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Scenes from a Day at Yosemite (2003)
Join me on a pleasant day trip in late summer to one of the most beautiful places on earth. See the Yosemite Valley and areas nearby, including a number of breathtaking panoramas taken from a variety of idyllic locations.

Sunrise on the Foothills My day of adventure at Yosemite began with the departure from my hotel in San Jose at about 5:30 am. The first part of the trip was on the highways between San Jose and Stockton, California, where I was continuously amazed at the endless miles of heavy traffic heading towards the Bay Area at such an early hour, even almost 50 miles from San Francisco. As the dawn broke and the sky lightened, I waited for the sun to peek out over the distant Sierra Nevada. When it did, it bathed the land in a wash of gold, and I had to find something interesting around to capture the light. These interesting foothills fit the bill. Sunrise on the Foothills
Climbing the Sierras The drive from the Bay Area of California to Yosemite Valley takes about four and a half hours, and is an excellent study in the contrasts inherent in California's landscape. Most of the first two-thirds of the drive is through California's fertile -- and very flat! -- central valley, where I saw endless groves of fruit and nut trees. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, you hit the mountains, and the road begins to curve and wind up the side of the slopes. This is a view back towards the west, with the rising sun behind me; I believe that is Don Pedro Lake in the background (see the final image in this SceneSet for more on the lake.) Climbing the Sierras
Yosemite Valley Tunnel View Panorama When I arrived at Yosemite, all excited, I -- had to turn around and leave the park to get gas, because the only gas station in the area of the park I was visiting was shut down for repairs. :) When I returned, my first destination was Glacier Point, reached at the end of a remarkable highway that winds its way through the southwestern part of the park. To get to Glacier Point from Yosemite Valley, you pass through a famous tunnel, at the end of which is an even more famous view of the Yosemite Valley: the aptly-named Yosemite Valley Tunnel View Panorama
Green and Gray I reached Glacier Point late in the morning, and immediately learned exactly why it is near the top of the list of "must-see" places at Yosemite. At an elevation of 7,214 feet, it puts you over half a mile above the valley floor, and offers tremendous views in several directions. Green and Gray
The Breadth and Depth of Yosemite Valley This panorama, comprised of 12 images in a 6x2 array, is my feeble attempt to capture the incredible view of the Yosemite Valley from Glacier Point. Once again, it doesn't really do justice to how it feels to actually be standing at the edge of the viewpoint looking down over 3,000 feet into the amazing valley below. You can see the serpentine shape of the Merced River along the length of the valley floor. The Breadth and Depth of Yosemite Valley
Majestic Tree at Glacier Point It's a testament to the power and tenacity of nature that trees can grow and flourish at these high altitudes. That's especially true given the many feet of snow that the Sierra Nevada receives every year -- there are winters when this tree must be over half-way buried in snow, which may not melt entirely until late June or even into July. Majestic Tree at Glacier Point
South of the Valley Yosemite National Park is quite large, covering an area of approximately 1,200 square miles. Most visitors to Yosemite, however, never venture out of the valley, or if they do, never go far. Unfortunately, due to the very limited time I had for this spur-of-the-moment trip, this applied to myself as well. I did enjoy this view of the Sierra Nevada taken south of Half Dome, showing some of the wonderful territory that I hope one day to hike through. South of the Valley
A Peaceful View Another pretty view of Half Dome and the Yosemite Valley from Glacier Point. A Peaceful View
The Other Side of the Domes This image was captured somewhere on the Glacier Point Road, showing several glacially-rounded domes in the upper elevations of the Sierra Nevada. The Other Side of the Domes
The Valley Floor After spending about an hour at Glacier Point -- and wishing I could linger longer, and perhaps take a hike to nearby Taft Point -- I drove back down Glacier Point Road and into Yosemite Valley. I had planned to first drive right to the Visitor Center at the heart of the valley, but I didn't make it without first stopping to take this panorama. The deep blue skies, wispy clouds, colorful rock walls of El Capitan and the trees in the foreground were too much to resist! The Valley Floor
Over the Merced The Merced River winds its way through Yosemite Valley, here at a relatively low late-summer level. Its brown coloring contrasts with Yosemite's classic greens and grays, and the ever-present blue sky of summer. Over the Merced
The Royal Arches and North Dome -- Scene from a Bridge Several interesting bridges span the Merced River along the Yosemite Valley, many themselves made of gray granite similar to the formations that tower over them. (Part of this bridge is visible at lower right.) The Royal Arches and North Dome -- Scene from a Bridge
Framed by Trees A "head on" view of Half Dome framed by evergreens, with the dry banks of Tenaya Creek in the foreground. Framed by Trees
Mirror Lake Reflections Mirror Lake is one of the most popular locations for viewing scenery in the Yosemite Valley. But it's not really a lake -- at least not any more. In the spring, when water levels in the Yosemite Valley run very high, Tenaya Creek is a torrent and there is indeed a Mirror Lake. As spring fades to summer, the rivers drop and the lake slowly shrinks; by the end of the summer, most of the water is gone, as you see here. Mirror Lake Reflections
Tenaya Canyon Vista Taken along the shore of Tenaya Creek, near Mirror Lake. The low water levels exposed some very interesting rock formations, sandbars and vegetation, with the walls of Tenaya Canyon forming a backdrop to the scene. Tenaya Canyon Vista
A Day at the Beach It's not really a beach; it's a nearly dry riverbed. But it sure looks like one! A Day at the Beach
Tenaya Rock I loved the shape and coloring of this large boulder in Tenaya Creek. Tenaya Rock
All the Elements Granite towers, evergreen trees, lush meadow, flowing water and blue skies... all the elements of a pleasant day in the Yosemite Valley. All the Elements
Lazy Afternoon at the River Mid-September is technically still summer, but in many parts of the United States, it is actually well on the way to being fall. In California, it really Lazy Afternoon at the River
Wall of Rock After completing my look around the Yosemite Valley and the short hike to and from Mirror Lake, I decided I still had enough time for one more hike. I set out from the "Happy Isles" location near the end of the Yosemite Valley loop road, along the Mist Trail that goes up to Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall. It also connects to other trails that go deep into the heart of Yosemite's backcountry. Wall of Rock
V is for Vernal Vernal Fall, like the other Yosemite falls, is much more impressive in the spring and early summer than it is in September. But it was still worth the hike. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough time to go all the way up to Nevada Fall. V is for Vernal
Merced River Cascades A trickle of the Merced River cascades down the steep mountainside near Vernal Fall. Merced River Cascades
Ribbons at Vernal Fall Most people consider the grand waterfalls of Yosemite to be at their powerful best in May and June, when runoff from the melting of many feet of snow in the High Sierra turns rivers into torrents. But when the water level is low, the falls take on a more graceful beauty. Here, trickles of water coming over Vernal Fall blow and sway like ribbons in the wind. Ribbons at Vernal Fall
On the Rocks By the time I got up to Vernal Fall, it was getting towards mid-afternoon. Did I mention that I did this trip on the day my flight back home left San Jose at around 9 pm? With about a four-hour drive still ahead of me, I had to high-tail it back to the car if I wanted to leave myself time for a few more shots before leaving Yosemite! On the Rocks
Picket Fence From this position near the middle of Yosemite Valley, a row of pine trees makes it look almost as if the valley has been fenced in to protect its treasures. Behind the Picket Fence
Yosemite Valley View Panorama My last stop before saying a reluctant farewell to Yosemite was at the picturesque location known as Yosemite Valley View Panorama
Another Valley View The low water levels of the Merced River allowed me to take this slightly different shot from Valley View. (In the spring, not only would the rocks and the clumps of grasses not be visible, I'd probably be at risk of being swept away if I were standing here!) Another Valley View
Rainbow Wisps at Bridal Veil Falls With a height of about 900 feet, Bridal Veil falls is one of the star attractions of Yosemite. At the time I visited, its flow was rather limited due to the dry climate of the California summer. This allowed the high-altitude winds to blow the water around, creating wisps that cast partial rainbow colors in the late afternoon light. Rainbow Wisps at Bridal Veil Falls
Parting Shot A final view of part of Yosemite Valley as I climbed out of the canyon and headed back towards the mundane. A day I will never forget... Parting Shot
Sunset on Don Pedro Lake Located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada east of Modesto, California, Don Pedro Lake is actually a large reservoir -- in fact, it's the sixth-largest body of water in the state. It was created by a dam built on the Tuolumne River in 1971 (which replaced a much older dam, now underwater.) The reservoir is used for irrigation, electricity generation and recreation. Sunset on Don Pedro Lake

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