Yosemite National Park

Hetch Hetchy Another World – Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 276

Jeff

Hetch Hetchy path

A clearing along the path at Hetch Hetchy

Although our day at Hetch Hetchy turned cloudy almost as as soon as we arrived, we were not totally disappointed. There was drama in the skies and many photographs that day captured the stormy atmosphere. We hiked for a week in the Grand Tetons and needed an umbrella or rain covering every day so this was really not too bad in comparison. The rain held off for the most of the day.

The photograph above was taken as we were making our way to Wapama Falls along the designated trail and we came to an elevated point with an opening between the trees. The hills and mountains began to rise up and it looked like something from another part of the world. It reminded me of scenes I had seen in photos of China.

 
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 276 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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Lupine Wildflower – Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 275

Jeff

Lupine

Lupine wildflower growing through a fern

I am fond of lupines because they grow well in our Sonoran Desert environment at spring time and if there is a reasonable amount of winter rains, they can be quite spectacular.

We saw a number of patches of lupines along the trails as we hiked at Yosemite. They are more purple than blue, but the yellow highlights and gray-silver leaves (not pictured above) give them added interest and appeal.

This particular specimen was growing through a fern so the leaves are not visible in this photograph.

 
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 275 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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Forget Me Not – Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 274

Jeff

Forget Me Not Flowers

Forget Me Not wildflower

There aren’t many blue flowers either wild or cultivated so it is quite a thrill to see them growing naturally in the wild. These Forget Me Nots were growing in a relatively isolated clump along the Sentinel Dome trail.

Individually, each flower may not be too impressive, but seen as a cluster of blue along the path of mostly pink and yellow wildflowers, they provided a beautiful contrast!

Here is a larger view of the flowers.

Forget Me Not Flowers closeup

 
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 274 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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Drama Along the River – Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 273

Jeff

Boulders with rushing water

Swirling rushing waters

The Merced River provided an exciting background for our hike along the Vernal Fall trail. The sound of rushing water paired with the gray overcast sky created some drama.

As we walked along and near the river, I couldn’t help but be captivated by the water’s sound and the beautiful earth-toned hues of the rocks, water and eddies.

 
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 273 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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Merced River Onward Always Onward* – Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 272

Jeff

Merced River rushing water

The rushing waters of the Merced River near the bridge

When water runs down a mountain range into a valley to a collection point, i.e. river, it is relentless and because of the recent rains and snow melt, the Merced was a raging torrent in many locations. The photo above is one example of the powerful rushing waters.

There were times around the Sentinel Beach picnic area, near the Four Mile Trail terminus, where it was calm enough for bathing, boating, etc., but other areas were strictly off limits.

 
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 272 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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* As long was there is adequate water from rain and snow melt!

Vernal Fall View from the Bridge – Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 271

Jeff

ernal Fall water spill

The view from the Vernal Fall Tail Bridge

Yesterday’s post showed a crowd gathered above the torrent of water safely poised on the bridge over the Merced River. The scene above is what some of the bystanders were viewing.

This apparently is a popular hike and if you don’t want to hike up the the waterfall itself, this is a picturesque stop and photo opportunity. The day was gray and threatening so we turned around at this point to do hiking closer to refuge should it be needed.

 
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 271 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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The Power of A Waterfall Torrent – Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 269

Jeff

Vernal Falls water torrente

Vernal Fall creates a torrent

With the previous posts, we showed water from Vernal Fall rolling down the mountain toward the valley. The photographs showed only one example, but water may also be coming from other such depressions leading from the beginning of the fall’s dropoff.

As the waters roll down the mountain, they come together as they reach the Merced River and create the torrent shown above. I can attest that this water was flowing quickly and was very forceful.

The rushing water becomes so fierce at times that they have a very jarring warning sign placed near this spot which you can read about in a previous post by clicking HERE.

 
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 269 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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The Power of Waterfall Alt View – Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 268

Jeff

Vernal Fall water source

A Better view of the Vernal Fall water source

Perhaps yesterday’s photograph didn’t show the water from Vernal Falls as well as the photograph above which was zoomed in a bit more. You can more clearly see the white water trail finding its way between the trees and the rocky mountain.

To be continued with the next post showing a bit more of the power of waterfalls…

 
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 268 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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The Power of Waterfalls – Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 267

Jeff

Vernal Falls water source

Vernal Falls water source

To appreciate the power of water and more particularly, the strength of cascading water emanating from a waterfall, one needs only to examine the cascading water’s route and the final rush as it enters the lower stream or river.

The phot0graph above shows part of the water flowing from Vernal Fall as it begins to find its way to Yosemite Valley. It may be a hard to make out, but the red arrows point to the white water coming off the mountain.

To be continued in the next post…

 
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 267 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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Cascade Falls (The Cascades) – Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 266

Jeff

Cascade Falls

One segment of Cascade Falls

The last several posts addressed some of the more robust and thus impressive waterfalls at Yosemite National Park and hikes that let visitors get up close to nature’s gushing faucets.

When it comes to natural beauty, however, power isn’t necessarily the main determinant. Cascade Falls, for example, is a series of waterfalls that meander and zig-zag down a mountain forming very pretty shaped spills. Some are delta shaped while others find their own abstract expression as they roll between and over the creek’s boulders.

The result is a beautiful array of colors, sounds and visual displays. The picture above was taken from the bridge that passes over the falls separating the upper region from the more powerful lower region below.

There is an associated hike with Cascade Falls, but a stop along the road and a visit to each side will also offer a worthy view of the rushing waters.

To read more about Cascade Creek and the waterfalls, click HERE.

 
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 266 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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