Yosemite Photos, Video and News

Today was the 1st real warm clear day in Yosemite in weeks. There is tons of snow up higher with 10' at Badger Pass Ski Area.

Anybody notice the rebar hanging out where the rockfall was on Hwy 140 from a couple of days ago?

This was from when they rebuilt Hwy 140 in the 90's and their attempt to stabilize the rock and make it a "all year hwy"

Beautiful day in Yosemite after all the heavy rain and snow.

NPS photo of the rocks that fell onto Hwy 140 between Arch Rock Entrance Gate and the Yosemite View Motel COmplex.

Road was closed yesterday, is still closed, and will hopefully open today.

Perfect powder and blue skies at Badger Pass yesterday!

Badger Pass got over a foot of nice powder on Monday night making for nice skiing.

Bracebridge Dinner Practice Photos

There is still plenty of snow in Yosemite Valley, anywhere from 1 to 2 feet. It is hardly the powder type as after a week of warm weather and rain it has really consolidated and is quite firm.

Today we have clouds but no rain yet and they say some rain may move in later with a snow of 7,000' about the elevation of Badger Pass. Hopefully Badger will get snow and not rain for upcoming holidays.

Available at http://www.yosemiteprints.org/p855906307/e1fac53a4

Sunrise on the Tuolumne River, Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite, 10/10

Available for purchase at http://www.yosemiteprints.org/p113810159/e3ffefd71

This was taken way up in the Cathedral Rocks Gully in fall 2009. You are looking at Higher & Lower Cathedral Spires and into Yosemite Valley.

Print available at:
http://www.yosemiteprints.org/p370794413/e1b4612fb

A view of the Merced River looking up towards Little Yosemite Valley with Liberty Cap in the distance, 11/29/10.

Yosemite Valley has 2 to 3' of snow and on the shadow side(Curry Village) it is COLD! The snow has not melted over there and is still in the trees. Over by Yosemite Lodge and Village it is a little bit warmer but still cold.

Bridalveil Falls, Yosemite

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Yosemite received more snow yesterday and with another 5" in Yosermite Valley. It is cold and did snow down almost to El Portal at 2,000'.

All roads have chain controls and are R2.

This view is from Foresta and is looking east into Yosemite Valley with Hwy 120 rising on the far hillside.

The Ahwahnee Hotel with all the new snow, 11/24/10

If you have never experienced Yosemite Valley after a snowstorm bathed in full moon light it is something you must experience.  Go out really late and drive down to the west end of the valley by El Capitan to enjoy the real quietness.

It is so bright you will not need a head lamp and so quiet you can hear sounds from miles away. Last night I was out taking photos at 12am and it was so quiet you could hear all the ice and snow falling off the cliffs. They would fall with a loud roar and then a boom echoing down the valley. These ice falls from the days snow storm were pretty far away but they were so loud it was amazing.

I also could hear a owl somewhere in the meadow and a really weird sounding screech almost like a dinosaur. It must have been some kind of bird as it would be in a tree in the distance and then move to another tree down the meadow. I have never heard anything like it.

This photo is of Yosemite Falls at 12:30 am, notice the stars.

Bridalveil Falls and the Merced River, Yosemite Valley 11/23/10
After the big snow storm

This view is looking down a road in Foresta today after last nights storm. You are looking east into Yosemite and that is El Capitan in the center covered in clouds.

This road goes up to our rental home and has to be plowed by our snowblower every time we get snow.Mariposa County does not want to take responsibly for the plowing. This is a rental home and we pay a 11% fee to the county yet we get no services, no fire protection, no ems, all they do is plow the main road and put huge berms in front of our road.The county plow driver plows 2 miles of road and then just sits there waiting for the snow to pile up again, I caught him sleeping in his truck yesterday when I went to talk to him about the berms! Seems like that time could be better spent.

At least you cant beat the view!

A good little storm came through Yosemite last night and by early this morning the snow was down to the 2,000' level at El Portal on Hwy 140. By mid morning it cleared up somewhat and the snow melted up to the 4,000' level at Yosemite Valley. There is up to 6 inches of snow on the Valley Floor.

Chain controls are up and Hwy 41 was closed for awhile this morning but is now open.

Looks like more storms coming through tonight and tomorrow with more snow.

Now we just have to get NPS to open up the road to Badger Pass so we can go skiing!

Batten down the hatches as the 1st real cold winter storm of the season is bearing down on the west coast. The clouds have dropped and there are a few rain drops already in Yosemite Valley. The snow level is supposed to drop down to 4'000 or lower by Sunday afternoon so have the snow chains ready if you come up this weekend.

At 2pm Tioga Pass was still open but expect it to close any minute.

Here we have some shots of the clouds and Yosemite Valley at 2pm this afternoon.

It is amazing how used the deer are to people as seen here as a family checks out the deer by the Ahwahnee Hotel. This is a great pace to see deer as there are often several deer grazing on the hotel grounds.