The Changing Weather!

Mixed day weather wise today, started off literally in a cloud then some fog finally sun and ending with rain and snow!  Explored a little more of the park, hiking up the Yosemite Falls trail, to Columbia Rock and then onto the base of Yosemite Falls.  

I have to admit, the hike up to the base of the falls was a little harder than I thought.  I’m blaming it on the altitude though.  Mostly cloudy and windy, couldn’t even see Half Dome.  But after photographing the falls from different places the sun popped out.  Since by then it was close to noon, we got the nice rainbow at the base of the falls you see in the above image.  Definitely worth the hike!

After lunch, I wandered around the base of Bridalveil Falls and found that shooting from the bridges crossing the outflow, there were plenty of opportunities to slow the water down into that creamy look.  The colors in some of the rocks were amazing.  I spent  most of my time there instead of up at the falls.

On the way back to the car I noticed how much the sky was clouding up and stopped to shoot El Capitan with the more dramatic sky.

I ended the day at Tunnel View, one of the iconic views in Yosemite.  As you enter the park, you drive through the Wawona tunnel and this is the first thing you see.  On the left is El Capitan, far back in the center is Half Dome and on the right Bridalveil Falls.  From the sunny skies at Yosemite falls earlier in the afternoon to falling temps and some snow at sunset.  At one point you couldn’t see up the valley and the wind coming down through the valley was actually blowing the water in Bridalveil Falls back up over the top!  When the wind stopped, it looked like somebody just flipped the switch and the water started flowing again.

be sure to click on the images to see them bigger!