YOY

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 151 (Four Mile Trail 1/5 – Yosemite Falls)

Jeff

NOTE – This is the first photograph in a series of five that will be presented over the following days to give readers a sense of what it was like to hike the four Mile Trail. Previous Year of Yosemite photographs and descriptions were mostly individual presentations without providing a narrative to portray the essence of the hike.

Yosemite Falls from GP

Yosemite Falls from Glacier Point just before we begin our hike

After spending some time at Glacier Point, we moved toward the Four Mile Trail trailhead. On the way, I stopped for one last picture of Yosemite Falls. We were far away, but the falls were so overwhelming that they made their presence felt.

We read about the Four Mile Trail and we were excited to begin our adventure. No matter how much one reads about certain trails, being there can still take your breath away. While we “heard” that Half Dome and El Cap could be seen from the trail, the reality of how much, how close and how amazing the views would be could not be anticipated.

Even though the Four Mile Trail from Glacier Point is downhill, there are numerous switchbacks and the footing can be slow in places so be prepared.

 
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 151 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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Capture time: 4:33:37 PM
Capture date: June 6, 2016
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Focal Length: 48mm
ISO 100
Nikon D3300

 

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 150 (Yosemite – Mountain Range)

Jeff

A multitude of mountain tops seen from Glacier Point

This is another view from Glacier Point – a multitude of mountain tops
See Duplicate Without Numbers Below

 

A multitude of mountain tops seen from Glacier Point

In yesterday’s post (click HERE) we talked about Liberty Cap Mountain, which would be just out of the frame to the left of this photograph. Vernal Fall is still being used as an anchor in the bottom left of the photograph, the peak with the reference #1 (top photo), reaching into a cloud is Mount Clark. That tall peak all the way to the right under reference #2 is Mount Starr King

The view was breathtaking and confusing as it was difficult to grasp all the individual mountains one could view at a single glance. Well, actually I don’t think anyone could just glance at the sight. It would be more like a stare! There is probably a book somewhere that includes the history explaining how each mountain received its name. Some are obvious, but others are less so.

 
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 150 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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Capture time: 2:59:12 PM
Capture date: June 6, 2016
Exposure: 1/100 sec @ f/13
Focal Length: 34mm
ISO 100
Nikon D3300

 

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 147 (Lest We Forget-Homage to Stephen Mather)

Jeff

Homage to the Founders of the National Park System

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.

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Meta Data – Day 147 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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Capture time: 12:53:30 PM
Capture date: June 10, 2016
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Nikon D3300

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 146 (Rustic Touches – Majestic Yosemite Hotel)

Jeff

The former Ahwahnee, now the Majestic Yosemite Hotel,has Rustic Touches

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.

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Meta Data – Day 146 YOY – Year of Yosemite

File Name: 0162.NEF
Capture time: 10:09:21 AM/PM
Capture date: June 6, 2016
Exposure: 1/100 sec @ f/14
Focal Length: 55mm
ISO 100
Nikon D3300

 

 

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 145 (Half Dome Old vs New)

Jeff

Half Dome Old Look

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.


Half Dome Old Look

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

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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

 

 

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 144 (Hetch Hetchy Perspective Change)

Jeff

Hetch Hetchy House Closser

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.

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Meta Data – Day 144 YOY – Year of Yosemite

File Name: _0441.CR2
Capture time: 3:18:52 PM
Capture date: June 11, 2016
Exposure: 1/100 sec @ f/5.6
Focal Length: 68mm
ISO 100
Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

 

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 143 (Hetch Hetchy Surprise)

Jeff

House at Hetch Hetchy

A House-like Building at Hetch Hetchy

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.

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Meta Data – Day 143 YOY – Year of Yosemite

File Name: 0440.CR2
Capture time: 3:18:42 AM/PM
Capture date: June 11, 2016
Exposure: 1/100 sec @ f/5.6
Focal Length: 31mm
ISO 100
Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

 

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 142 (Wildflower – Clarkia)

Jeff

Wildflower Clarkia

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:


Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

California Native Plant Society

 
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 142 YOY – Year of Yosemite

File Name: 0462.NEF
Capture time: 12:22:17 PM
Capture date: June 11, 2016
Exposure: 1/60 sec @ f/22
Focal Length: 27mm
ISO 450
Nikon D3300

 

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 140 (Yosemite Falls from the Woods)

Jeff

Yosemite Falls as seen from the woods

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.

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Meta Data – Day 140 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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Capture time: 1:39:57 PM
Capture date: June 8, 2016
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Focal Length: 55mm
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Nikon D3300

 

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 139 (Yosemite Falls – Daily Dose)

Jeff

Powerful Yosemite Falls

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.

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Meta Data – Day 139 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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Capture time: 10:55:26 AM/PM
Capture date: June 6, 2016
Exposure: 1/100 sec @ f/13
Focal Length: 35mm
ISO 100
Nikon D3300