Category Archives: Yosemite

Is Rock Stacking Graffiti?

Posted on December 22, 2012

I wrote recently about people feeling free to scratch their names into the salt beds at Badwater in Death Valley National Park and whether we should be ambivalent toward this “temporary” graffiti. Even if nature can eventually erase it, doesn’t it just encourage others to mark more areas of our national parks with their names where it’s not nearly as easy for nature to remove the graffiti? Here is another one of those questions that I recently began to wonder … Continue reading →

Posted in National Parks, Yosemite | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Dry Yosemite National Park

Posted on November 9, 2012

I stopped by to visit Yosemite National Park a couple of weeks ago, and for the first time, I ran into a dry Yosemite. When you see all those spectacular photos of Yosemite Falls, you might forget that the beautiful scene isn’t constant. Depending on the amount of snowfall the region receives during the winter, it’s not uncommon for Yosemite Falls to go dry in the late summer or early autumn. While the valley is still spectacular, for anyone who … Continue reading →

Posted in National Parks, Yosemite | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tightrope Over Yosemite Falls

Posted on October 21, 2011

I was looking at some videos of national parks when I stumbled across this video of a German man who apparently decided that it would be a good idea to tightrope across the top of Upper Yosemite Falls a couple of summers ago. Luckily he had the sanity to place a safety line to the tightrope which he ended up needing. Even with the safety line, my teeth were clinched the entire time watching this…

Posted in National Parks, Yosemite | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Rock Climbing Sentinel With No Ropes Video Yosemite National Park

Posted on October 2, 2011

I just can’t imagine how anyone could do this without totally freaking out. 60 Minutes cameras were rolling when Alex Honnold free-solo climbed Sentinel (a 1,600-foot rock wall at Yosemite National Park) using nothing more than his hands and feet. That’s right — he is up there on that rock face without any ropes to complete a feat never done before. Just watching makes me dizzy:

Posted in National Parks, Yosemite | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Bear Cubs Wrestling at Yosemite National Park

Posted on September 24, 2011

In July 2011, hikers returning from a hike in Hetch Hetchy suddenly stumbled on two bear cubs in the middle of the road and their mother off to the side. The caught the action on video: While seeing bears is not a usual occurrence at Yosemite, there is always the possibility as the road signs warn:

Posted in National Parks, Yosemite | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Half Dome View Yosemite National Park

Posted on September 9, 2011

As you drive along Tioga Road from Crane Flat toward the Tuolumne Meadows at Yosemite National Park, there will be a small, unmarked turn out a few hundred feet before you reach Olmsted Point. The turnout only fits a few cars at most and it’s easy to pass. Trees block the view until you are already directly in front of the turnout, but by that time most cars are traveling too fast to make the stop. If you do manage … Continue reading →

Posted in National Parks, Yosemite | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

10 Oldest National Parks

Posted on September 2, 2011

I received an email asking me “what are the 10 oldest national parks?” The first National Park was Yellowstone created in 1872. Number two was Sequoia National Park in 1890 along with Yosemite National Park the same year. While Kings Canyon National Park was established in 1940, it’s included with Sequoia National Park (they are connected) because Kings Canyon National Park incorporated General Grant National Park when it was created. General Grant National Park was established in 1890 to protect … Continue reading →

Posted in Crater Lake, Glacier, Haleakalā, Hawaii Volcanoes, Lassen Volcanic, Mesa Verde, Mount Rainier, National Parks, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia, Wind Cave, Yellowstone, Yosemite | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Motor Fire Yosemite National Park: First Hand Account & Photos

Posted on August 28, 2011

There has been a fire nicknamed the Motor Fire (because it started when a motorhome caught on fire. The motorhome ended up catching the roadside foliage on fire which spread out of control into the current fire) burning just outside Yosemite National Park which has closed down highway 140 (the main entrance into Yosemite). I happened to drive through Yosemite today coming in from highway 120. The entire ride up you could see forest fire haze hanging in the air … Continue reading →

Posted in National Parks, Yosemite | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Yosemite Lower Falls Photo

Posted on June 20, 2011

Submitted by: Deepti Impressions: Beautiful — a glimpse of Heaven! My must-sees: The Tunnel View Outlook, The Mirror Lake Trail, Lower Yosemite Falls Trail. Yosemite Lower Falls Deepti also had this to say: The Tunnel View Outlook is extremely beautiful! The interesting thing about it is that no two views are same. It keeps changing as the clouds & fog keep drifting around.

Posted in National Parks, Yosemite | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Yosemite Falls

Posted on May 7, 2011

If you go to Yosemite, one of the highlights of the trip will be seeing Yosemite Falls. It’s highest measured waterfall in North America with a drop of 2,425 feet (739 meters) and the sixth (sometimes now listed as seventh with the discovery of Gocta Cataracts) highest measured waterfall in the world. While it appears from Yosemite Valley that Yosemite Falls consist of a two-stage drop of Upper Yosemite Falls and Lower Yosemite Falls, there is actually a Yosemite Falls … Continue reading →

Posted in National Parks, Yosemite | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment