There are many people awaiting sunset here, as well as some just
passing this once who stop, take picture, and move on. We were
among the stayers!
Upon the leaving the dam we travelled to Mariposa and checked in at the motel. After unpacking, and preparing for a photographic expedition, we headed off to the park. The journey from Mariposa to the park entrance is 30 miles/48 km. The road follows the Merced River for much of the way, and is pleasantly scenic in a California landscape sort of way.
The plan was to head to Tunnel View a lookout on the road from the valley floor south, ultimately to Fresno. There is a turn off to Glacier Point along the way; that area would be for tomorrow. Tunnel View is an excellent place to watch sunset creep along the valley, so our late arrival was a good use of the time. The 'tunnel' after which the lookout is named, was opened in 1933, and positioned to provide an excellent view of the valley, especially at sunset.
There are many people awaiting sunset here, as well as some just
passing this once who stop, take picture, and move on. We were
among the stayers!
The sun is already leaving the valley, as the car park area is now
in the shade. The granite cliff on the left is
El Capitan\,
, the nearest group of peaks on the right is
Three Brothers, while
Half Dome
is directly "above" the top of the pointy tree in the middle of the picture!
The dark area of rock on the cliff below the middle of Three Brothers is
Bridalview Falls, which has a low flow at this time of the year.
The resident squirrels know where to come to score food! I doubt
that one is supposed to feed them, though I suspect there may be a few
people who do.
This ponderosa pine shows how determined trees are to grow in less than
ideal locations, such as this pocket of dirt among the granite rocks forming
this mountain.
Jeffrey all set up to take panorama style photos of the valley as night falls.
The other photographer, with somewhat less substantial photographic paraphenalia.
Bridalveil Falls. The end of summer is the driest time of the year, and so
there is little water flowing over the falls. We visited the base of the
falls tomorrow.
Getting There
Sunset in the Valley
Reunion