We end our series on Yosemite National Park with an image of colorful clouds after sunset and Yosemite Falls in the shadows, but still spectacular.
Category Archives: Yosemite National Park
Moon Over Nevada Fall
Glacier Point at Yosemite National Park offers a spectacular, post-sunset vista with the moon over the landscape and a bright Nevada Fall
Faint Rays on Half Dome
The fading rays of sun on Half Dome at Yosemite National Park
Lingering Rays of Sun at Yosemite
View of Half Dome at Yosemite National Park from Glacier Point in the lingering rays of sun
Glacier Point View at Golden Hour
The beginning of golden hour at sunset at Glacier Point, Yosemite National Park with a glimpse of Nevada Fall on the lower right
Golden Hour on Half Dome
Viewing from Glacier Point the golden rays of the setting sun basking Half Dome in Yosemite National Park
Cloud Formations from Glacier Point
Dramatic and artsy cloud formations over Yosemite National Park from Glacier Point
Falls in Light and Shadow
Nevada Fall captured from Glacier Point in sunlight while Vernal Fall is in shadows at Yosemite National Park
Yosemite Cloud Formations in Monochrome
Spectacular cloud formations over Yosemite National Park from Glacier Point
A Spectacular View
A sweeping view of Yosemite National Park and Nevada Fall from Glacier Point ….
The Half Face of a Mountain
At the head of the valley in Yosemite National Park, as if on a pedestal, stands Half Dome, the most colossal and recognizable rock monument in the Sierra Nevada, smoothly rounded on three sides and a sheer vertical face on the fourth. Half Dome, which stands nearly 8,800 feet above sea level, is composed of quartz monzonite, an igneous rock that solidified several thousand feet within the Earth. Half Dome, is the remains of a magma chamber that cooled slowly and crystallized beneath the Earth’s surface. The solidified magma chamber was then exposed and cut in half by erosion, therefore leading to the geographic name Half Dome.
A Closeup of Half Dome
One of the most recognized natural rocks in the world, Half Dome in Yosemite National Park is even more impressive up close when viewed from Glacier Point.
Half Dome may now be ascended in several different ways. Thousands of hikers reach the top each year by following an 8.5 mi (13.7 km) trail from the valley floor. After a rigorous 2 mi (3.2 km) approach, including several hundred feet of granite stairs, the final pitch up the peak’s steep but somewhat rounded east face is ascended with the aid of a pair of post-mounted braided steel cables.
Eye Level View of Half Dome
Half Dome is a granite dome at the eastern end of Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park, California. It is a well-known rock formation in the park, named for its distinct shape. One side is a sheer face while the other three sides are smooth and round, making it appear like a dome cut in half. The granite crest rises more than 4,737 ft (1,444 m) above the valley floor and stands nearly 8,800 feet above sea level
Half Dome as viewed from Glacier Point (approximately 7,200 feet height).
Glacier Point Vista
Glacier Point is a viewpoint above Yosemite Valley in California. It is located on the south wall of Yosemite Valley at an elevation of 7,214 feet (2,199 m). The point offers a superb view of several of Yosemite National Park’s well-known landmarks including Yosemite Valley, Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, Vernal Fall, Nevada Fall, and Clouds Rest.
Framing Yosemite Falls
Along with Half Dome, Yosemite Falls is the iconic symbol of the grandeur and beauty of Yosemite National Park.
A different view of Yosemite Falls framed by nature ….
Yosemite Falls Reflections
Yosemite Falls is the highest waterfall in Yosemite National Park, dropping a total of 2,425 feet from the top of the upper fall to the base of the lower fall.
Reflections of Yosemite Falls in Merced River.
Half Dome Framed
An early morning hazy, naturally-framed, profile of Half Dome from the Yosemite Valley
A Chapel in Yosemite
Of the structures in public use in Yosemite National Park, the Yosemite Valley Chapel is now the oldest. This little New England style church was built under the sponsorship of the California State Sunday School Association, partly by subscriptions from the children, but mainly from the voluntary contributions of prominent members of the Association.
Although the Chapel continues today primarily as a house of worship, over the years it has become a popular wedding destination due to the spectacular setting and the quaint beauty of the building. The first Chapel wedding took place on October 24, 1884.
Yosemite Falls in Three Layers
The Yosemite Falls consist of three sections:
- Upper Yosemite Fall: The 1,430-foot (440 m) plunge alone is among the twenty highest waterfalls in the world. The upper fall is formed by the swift waters of Yosemite Creek, which, after meandering through Eagle Creek Meadow, hurl themselves over the edge of a hanging valley in a spectacular and deafening show of force.
- Middle Cascades: Between the two obvious main plunges there are a series of five smaller plunges collectively referred to as the Middle Cascades. Most viewpoints in the valley miss them entirely.
- Lower Yosemite Fall: The final 320-foot (98 m) drop adjacent to an accessible viewing area, provides the most-used viewing point for the waterfalls. Yosemite Creek emerges from the base of the Lower Fall and flows into the Merced River nearby.
A View of Yosemite Falls
Yosemite Falls is the highest waterfall in Yosemite National Park, dropping a total of 2,425 feet (739 m) from the top of the upper fall to the base of the lower fall. Located in the Sierra Nevada of California, it is a major attraction in the park, especially in late spring when the water flow is at its peak.