Half Dome Light

This is a lucky snap I took of Half Dome from Glacier Point in Yosemite. The clouds had shaded most of the valley and a patch of light came out of the clouds just spotlighting Half Dome. Half Dome raises 4800 feet above the Yosemite Valley floor below and 8,800 feet above sea level.

A really nice view.

#50 Can't see the forest for the trees...

Trying to catch up on some recent pictures and new-to-me things... These are a few snaps I took of the giant Sequoias while hiking around in the Mariposa Grove last month in Yosemite National Park, California. Very impressive trees, some around 2000 years old!

Well worth the visit, but a bit overcrowded for my taste (late September) -- I can only imagine what its like at the peak of the summer season. Such is the nature of major national parks and increasing populations, I'm afraid to say...

[Speaking of trees, for amusing insights on the pack hunting, predator/prey relationship between falling trees and goats, check out Tree Ocean's recent post Busy Stuff.]

#49 hiked to Taft Point

While in Yosemite I did a quick 2 mile round trip hike out to Taft Point.

The guy on the top of the rock is standing on Taft Point. A very cool vantage point to look down about 3500 vertical feet into the Yosemite Valley. I think that point may be the highest spot that I've stood on and been able to look nearly straight down... There is a small rail there, but not where I'm standing to take this picture. Across the valley and lower is El Capitan.

A very nice little hike, and only a few other folks on the trail -- a lot of the other areas that aren't in the back country were pretty hard to find much solitude in.

[It was a hazy day and I didn't bring any filters, so what you see is what I saw...]

#48 visited Yosemite National Park

This is a picture of the 3000 ft high face of El Capitan in Yosemite that I took yesterday while watching climbers. I drew a circle around one set of climbers above, enlarged below...

Climbers typically take 2-3 days to climb El Capitan.

In the picture above you can see their hanging duffel bags of supplies and a portable "ledge" to sleep on. I've read accounts of climbers and rescues on this rock, but seeing it first hand really put it in perspective. Impressive. From where this group was, I'm guessing they are on their second day on the vertical face. El Capitan has also been speed climbed in an astounding 2 hours and 45 minutes! Here's a link to some videos of that feat.

I spent a few days in northern California last week and since I've never been to Yosemite before, dropped in for two fast (too fast) days of sightseeing and day hikes. More pics to come...