Fred Weyman Wilderness and Landscape Fine Art Photography
Yosemite Falls and Half Dome
When a cloud of mist from the falls created a brief rainbow at my feet, I realized that in an hour or so the rainbow would be in the mist at the base of the falls. Patience was rewarded, and a nice composition of these two landmarks was improved. A few moments later the sun passed behind cliffs, shading most of the scene.
Tenaya Lake
Tenaya Lake (8,150 ft.), the most visited glacial lake in Yosemite, is squeezed in among the exfoliating granite domes and glacial carvings. In the distance are Mt. Clark (left 11,522 ft.), Clouds Rest (center, 9,926 ft.) and Half Dome (right, 8,836 ft.). Olmstead Point a popular scenic stop on Tioga Road is on the far right.
Quarter Domes and Half Dome
Heading south from Tioga Road to Mt Watkins, I was hoping for good sunset views of Cloud's Rest, Tenaya Canyon, and Half Dome. An unexpected element was the pattern of white avalanche chutes on the darker rocks. There were some less obstructed views that showed more of the bottom of the canyon but I included the foreground row of trees because it added some diagonal foreground depth, blocked some less distinct portions of the avalanche chutes, and balanced the line of side-lit forest around Mt. Star King.
Clearing Storm from Glacier Point
Although the worst of this storm had cleared about an hour ago, I was uneasy standing at Glacier Point as dark clouds loomed overhead. But the ranger didn't cancel her evening talk, and at sunset the clouds cleared enough to allow some light on the lingering showers. It would have been nice to move further left to align the rainbow with Half Dome, but at the Glacier Point this isn't possible.
Cherry Creek Canyon
Just outside the northwest border of Yosemite National Park, Cherry Creek descends past Gillette Mountain (left ~8,400 ft.) in the rugged granite of the Emigrant Wilderness. Well below treeline, glacially scoured granite permits few opportunities for trees. My three days in this remote corner of Yosemite is the only Sierra backpacking trip that I never encountered any people.
Matthes Crest
Matthes Lake (9,623 ft.) and its meandering inlet stream reflect Matthes Crest. Tresidder Peak (left, 10,600 ft.) and the Cockscomb (right, 11,065 ft.) complete the morning scene in the Cathedral Range approximately five miles south of Tuolumne Meadows. The erosion resistant phenocrysts (chicken heads) on the foreground rocks are characteristic of the Cathedral Range.
Pywiack Dome, Cathedral Peak
The domes, spires, and knife-edge ridges of the Cathedral Range are a highlight of the drive on Tioga Road (left) as it winds through the Yosemite high country. With Pywiak Dome in the foreground, Mt. Dana (distant, center, 13,053ft), Cathedral Peak (center 10,940 ft.), the Unicorn, and Echo Peaks (right) catch the last light of the day. A portion of Tuolumne Meadows is visible on the far left.
Mt. Watkins Rock Garden
This vast uniform pattern of backlit flowers among the exfoliating granite slabs is on the east slope of Mt. Watkins across Tenaya Canyon from Half Dome. I settled on this composition because it had a good distribution of flowers in the front and mid-ground, and had enough trees to show depth without interrupting the floral pattern.
Mt. Conness Lake
One of the Sierra's many unanticipated surprises was this small (about 150 yards in diameter) unnamed lake; well on it's way to becoming a meadow, on the south slope of Mt. Conness. It is by far the most intricate example of a lake being subdivided by multiple wandering inlet streams that I have seen.
Yosemite Falls
At 1,430 feet, Upper Yosemite Falls is the 2nd highest in North America. Only the smaller and less visible Ribbon Falls, located 3 miles to the west is taller. Yosemite's waterfalls typically have low flows in the winter. However frozen spray on the cliffs gives the impression that Yosemite Falls are gushing. In the Yosemite Creek drainage above the falls the patterns of dark evergreens on a light background appear about the same in summer because the snow is just a little brighter than the light colored granite that it is covering.
Mercur Peak Rock Garden
Mercur Peak (`8,100 ft.) straddles the northwestern boundary of Yosemite National Park. Although this area is well below the treeline, the exposed granite offers few opportunities for plants to take root. Many Island Lake (far right) sits among the scattered lodgepole pines in the headwaters of Kibbie Creek. My three days in this remote corner of Yosemite is the only Sierra backpacking trip that I never encountered any people.
Boundary Lake
According to the map the far left arm of Boundary Lake (~7,500 ft.) is in the Emigrant Wilderness Area and the rest is in Yosemite National Park. The North Fork of Cherry Creek (left) lies about 500 feet below and extends into the heart of the Emigrant Wilderness where glaciers carved granite into a striking landscape with numerous intricately shaped lakes.
Tuolumne Meadows
Before crossing Tioga Road, the Tuolumne River winds through the long, flat meadows of glacially carved Lyell Canyon. This seven mile stretch, paralleled by the John Muir/ Pacific Crest Trail, is one of the most scenic and easy alpine meadow hikes in the Sierra. The variety of colors, vertical and horizontal depth, and the sweeping lines in this small pool capture its clarity and beauty but not the numbing coldness.
