Yosemite Spring trip

 

We were already heading up to Fresno for Beth’s brothers wedding and decided we should camp a few nights in Yosemite for some early spring hiking and visit the park before the crowds.  Here are a few of my favorites from this trip.  We were lucky the first day and part of the second day, but not so much the second night or third day, where temps dropped to the 30’s and it began to rain on us. 

 

A nice sunset from the valley floor just as the clouds and rain were coming in.

Half Dome reflecting off the pond in the meadow around sunset time.  

Our first day there we took a hike up to Mirror lake, the next night we heard something that sounded like a huge rock slide.

  

On our way up the Mist trail to Vernal falls we met this guy and his friend out on a rock we were using for photos. Both are in their 80s and have hiked Yosemite since there were young kids.  I hope when I’m in my 80’s I can still hike up this trail. 

A shot of Vernal falls. I used a 8stp GND + Polarizer shot at 1/2 second. This trip was my first time using a GND and I gotta say it’s a definite must for some cool landscape photography.

 

And the Falls were going off this time of year. We were pretty much soaked for most of the “Mist” trail..

 

We didn’t have time to make it up to Nevada falls but took a little lunch break up at the top of Vernal and let our gear dry out a bit.

 

 

A few wildlife shots.  With all the idiots who drive Yosemite valley like it’s a Nascar track it’s sometimes hard to find animals that aren’t road kill.

In the evenings a family of deer would hang out in the meadows feeding and drinking, giving everyone a great photo op.

We ran across this guy while hiking around on some trails near the river. He seemed interested in us for about two seconds, then resumed tearing up the tree in search of some food so we grabbed a few shots and continued on harassing other critters.   

 

This guy was in the meadow while we were shooting sunrise pics. I guess bears don’t swim in the cold water if they don’t have to.

 

 

Bridalveil falls taken the first day we arrived.

     

We ran into a group of painters out on the meadow painting Yosemite falls so I asked one guy if I could shoot his painting with the falls.