Photo Tips USA – Yosemite NP

„… That first impression of the valley – white water, azaleas, cool fir hollows, tall pines and stout oaks, cliffs towering to unimagined heights, the poignant sounds and smells of the Sierra, the whirling bustle of the stage stop at Camp Curry with its confusing activities of porters, tourists, office workers and mountain chickens, and the dark green-bright atmosphere of our tent – was an experience so intense it was almost painful. Since that day in 1916, my life has been shaped and modulated by the great earthy shape of the Sierra.“
Ansel Adams, Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada

• Elevations between 1230 m (4,035 ft) in Yosemite Valley, 3031 m (9,944 ft) at Tioga Pass and 3997 m (13,113 ft) at Mount Lyell
• An average of 3.7 million visitors per year, 90% only visit Yosemite Valley and stay less than a day there
• The main months of visitation are between May and August

How, Where, What

What a valley! You can only guess the river’s slight bend between the dense green firs at the valley’s bottom from the height of the Tunnel View Point. If you hear the conversations up here about the hustle and bustle in the tents, cabins, and hotels down in the valley, you don’t take them at face value. The walls of the gorge staring at each other over a short distance can hardly be called symmetrical, yet they complement each other to form a natural whole. After looking at the entirety of the impressive panorama, one’s gaze falls on the large landmarks in the foreground and background. If the first glance was perhaps fleeting, now at the latest, the two mighty rock faces attract all attention, becoming larger and larger and suddenly embodying all the granite of the Sierra. They are high and massive. Their rock is of an almost unworldly gray color, the cheek of one slightly grained, that of the other smooth as if cut with a knife. You can hear their names from the scraps of words spoken by the bystanders: El Capitan is the name of the closest one, Half Dome the distant one. One would like to call out „well-chosen“ but refrains from doing so in order not to ruin the moment.

Like many other valleys in the Sierra, Yosemite Valley was carved out of granite by the force of glaciers. They also provided the memorable faces of Half Dome and El Capitan

Yosemite, the name has a strangely familiar sound. Almost everyone has read about this park or seen pictures. The reports are largely laudatory, and the photos showcase a breathtakingly beautiful landscape, with each photo highlighting a different aspect. It is not without good reason that many ideas and ideals are associated with this place, as Yosemite National Park offers a scenic summary of the entire Sierra Nevada in a relatively small area.

With the changing of the seasons, a varied picture emerges: spring is the time of snowmelt in the higher elevations. The excess water and rising temperatures provide fresh shoots in the valley beginning in April, causing the waterfalls to swell dramatically by mid-May. The Merced River (pronounced „Mer-zed„) takes on the floodwaters and carries them out of the canyon in a wider bed. The fast-flowing water is particularly well suited for long exposure studies. Tioga Road (Rt-120) and Glacier Point do not reopen until after the snow melts in May. The summer months see the highest volume of visitors to Yosemite Valley, which is only 1,6 km (0.9 mi) wide and 11 km (6.8 mi) long. By the end of July, Yosemite Valley usually exhausts its winter’s snow supply, transforming the recently roaring waterfalls into narrow veils of spray or ceasing their operation altogether. This calming benefits the small reservoirs in the Merced River, which show such excellent reflections of El Capitan or Half Dome. July warmth helps wildflowers bloom extensively. Foremost, the Toulumne Meadows near Tioga Pass attract visitors. The onset of fall color in early October heralds the valley’s quieter season of vibrant golden foliage, which can peak as early as the beginning of November. By then, at the latest, Tioga Road closes again due to the onset of snowfall at higher elevations. Clearing Winterstorm was the name Ansel Adams gave to one of his most impressive images of the park, and the BW print perfectly captures the impression of freshly fallen snow. Snow continues to fall even in the valley into April, providing exceptional photo opportunities around Merced River, El Capitan, and Mirror Lake. The valley is accessible, but snow chains are often a must.

Directions

Yosemite Valley is located about 306 km (190 mi) east of San Francisco and is easily accessible from that direction via Routes 120, 140, and 41 year-round. Only Rt-120 enters the park from the east via Tioga Pass, but heavy snowfall at high elevations closes it from November through May. During the season, all routes in the park are easily accessible by RVs, although larger vehicles may experience parking bottlenecks due to crowding. Visitor centers can be found open year-round in Yosemite Valley and at the Big Oak Flat entrance on Rt-120, and during the summer months at the South Entrance/Wawona on Rt-41 and near Tuolumne Meadows on Tioga Road.

The high number of visitors has now forced the park administration to restrict access during the season. They call it Peak Hours Plus reservation system in spring, summer, and fall, and it is effective from 05:00 to 16:00. Reservations will be required on weekends from April 13 to June 30 and seven days a week from July 1 to August 16. From August 17 to October 27, weekend reservations will also be required. Each reservation is valid for three days after the date of entry. Most Peak Hours Plus reservations go on sale at the beginning of January. Additional reservations will become available seven days before the arrival date. Fifty percent of the available reservations will be released two days prior to a day-use reservation date for last-minute travelers. Entry conditions are announced at the end of each year and they may change from year to year. But we should not expect them to be as unrestricted as they were, say, ten years ago ever again!

Most of Yosemite Valley is accessible via a one-way road system. Southside Drive bundles Routes 120, 140, and 41 and takes them east along the Merced River into the valley. At the height of Camp Curry, it meets Northside Drive, which runs in the opposite direction past Yosemite Village. Three cross-connections allow you to selectively drive down individual segments of this traffic circle. In the village, you will find the Visitor Center, a museum, the Ansel Adams Gallery, and all the other tourist amenities you might think you need.

Once you arrive, the best way to get around the valley is to take the free shuttle buses that run about every ten minutes on two routes. Both run year-round between 07:00 and 22:00. The park newspaper Yosemite Guide, available free of charge, contains the exact schedule. The Valleywide Shuttle runs on Northside Drive and Southside Drive through the whole valley between El Capitan Meadow, Yosemite Village and Happy Isles. The East Valley Shuttle operates only in the eastern part between Yosemite Village and Happy Isles.

There are 13 campgrounds in the park area, 10 of which are also suitable for RVs. Again, 7 of the 13 can be reserved, and this is highly recommended. For the latest regulations, visit http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/camping.htm. The remaining campsites are allocated on a first come – first served basis. BUT: If you can still be lucky enough to get a campsite or room in or near the valley without a reservation on weekdays in the spring and fall, don’t give this option a second thought in the summer and on weekends the rest of the time. Reservations run long in advance for these periods.

If you don’t have a tent or something similar, you can stay in the cabins at Housekeeping Camp, in the tent city at Camp Curry, at Yosemite Lodge, or, most luxuriously, at the Ahwahnee Hotel. Outside the Valley, other options include the Wawona Hotel to the south and White Wolf Lodge and Tuolumne Meadows Lodge on Tioga Road.

Outside the park area, you can still find one or two campgrounds in the adjacent National Forests, as well as hotels in El Portal on Rt-140 to the west or in Lee Vining on Rt-395.

Restrictions for vehicles apply on the following routes:

• Rt-41/Wawona Road: length maximum 45 ft for single vehicles. Height restriction toward Yosemite Valley 10 ft 2 in. In direction Wawona 13 ft 6 in
• Rt-140/El Portal Road: length maximum 45 ft for single vehicles, 60 ft for sidecars, 35 ft for trailers. Height restriction 12 ft 10 in
• Rt-120/Big Oak Flat Road: length 45 ft for single vehicles. Height restriction in the tunnel in direction Yosemite Valley 10 ft 3 in. In the opposite direction 13 ft 8 in
• Rt-120/Tioga Road: is closed due to snow between November and May. Between Tioga Pass and Rt-395, the roadway rises/falls 760 m (2500 ft) over 13 km (8 mi). As a result, some sections have an 8% grade/slope. Travelers with RVs should keep this in mind and slow down accordingly to avoid overheating the engine. Downhill, it is advisable to use a low gear to avoid overheating the brakes. Also, use the occasional pullout to allow following traffic to overtake.
• Glacier Point Road: length 35 ft for single vehicles behind Sentinel Dome/Taft Point Trailhead, closed between November and May. Overnight parking between Badger Pass and Glacier Point is not permitted between October 15 and the spring opening.
• Mariposa Grove Road: maximum length is 25 ft while shuttles are operating. Trailers are not permitted.
• Hetch Hetchy Road: length maximum 25 ft. Open April 1 – April 30 07:00 – 20:00, May 1 – Labor Day (1st Monday in September) 07:00 – 21:00.

Talking about Bears
Ursus americanus, American black bear, is the name of the species that inhabits the altitudes below 2400 m (7,874 ft) in the Sierra Nevada. As long as they have not lost their natural fear of us humans, they retreat on contact. As long as they are not accustomed to our food, they feed on insects, acorns, grasses, or carrion. Unfortunately, every year, careless visitors leave food or its remnants lying around more or less openly, which in turn attracts the actual wild animals. Later, their very good sense of smell leads them unerringly to the goodies hidden in backpacks, garbage cans, or even cars. At this point, they lose their shyness and become potentially dangerous to us. If possible, such bears are first relocated to remote areas but must be shot if they are repeatedly found. We must not forget that it is not their fault; they just take the path of least resistance, which is not our task to open in the first place. So food belongs in the metal storage containers available at all campsites in the Sierra. For backcountry hikes, you can borrow suitable, smaller versions from visitor centers. Do not leave food or other strong-smelling products, such as toothpaste or sunscreen, in your car, even if it is parked in what should be a busy parking lot. – Experience shows that problem bears are no longer deterred by human presence! Deposit all your garbage in bear-proof, lockable garbage containers. If, despite all precautions, a black bear comes too close, the rangers advise you to react quickly, make loud noises, and throw small stones or sticks. If you are traveling in a group, stand close together and hold branches high above your head to appear taller and more deterrent. Do not corner the animal, however, but always leave an escape route open.

Geographical orientation and the most photogenic times of day

Yosemite National Park encompasses a roughly circular piece of the Sierra Nevada 60 km (37 mi) wide and 80 km (50 mi) long, and is surrounded on all sides by various National Forests.

Yosemite Valley extends south of the centerline marked by Rt-120, slightly northward from west to east, thus recommending itself and the large rock formations for fine side light in the morning and afternoon.

A subalpine plateau extends along Tioga Road (Rt-120). Although the flat light in the morning emphasizes the reflections of the trees in the many small lakes, you can also effectively capture the bright limestone formations at Olmsted Point or Tenaya Lake at midday.

Photographic specialties

Beyond the normal lens selection, it is recommended to pack macro accessories during wildflower season. To be able to stage the small, colorful wonders of nature well illuminated, an unleashed flash or reflector foil can also be useful. A graduated gray filter helps to bridge the large contrast differences between the illuminated cliff tops and the foreground, which is then mostly still or already in shadow, during overviews in the morning and evening.

Motif worlds in Yosemite National Park

A park as large and scenically varied as Yosemite presents a challenge to every traveler. This small systematic should bring some overview into the confusion of formations and viewpoints.

Portraits of the landmarks El Capitan, Half Dome, Three Brothers, Cathedral Rocks and Sentinel Dome at sunrise and sunset with the Merced River, one of the meadows or one of the ubiquitous firs in the foreground.

Overviews of Yosemite Valley and the major formations from higher elevations such as Tunnel View, Inspiration Point, Taft Point, or Glacier Point

Studies of the seasonally more or less active waterfalls

Details from the river courses, e.g., small cascades or whirlpools

Sequoias in Wawona and along the Tioga Road

The alpine landscape along the Tioga Road surprises with great mountain panoramas and fragile reflections in the clear mountain lakes. In summer, there are the wide wildflower meadows of Tuolumne Meadows

Minimum program and daily schedule

Two whole days should be enough in Yosemite Valley to catch not only Glacier Point but also El Capitan in the best light. The bright hours can be easily filled with the viewpoints on North and Southside Drive as well as a hike along the Mist Trail. Plus a night in the high mountain landscape between Toulumne Meadows and Tioga Pass. – Even if it hurts to have to travel on so quickly!

Next Yosemite NP – Motifs along Route 41 – Between Wawona and Yosemite Valley

Next Yosemite NP – Yosemite Valley

Next Yosemite NP – The eastern Valley

Next Yosemite NP – Tioga Road

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