Yosemite ~ A Slice of Heaven on Earth ~ Day 2

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We left Yosemite Valley the first day through the west gate on the road to El Portal.   A soft snow continued to fall until we were well outside the gate and I was envisioning what winter wonderland awaited our return to the valley the next morning.  After a restful night's sleep, we headed back up the road to Yosemite.  Half way up we were greeted with the magical flush of white from the night before that had left a fresh blanket of snow along the Merced River and adjacent mountainsides. 

Before reaching the entrance gate , we came across several deer off to the side of the road.  This big guy seemed unaware of the traffic jam he was creating by people pulling over to get a snap shot of his awesome rack. 

Once inside the gate we headed up to the vista point at Tunnel View.  The road to Glacier Point is closed each year in the Fall due to weather conditions so Tunnel View was the highest point we could observe the valley from the south side.  The weather was freezing with a light rain turning to slush at times. 



 

We noticed icicles had formed where the water had dripped from the rock wall outside the tunnel as we got out of the car to view the valley east through a mist of rainy fog.  El Capitan could be viewed to the left with Bridal Veil falls to the right and Half Dome almost totally obscured by the fog through the opening to the middle.


Our next stop would be a close up view of Bridal Veil Falls.  As we made our way cautiously up the icy walkway, signs of Autumn still clung to the trees around the base of the falls. 

In spite of the freezing weather, Bridal Veil Falls had a sufficient rush of water over the top.  As the water plummeted to the bottom of the falls, frozen patches along the sides left some interesting patterns on the rock cliffs.

We continued our journey towards Upper Pines, found a place to park and hiked in to the Happy Isles Nature Center.  The rain was now turning into snow, covering our footsteps behind us.

Dave and Kathy pose along the trail

The evidence of an Autumn not ready to succumb to the thought of winter continued to present itself in an amazing contrast of color against this wonderland of white. 

We found our way to a  bridge over the Merced River and watched the magical show unfold.  The flakes were coming down harder with each minute,  clinging to the tree branches and continuing to build their caps of snow on the rocks.  For me, this was one of the most beautiful scenes of our day.

After hiking back to the car, we once again headed for the warmth of the Ahwahnee Hotel.  The persistent snow had brought others like ourselves inside to witness the start of the holiday decorations while enjoying the comfort of the lodge and its incredible view of the snow covered meadows outside.

Mom, Me, Kathy and Dave at the Ahwahnee

Once it appeared that the snow had lightened up, we decided to venture out into the meadow.    The Royal Arches in back of the Ahwahnee were barely visible through the mist.

As the snow continued to lighten, we decided to head over to Lower Yosemite Falls and make the hike up to the base.  We came across another of Yosemite's deer herds with this healthy buck drawing quite a crowd in the vicinity of the parking area.

Mom joined us as we walked the path to the lower falls, stopping here and there enroute.

Finally we could here the sound of the falling water and there in the path in front of us was the overlook to Lower Yosemite Falls.  The inner warmth brought on by the beauty of this scene overrode the chill we were feeling from the falling snow and freezing temperatures.

These were the last snapshots of the day and a fond remembrance of how wonderful it was to share this slice of heaven called Yosemite with family.   Our first visit there as a family was sometime during the late 1950s.  They no longer push the fireball over Glacier Point in the evening as they once did and buses now transfer the bulk of people from sight to sight; however, the magic and the beauty of this valley still lingers, unchanged, no matter the year, no matter the season.  

I leave you with an excerpt taken from a letter John Muir wrote to Mrs. Ezra Carr November 15, 1869 

“I must return to the mountains-to Yosemite. I am told that the winter storms there will not be easily borne, but I am bewitched, enchanted, and tomorrow I must start for the great temple to listen to the winter songs and sermons preached and sung only there.”. . . . .John Muir

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