Looking back at photos from our 2010 trip to Yosemite National Park feels a little unreal now. What makes Yosemite unforgettable is not just the scenery, but the sheer scale of it.
On the very first day, we stopped at Tunnel View and spent a long time simply taking in the magnificent vista before us. This view has become almost synonymous with Yosemite because of Ansel Adams and his famous 1930s photograph, Clearing Winter Storm. Not only is it one of the most iconic photographs of Yosemite, it is probably one of the most famous images in Adams’ remarkable body of work. And even after seeing the photograph, nothing prepared us for that first glimpse of the valley. El Capitan stood tall on one side, Half Dome rose in the distance, and the thin ribbon of Bridalveil Fall shimmered beside the cliffs. Seejo immediately tried to capture the same photograph. The weather on our first day was bright and clear, beautiful in its own way, though very different from the dramatic skies in Adams’ image. We simply could not recreate the ominous clouds that gave the original photograph its mood and intensity. Then Yosemite decided to surprise us.
Almost in response to Seejo’s wish, the weather changed overnight. Rain fell through the night, and by morning there was a gentle drizzle and fog hanging in the air. The mist wrapped itself around the valley, transforming Yosemite into something that looked straight out of a fairy tale. The overnight rain had also added volume to the waterfalls, making both Yosemite Falls and Bridalveil Fall even more spectacular.
That evening we returned to Tunnel View, along with what seemed like half the photographers in the park. Everyone appeared to be waiting for the perfect combination of clouds, fog, and fading light. One couple looked fully prepared to stay there indefinitely if necessary. We took our own photographs too, inspired by Adams and hoping to capture even a fraction of Yosemite’s magic.
In between all this, we photographed Mirror Lake, Valley View, the Merced River winding through the valley, the scenic New Priest Grade Road, and the beautiful multi-layered Yosemite Falls.
Looking back now, more than a decade later, trips like this also feel like a reminder of why protecting places like Yosemite and our National Parks matters so much. They are places where we can experience nature in all its glory, and where the same iconic sights admired by Ansel Adams almost a century ago can still be passed down for future generations, hopefully one day for our own kids to experience too.