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Yosemite In The Fall > Yosemite in the Fall

The date was Mid-October and I was hoping to see some fall color, California style. Of course, along with all the great variety of Sierra trees and all the rest of the wonders of the Yosemite high country. While I wasn't disappointed, the weather and photographic conditions were more like summer than mid-October, lots of sunshine, warm temperatures with very few clouds and high running water. (the result of the record snowfall in the 2010-11 winter that lasted well into June and even July at elevation) While the photography wasn't quite what I expected, it was very nice, so nice that I had trouble selecting "only" 20 images for this gallery. To see a slideshow of this gallery, click on the thumbnail image on this page. When watching the slideshow, follow the arrows or click on a slideshow image to return to the thumbnail view. ENJOY !!!

Coming In To The Park

Driving in from Merced for my first day of the trip, I drove through an area of rolling hills with periodic lone or small groups of trees. Although unexpected, this group of trees seen on a hillside before the sun came up was surely worth a stop. f 2.8, 1/250th at 110 mm, handheld. Great way to start a photo trip.
Reflecting On Yosemite Falls

This early morning shot is of Upper Yosemite Falls reflected in the Merced River, taken from Sentinel Bridge, one of the footbridges that are frequent in 'The' valley. f11, 1/40th at 28 mm.
Pacific Ponderosa

For some reason, my G P S wasn't on the camera so I don't have an exact location. It was, however, on the Tioga Road between Siesta Lake and Yosemite Creek. I saw the top of the tree from the road and climbed over a rock formation to be able to see the full tree growing in rock on the edge of a drop-off. The deeply fissured bark and pattern of needles says it is a Pacific Ponderosa, (Pinus ponderosa) also known as a Yellow or Blackjack Pine. f 11.0, 1/320th at 19 mm
The View South

This is a morning look south over the Merced River from close to the North Side or El Portal Drive, again in Yosemite Valley. Although it was mid-October, the scene looks like a summer day. f11, 1/40th at 28 mm.
Sidehill At Washburn Point

I was waiting for the sun to set at Washburn Point on the Glacier Point Road. When the sunset came, by the way, it was very nice from that location. While waiting, I saw this sidehill shot looking South over what is called the Illilouette Ridge. f 11, 1/60th at 82 mm
Sunset Color - Washburn Point

These were the sunset colors I was waiting for as mentioned in the prior shot narrative. This scene is looking East while the sun sets behind me. f 8.0, 1/6th at 110 mm.
Rushing

Already noted elsewhere was the unusual volume of water for this late in the year. What caught my attention in this scene was not only the rushing water but the colors and patterns in this slow shutter speed image. It was taken of the Merced River near the Pohono Bridge; west end of Yosemite Valley. f 8.0, 1/20th at 70 mm.
Juniper Among The Boulders

Olmsted Point at an elevation of about 8,200 ft. on the Tioga Road is a great place to look down on many scenic locations including Half-Dome and Tenaya Lake. Immediately across the road from the parking area is a granite dome on which grow a number of hardy trees. This one is a Western Juniper (Juniperus occidentalis) growing wide enough in a shrub form that it took a wide angle lens to get all of it in the picture. A hardy tree in a harsh place. f 11.0, 1/320, 19 mm.
Waterfall At Cascade Creek

The Big Oak Flat Road runs along the west side of the park heading north to the Hetch-Hetchy Reservoir. This little waterfall is right next to the road and I had passed it the day before without thinking it merited a stop. It was cloudy and the light was very flat and uninteresting. This day, totally different story with brilliant blue sky and vibrant greens to complement the water. f 8.0, 1/800th, 45mm
Lone Spruce In The Aspen Wilderness

This is a detailed shot of the vivid aspen that were all over the June Lake Loop, on the eastern side of the Sierra range. I liked this shot of a lone spruce amidst the sea of yellow. f 8.0, 1/250that 110 mm
Siesta Lake Shoreline

Siesta Lake is small and right along side the Tioga Road. It is pretty well sheltered from the wind, thus making for very nice reflections. In this scene, I was interested in the reflecting tree trunks on the north shore and the fall color of the willows. f 16, 1/20th at 70 mm.
Another Hardy Juniper

The granite dome across from Olmsted Point mentioned earlier is also the location of this Western Juniper, (Juniperus occidentalis). What caught my attention is how the broken limbs continue to thrive even though laying partially on the ground and the very red and colorful bark patterns. f 2.8, 1/640th at 200 mm.
One More Juniper

Same location, on the Olmsted Point granite dome; this image is here because it clearly shows the ongoing work of the strong winds that sweep the area. f 11.0, 1/160th 45 mm.
The Valley Panorama

What a spectacular view of the Yosemite Valley, taken at Washburn Point in late afternoon light. This view looks east where you can see Nevada Fall next to the back side of Half-Dome and further down into the valley, Vernal Fall. This is a 4 shot panorama stitched in Photoshop. All 4 images shot at f 9.0, 1/400th at 48 mm.
Upper Yosemite Falls

This view is looking North over the Merced River to Upper Yosemite Falls in late afternoon. In all of the scenes in this gallery that show water, it is helpful to remember that such high water flows are not common this time of the year, the water level was more like early summer. f 16, 1/80th at 40 mm.
Fern Creek Revisited

When I first visited Yosemite in May of 2008, I came across this little waterfall on Fern Creek near the west end of the valley and adjacent to Pohono Bridge. It is a very dark and quiet place which is very wet, thus all of the moss. You can tell it is fall because of the fallen leaves in the creek. f 16, 8.0 sec's. at 34 mm.
Juniper Trunk and Root Structure

By now it is pretty obvious that the trees of the Eastern Sierra are unique and a subject of great interest to me. This is another example of a Western or Sierra Juniper; this time focusing on the lower trunk and root structure. A flash would have helped with the exposure here but it was back in the car. Sorry. This one is near Yosemite Creek on the Tioga Road. f 11.0, 1/50th at 45 mm.
Unnamed Water

Any place in a mountainous area where there is a lot of terrain change, especially in temperate climates where there is significant snow, there will be lots of small waterfalls that don't ever get named. This little area is likely one of those; what I liked about the scene was the sharp focus throughout, including the foliage that frames the falling water. This little drainage may feed into Cascade Creek, described in an earlier image. f 16, 1/80th at 40 mm.
Sunrise Silhouette

This pre-dawn shot was made en route to the Park on Route 140 driving in from the west. Although it would have been nice to only have the single tree in the image, my framing options wouldn't allow that; still, I'm pleased with this handheld image. f2.8, 1/640th at 200 mm.
Colors In The Drainage

Recalling that this trip was taken in Mid-October, one of the interests I had was fall color, especially aspen, It turns out that there are very few, if any, aspen in Yosemite. Another photographer I talked with, however, told me that there were stands of aspen in brilliant yellow on the east side of the Sierra at a place called the June Lake Loop. Needless to say, it was well worth the trip. This drainage shows the vivid yellows of aspen, willow and cottonwood against a very bright sky. f 11, 1/125th at 125 mm.