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Travel guide of Yosemite Valley
We started making a habit of 7 hour twilight treks from Los Angeles to Yosemite Valley for a day get away. We would periodically arrive in the park an hour or so before sunrise and hope to find sleep before the sun illuminated the park. However, sleep often eluded me during these brief rest periods. A tangible excitement kept my soul from sleeping, brewing within me like a spiritual caffeine. I would recline my seat and unsuccessfully attempt to dose off. Inevitably the sun emerged and with it the valley floor coated in a morning mist that floated with mystery waiting to be explored.
After killing a pizza at Camp Curry we rushed up here for a quick 30 min photo shoot at about 10:30p. This is one pic out of a sequence of about 150. Got some help from a bright setting moon behind me. Came out pretty fantastic. Was bummed I didn’t catch a single meteor after being out there for 30+ mins, but, you can’t win ‘em all.
Early one morning while waiting for the light to appear at Yosemite National Park epic Tunnel View, I decided to exercise a different perspective. I looked into the Tunnel. As this was a very snowy/icy day, there was very little traffic and it was easy to hear it approaching so I set up for a long exposure picture looking down into the Tunnel to capture it’s vanishing perspective lines.
3 km from Yosemite Valley
We were already leaving the Valley as I noticed this view from the car and stopped. I wanted to freeze everything that is static and smooth the water, so it took quite some time setting up the rig for a long exposure.
5 km from Yosemite Valley
They say age has a story. This gritty, HDR capture of the iconic El Capitan at Yosemite National Park personifies that. It’s incredible to wonder all the things this magnificent mountain has seen.
9 km from Yosemite Valley
We were looking to capture a foggy sunrise view of Half-Dome in Yosemite, but the weather wasn’t cooperating with us. The fog that did show up was low-lying and moving quickly through the trees like a ghostly river meandering through the canyon, swirling around the tallest trees in small eddies. Like too many forests, the valley is infested with borers, which has killed thousands of trees. The splash of golden trees mixed with the green is actually really beautiful, but a sad reminder of how fragile the forest is.
9 km from Yosemite Valley
Just after sunrise we found this location in the center of the valley with a beautiful view of Yosemite Falls. Right now all the waterfalls are flowing from all the snow this winter. They should be flowing year round. Five of us friends took a one day road trip to make it for sunrise at Yosemite, slept during the day in our hammocks, and then shot sunset and night photos.
9 km from Yosemite Valley
Yosemite - Home of Half Dome. Yosemite is home to millions of visitors travelling across the world to see its picturesque views, and over-looming Granite Shelves. Among the most famous of them are Half Dome, sheared thousand of years ago from glaciers, this is the most famous due it is “Half” Dome appearance. Stay Adventurous! @michaelslouie
Experienced by Michael Louie
9 km from Yosemite Valley
Decided to embark on a long over due trip to Yosemite National Park. Coming into the park the weather was slightly overcast and extremely foggy. There were some breaks in the fog and the views were breath taking until we came around the corner to this photo. All I could think is how lucky we are to live on such a planet. GOD has created such master pieces everywhere and I am so thankful to be able to absorb this all in and get a chance to show you all my creations.
Experienced by David Joyce
9 km from Yosemite Valley
We arrived in Yosemite around 6am. After catching the sunrising over Half Dome, we started exploring the valley floor. That’s when we came across two coyotes hopping around through a field, hunting for food. We began to approach them, and thankfully they didn’t notice. I was about ten feet away when they finally looked up and saw me. One ran, but the other took a slow turn and began to walk away. He looked back only for a brief moment before trotting off.
9 km from Yosemite Valley
We headed straight for Glacier Point with only a few hours of daylight left. A breathtaking view of the Half Dome awaited us as the snowfall increased and the valley became a mystery of snow and cloud. I counted myself among the few people able to witness heaven kissing earth in this spectacular moment. Officials quickly shut down the road urging everyone to make their way back to the valley.
Experienced by Andrew Charney
9 km from Yosemite Valley
There is something unique about Yosemite when going during winter season. It is not as crowded, peaceful, calm, relaxing, and cold. But being in the middle of such a beautiful park makes it up for the cold
Experienced by Kevin Bosc
9 km from Yosemite Valley
I’ve quickly discovered that Yosemite National Park is the Disneyland for outdoor enthusiasts and creatives. This is one of my first trips to the park after driving six and a half hours through the night from Los Angeles. At the time I was working a retail job that ended around 10:00PM at night. So I would leave with my wife after my shift and drive through the night to spend my day off at Yosemite. This was captured just after we woke up after a quick hour nap in our cramped Honda Accord. 21 24mm photos stitched together.
9 km from Yosemite Valley
The sun was setting quickly in Yosemite Valley and we decided to take a walk across this boardwalk. My wife suddenly tells me to stop. Right in front of us were 3 coyotes hunting for mice in the meadow. One jumped on the boardwalk and i snapped this image.
10 km from Yosemite Valley
After an 11 mile hike in snowshoes and lugging a sled full of gear to the mountain top, we were finally rewarded with one of the most scenic views of Yosemite from an angle rarely seen in winter. A photo well worth the exhaustion!
11 km from Yosemite Valley
Took this photo after waking up to a flat tire, at 4am on Christmas Eve. It was 14F (-10C) when I changed the tire, in complete darkness (well, I had a flashlight). I made it and was able to stop here for sunrise on my way to a garage shop.
11 km from Yosemite Valley
We had just completed a strenuous hike, and all of us were so exhausted until we stumbled across deer in our path. They were just minding their business, not worried about us in anyway. I immediately snapped the photo of one of them crossing and continued to walk toward camp. It certainly was such a sweet moment!
11 km from Yosemite Valley
The combined falls are taller than the empire state building. Its pretty impressive in person and totally worth the drive out there from San Francisco. If you ever head out to Yosemite, plan for May. Peak waterfalls and lighter traffic.
Experienced by Tom Gainor
12 km from Yosemite Valley
After throwing itself off a cliff a half mile upstream, the Merced river roars under this bridge and down into the gorge beneath Glacier Point. This was taken on a trip from early May 2017. I’ve never seen the water this high. It was absolute insanity. I feel like I have to turn the volume down just looking at this picture.
14 km from Yosemite Valley
Once we got to the top of the Half Dome, I quickly found this spot and asked my wife to go to the edge of the cliff and pose there. I got a confident NO and had to switch roles. That rare case when I’m a model and my wife is a photographer. It played pretty well.