Clearing storm from Tunnel View, 5:03 p.m. last Sunday.
The storm last weekend in Yosemite was a big one: almost four inches of liquid (rain and snow) fell in Yosemite Valley, and Badger Pass, at 7200 feet, got four feet of new snow. Of course one storm, even a large one, isn’t enough to make up for the months of dry weather preceding it; Yosemite has now received about 67% of average precipitation since last July. But the waterfalls got a noticeable boost, there’s a decent snowpack in the high country, and conditions seem more normal—more like a typical March.
Last Saturday night about seven inches of snow fell at my house in Mariposa. At daybreak on Sunday the skies were overcast, but it had stopped snowing, and I decided to try light-painting the beautiful manzanita bush outside my office. I hope the warm lighting in this photograph (below) looks pretty natural, like early-morning sunlight, but it was actually created well before sunrise with a flashlight.
I drove up to Yosemite Valley on Sunday afternoon, hoping to catch the storm clearing, and the valley looked like a winter wonderland. I arrived at Tunnel View just in time to catch the last break in the snow showers that day, with some great clouds boiling over the valley (above). Then another snow squall moved in, blocking the light, and the view. My friend Kirk and I waited, hoping for another break, but it started snowing harder, and eventually we had to give up.
One of the waterfalls that got a boost from the storm was Horsetail Fall. My private workshop student Adarsh and I photographed a rainbow on Horsetail Wednesday morning, and then watched a spectacular show that afternoon as the wind blew spray off the fall (below). At times the spray reached at least a thousand feet above the top of the cliff.
Meanwhile, down in the Merced River Canyon west of the park, the redbud are beginning to bloom. A few have fully blossomed, but most are still just budding out. They should look great in another week or so. There’s also a nice display of poppies across the river from Highway 140 about three miles east of Briceburg. So far this display doesn’t approach the spectacular bloom in March of 2009, but it’s still a beautiful sight.
Another weather system is forecast to reach us this weekend. It won’t be as strong, but Yosemite Valley could get some snow Sunday night.
—Michael Frye
Light-painted manzanita outside my office, 6:54 a.m. last Sunday
Windblown Horsetail Fall, 5:26 p.m. Wednesday
Related Posts: Rare Winter Storm Headed for Yosemite; Winter Storm Warning for Yosemite
Michael Frye is a professional photographer specializing in landscapes and nature. He is the author and photographer of The Photographer’s Guide to Yosemite, Yosemite Meditations, and Digital Landscape Photography: In the Footsteps of Ansel Adams and the Great Masters, plus the eBooks Light & Land: Landscapes in the Digital Darkroom, and Exposure for Outdoor Photography. He has written numerous magazine articles on the art and technique of photography, and his images have been published in over thirty countries around the world. Michael has lived either in or near Yosemite National Park since 1983, currently residing just outside the park in Mariposa, California.
Michael, thank you for all the information about what’s happening in Yosemite! Love the images you post.
A few words about how quickly water can affect ones safety. Don’t cross any water flows.
Last Monday, the Lower Yosemite Fall Visitor area had water and frazzle ice overflowing across the paved path in numerous places. I walked the path toward the Lower Fall. Reached a place with a one-inch flow of water. Walked over the water on the path and took a few shots. The next water overflow was too fast looking so I turned back. But, the small flow had turned into a much deeper and much faster flow. It took only about 5-10 minutes for the change. The snow-covered ground looked like a way around the water flow. Walked on the snow well away from the water flows. I punched through the snow into cold water about pants-pocket deep. Surprisingly, I could not immediately get free. Luckily, I had a tripod and used it as support and got out. But I was still on the wrong side of the water flow. Eventually crossed a log to a safe area. I was wearing Ice Trekkers foot grippers that gave traction on the bark-less log.
Thanks for the warning Al. Frazil ice presents a special problem, since it can block watercourses and change their flow rapidly. And as you found out, it can look like something solid enough to walk on, but it’s not. So caution is definitely required around Frazil ice.
Actually, I walked on the snow, quite a distance away from the water flow. I think the water had tunneled under the snow, similar to a lava tube. Broke through the snow into the waterflow. I certainly will be more cautious in the future!
Frazil ice can look like snow, or perhaps there was a layer of snow over the frazil ice. Either way I’d bet you were walking on frazil ice, as I’ve never seen a creek channel tunnel under snow that way, but it happens all the time with frazil ice.
Thanks for the explanation of the snow-like surface and of the creek tunneling under it.
Michael,
The black and white from Tunnel View at the top of this post is just stunning. Really fantastic.
Rick
Thanks Rick!
Love the Horsetail shot…
Thank you Eric!
Thanks for posting the pictures & all the Yosemite info! You are so fortunate to live so close to such a beautiful & glorious place!
Thanks Connie – I am fortunate indeed!
I love snow in the valley. I thought I would share a view of Horsetail being kicked up by the wind. i captured this early in my digital days and wish I knew then what I know now about noise, etc… But I am still in awe at the sight.
sorry forgot the pic
http://ksb.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Horestail-Falls/G0000EWDoIXI7SfA/I0000tkH1O9YprTU
Thanks for sharing this – great view.
Fantastic, as always!
Thank you Susanne!
Thanks for taking us through a winter photo journey in one of the best places on earth
You’re welcome Nancy – thanks!
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*sigh*
Not really. But man, oh, man, oh man! I am so upset I wasn’t there for this. But I’m glad you were there and got this stunner. Nice work, Michael!
I’ve blogged it over at the Little Red Tent, with full credit and link back to here.
LOL Edie! As a workshop student once said to me, “If you can’t make your friends jealous, what’s the point of photography?” 🙂 Wish you had been there.
*snork!* That’s one sassy student you had! *grin* BTW, stroll on over to the LRTblog and take a gander at the rainbow I got tonight. It would have made a certain “Yosemite bear” reach for his peace pipe. 😉
Then get back to the Icy sign and get some more non-iconic Horsetail shots!
Double rainbow all the way Edie! Nice one.
All your images look great, but your Horsetail Falls shot is a a new classic, a masterpiece for sure! Wow! You real captured a gem. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks very much Richard! It was certainly an amazing show to witness.
Love the Winter Storm photograph and the Horsetail in Wind. Your work is beautiful!!!
Thank you Christine!
Well, you’ve certainly made me jealous! I never tire of seeing clearing storms from Tunnel View…especially with a coating of snow. The spray off of Horsetail is fantastic. But it does seem rather ironic that one moment you are mentioning the snow, and then the next moment redbuds blooming! The weather has certainly been odd.
Here in the Chicago area, some meteorologist predicted last fall that we would have the most bitter winter the area’s had in a while. Humph. Mildest is more like it…and now the meteorologist is theorizing that all the debris from the tsunami cause the mild winter.
Anyway…jealous jealous jealous…:D
Thanks Vivienne! 🙂 Strange weather indeed, though as you know it’s not unusual around here to encounter snow and flowers in close proximity. Lots of elevation differences. In ’09 I wrote about my surprise at seeing poppies in the Merced Canyon on February 21st after photographing a snowy morning in Yosemite Valley:
https://www.michaelfrye.com/2009/02/21/snow-and-poppies/
Beautiful photographs Micheal. Love the wind blown horsetail falls.
I was in the valley on Sunday (around noon to 6) and the during the break in the storm at 5, I was in El Capitan meadow ( it was a brief one). A 4 hr drive back home made me heck back soon after, but some heavy snow and rains further west almost guaranteed that the sunset would be ruined. But still I did check the webcams couple of time just to make sure nothing special happened 🙂
Thanks Sudhi! Glad you were able to catch some clearing storm stuff too. And driving out of the valley during that heavy snow squall was challenging!
Hi Michael,
Incredible work.
I really am blown away by your B&W photo entitled “Windblown Horsetail Fall”.
Looks like Yosemite is getting blasted with some more snow right now.
http://www.yosemiteconservancy.org/webcams
I’m going on a late afternoon photo & video shoot of a Wood Stork breeding colony here in North FL, where the temp is a balmy 80 degrees.
Less than 2 months till my next trip to Yosemite! 🙂
Take care.
Paolo
Thanks very much Paolo! Yes, there’s some precip in the area, but it doesn’t seem like a big storm. Good luck with the wood storks, and your upcoming trip to Yosemite.
First time stopping by. Terrific shots, especially the black and white images.
Thanks for stopping by Rick, and for the kind words!
Wow, that is gorgeous.
I like the light painting too. It looks really natural and keeps the warm / cool color contrast nicely.
Thanks John!