YOSEMITE - ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION - 4

YOSEMITE HIGH COUNTRY

HALF DOME IN THE DAWN SKY w/JUPITER, VENUS AND THE MOON

Today we were off to see a Giant Redwood Grove, Toulumne Grove, and points along the Tioga Pass Road. We first stopped at Valley View, 

EL CAPITAN FROM VALLEY VIEW

and then it was on to the redwood grove, but we could not find a parking place. We pressed on into the high country and stopped at a quiet overlook West of Olmsted Point. Here we stretched our legs, and enjoy a quiet view of Half Dome, Mt. Watkins, and Cloud’s Rest from the North and East from 8500 feet. When you look at Half Dome from the Valley you are viewing it at about 4000 feet, and from the West. While here, Klara led us in some botanizing, sharing the wonders of the innards of a member of the sunflower family with her hand lens which is a 20X magnifier.

Then it was onto Olmsted Point. 

VIEW DOWN TENAYA CANYON

TENACIOUS TREE

DETERMINED

This point is named for both Frederick Law Olmsted, Senior; and his son, Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., landscape architects and conservationists. FLO.Sr. was the architect for Yosemite Valley, and Mariposa Grove in Yosemite. He also was one of the two architects to design Central Park in New York and a number of other urban parks on the East Coast. The Point commands a magnificent view of Tenaya Canyon which culminates in Half Dome to the Southeast. We enjoyed wandering around the overlook and then going on the short trail to the South which took you away from the “maddening crowds”.

We enjoyed our picnic lunch at Tenaya Lake. This is a beautiful lake to the East of Olmsted Point. 

TENAYA LAKE

There are a number of places to stop and set up a picnic on the stony shore. It was a clear and sunny day here and we enjoyed the setting. We then pressed onto the trail for Lembert Dome. Shortly after starting up this trail to Dog Lake we assessed the time of day and what we really want to see: it was 1530 and we really wanted a walk in the Toulumne Redwood Grove.

Having verbalized this it was time to reverse our tracks and head back to the Grove Parking Lot. It took almost an hour to drive back to it. We found a parking spot, and then set out down the trail to the Grove.  Due to the lateness of the hour and oncoming sunset, we were able to enjoy a quiet walk through the grove. We explored the downed tree with a hollow center, as well as the tunnel tree.

A SENSE OF SIZE

KLARA INSIDE A TREE

It is very difficult to photograph in a redwood grove due to the dark canopy. I had not taken my tripod so there are few pictures though with pushing the ISO up I was able to get a couple. I loved the backlit leaves of the dogwood. 

GIANT SEQUOIA

COLORFUL DOGWOOD

BACK LIT

While admiring the tunnel tree a lady asked Klara to take a picture of her and her family. Klara detected an accent and asked where they were from? Hungary! Once again the National Parks draw visitors from all over the world.

EL CAPITAN FROM VALLEY VIEW