Capture time: 6:11:14 AM/PM
Capture date: June 7, 2016
Exposure: 1/200 sec @ f/8
Focal Length: 33mm
ISO 100
Canon SX50 HS

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 107 (Wedding Sanctuary at Yosemite)

Jeff

Wedding at Glacier Point, YosemiteWedding Party at Glacier Point, Yosemite

We are not trying to equate Yosemite with a house of worship, but I must say when we came across this wedding party at Glacier Point, it certainly felt inspirational.

I do believe that our national parks, especially in some very special settings, have a sanctified air. What can be more awe-inspiring and inspirational than a background such as this?

A permit and processing fee with a combined total of $150 as of this writing, is required to use select park venues for weddings. There may be additional costs and naturally, there are a number of restrictions, etc. You can read more about Ceremony Locations in Yosemite National Park at the link.

 
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 107 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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Capture time: 3:06:24 PM
Capture date: June 6, 2016
Exposure: 1/400 sec @ f/6.3
Focal Length: 4.3mm
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Canon SX50 HS