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Yosemite National Park

Yosemite is nearly 1,200 square miles in size and is located along the western side of the Sierra Mountains in California—about three-and-a-half hours by car from the San Francisco Bay Area.

Each season brings its own look to the landscape. In general, much of the park is closed during winters due to the snow but the crowds are small. During the summer the park is usually fully open but the valley is crowded and driving in the park is tedious. If visitors chose to hike on any of the many trails, they soon lose the crowds and can enjoy the scenery in relative peace.

Yosemite National Park

California

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Fires

Yosemite is surrounded by forests. Given California’s dry summer months, forest fires are a constant concern. On the drive into the park, vast patches of land covered with shrubs and blackened tree trunks show the damage that fires can cause.

Yosemite National Park

California

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Yosemite National Park

California

Lodging

Lodging is available inside and outside of the park. There are campgrounds and upscale accommodations. However, reservations often have to be made weeks or even months in advance. About 4 million people visit Yosemite each year.

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Road Conditions

I enjoy going to Yosemite in the winter months as there are fewer people in the park. However, the snows make much of the park inaccessible as roads are closed until spring and

summer.

Yosemite National Park

California

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Trees

Each season in Yosemite creates different images of the same landscape. I like the fog and layers of white that cover the park during winter.

I pull over when I see this stand of trees. The tree in the foreground has color in its upper limbs that make it stand out from everything in the background that appears almost in black and white form.

Yosemite National Park

California

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Lifting Fog

As morning gives way to afternoon, the fog starts to break up revealing the granite peaks Yosemite is known for.

Yosemite National Park

California

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Coyote

Snow is falling and so are the temperatures. I have my camera covered in a camera wrap to keep the moisture off the equipment. In the distance, a lone coyote searches the snow covered meadow for signs of food. Although the coyote sees me standing under a nearby tree, it pays little attention to me.

With so many visitors in the park, many animals come closer to humans than they would in the wilderness. Yet, people need to remember, these animals are wild and unpredictable.

Yosemite National Park

California

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River

Rivers that freely flow in the spring or summer, slow down in the winter. Ice creeps out from the river banks giving the appearance of a narrow channel.

The leafless trees, the fog, and the snow illustrate the winter season. In the spring and summer months, this area would be covered in greens, browns, and oranges. It is amazing the difference a few months can make.

Yosemite National Park

California

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Yosemite Valley

As evening falls, the fog creeps back in. It swirls and crosses the trees, ever changing in the slow breeze.

Yosemite National Park

California

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Tunnel View

One of the classic photos of Yosemite Valley comes from atop Tunnel View. To the left stands El Capitan; shrouded in fog in the back center is Half Dome; and to the far right is Bridalveil Falls.

Yosemite National Park

California

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El Capitan

The setting sun breaks through the clouds and lights up the top of El Capitan—one of the largest single pieces of exposed granite in the world.

Yosemite National Park

California

Door24.org

Yosemite National Park

California

Firefall

In mid to late February, Horsetail Falls turns orange and red giving it the nickname Fire Falls. However, certain conditions must be present for this phenomenon to work: (1) there must be enough snowpack and warm temperatures to melt the snow to feed the falls, and (2) the sun must be able to shine directly on the falls at sunset.

I arrive at the picnic area around 10am and wait with hundreds of other people for about eight hours. The conditions are perfect. First the falls turns silver, then gold, then reddish orange. Fire Falls lasts for about ten minutes.

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