Yosemite Photo Updates

by Michael Frye

(Note: the location numbers below refer to places described in Michael Frye's book, The Photographer's Guide to Yosemite. This book is available through the Yosemite Store.)

September 29, 2004 April 20, 2004 April 14, 2004 April 10, 2004 May 2, 2003 April 2, 2003 February 5, 2003 November 4, 2002 October 8, 2002 May 3, 2002 March 28, 2002 February 2002 November 14, 2001 October 17, 2001 June 20, 2001 June 27, 2001 July 3, 2001

Aspens in Lundy Canyon About Michael Frye Michael Frye is a widely published photographer who has lived in Yosemite Valley since 1983. He is the author of the Photographer's Guide to Yosemite, published by Yosemite Association. This book can be ordered through the Yosemite Store. As a supplement to the book, Michael will be writing periodic reports for this web site on some of the best current photo opportunities in the park.You can e-mail Michael with questions about photography in Yosemite at michael@michaelfrye.com.

September 29, 2004 - Early Fall Report

It's been a typical autumn so far. Aspens are turning at higher elevations (8,000 - 10,000 feet) on the eastern side of the Sierra, but otherwise there's not much color yet.

During the first two weeks of October we should see a lot more color in the eastern Sierra canyons as mid- and low-elevation aspens start to turn. The middle of October is the usual peak time for fall on the east side, but it all depends on the weather. An early cold snap can make the trees suddenly turn, but a windy storm could strip off all the yellow leaves. On the other hand a warm spell can delay the peak until the third or fourth week of October. You can check back here for further updates, but if you need to plan an aspen photography trip in advance aim for mid-October.

Almost every eastern Sierra canyon has aspens. Lee Vining Canyon (location 35) is a great spot that lies just east of Yosemite's eastern entrance. Lundy Canyon (location 36) is another prime location just a little farther north.

Autumn in Yosemite Valley arrives later; peak fall color is usually in early November, although in some years it can occur at the end of October. While Yosemite's forests are dominated by conifers, the valley gets color from black oaks, cottonwoods, big-leaf maples, and dogwoods.
Most of these trees turn yellow or gold, but the dogwoods can also become orange, red, or pink. The Tuolumne Grove of giant sequoias (location 25) has a dogwood understory which, because of its higher elevation, turns color earlier than the dogwoods in Yosemite Valley -- usually during the third or fourth week of October.

Check back here for more updates as fall progresses.

April 20, 2004 - Dogwoods at Photographic Peak

Despite cooler weather, many dogwoods have bloomed within the last few days, and most of the dogwoods in Yosemite Valley are flowering. The blossoms are fresh and not yet hidden by leaves, so conditions for photography are perfect. If you want to photograph dogwoods, come soon -- by this weekend (4/24-25) at the latest. If you can't make it that
soon, there's still hope, as the blossoms will remain for two or three more weeks, although they will become somewhat tattered and hidden by leaves. But dogwoods at higher elevations bring out their flowers later. The Tuolumne Grove of giant sequoias has a beautiful dogwood understory that should be blooming in late April and early May.

Most of the deciduous trees have sprouted new green leaves. Cool temperatures have slowed the snow melt, but warmer weather is predicted for later this week, so the waterfalls should be flowing at high volume again. It's a beautiful time in Yosemite Valley.

April 14, 2004 - Dogwood Follow-up

Recent cooler weather has slowed the dogwood bloom, so my prediction for a mid-April peak was a bit optimistic. Right now about half the Yosemite Valley dogwoods are blooming. With cool, showery weather predicted for the next few days, it will be at least another week before most dogwoods have flowers. But for photography it's better to be early than late, and there are plenty of photogenic dogwoods right now.

April 10, 2004 - Dogwoods Blooming Early
copyright 2004, Michael Frye

Change is constant here in Yosemite. While last spring was wet and cold, this year we've had warm, dry weather since the beginning of March, and all the seasonal events are ahead of schedule.

In a "typical" spring, the first dogwood blos-soms arrive in late April, along with fresh new leaves on the deciduous trees. But this year I've al-ready seen oaks, cotton-woods, and maples leafing out, and a few dogwoods in full bloom.

Since the forecasts predict more fair weather, I'd guess that nearly all of the dogwoods will be flowering by mid-April, and most of the deciduous trees should be sprouting new green leaves at the same time. Although the dogwood blossoms will remain for several more weeks, they are most photogenic when the flowers are young. So if you want to photograph dogwoods, don't wait until May! I'll post more precise
predictions here as the season progresses, but for now mid-April looks like a good bet.

The warm weather has been melting the high country snow at a rapid rate, and the waterfalls are roaring. But since the snowpack is below average, the faucet might be turned off early. Peak water flow typically arrives in late May or early June, but this year the highest water could come in early May or even late April. Right now the waterfalls are beautiful, and April is a particularly good month to photograph Bridalveil and Vernal falls, both of which receive late afternoon sunlight this time of year.

May 2, 2003 - Reluctant Spring
copyright 2003, Michael Frye

Due to a wet and cool April, spring is late. Usually by late April the dogwoods are starting to bloom, but so far I can't find a single flowering dogwood in Yosemite Valley. Some have buds, but the best display is still at least two weeks away. And while a few alders and cottonwoods have opened new leaves, most of the deciduous trees only have buds, so we're missing the bright green and gold colors that typically make late April so photogenic. I expect to see a lot more new leaves within the next week.

In the mean time, there are many other things worth photographing. Nice late-afternoon sunlight strikes Bridalveil Fall about an hour-and-a-half before sunset (about 6:30 p.m.) in May and June. A good spot to see and photograph this light is from a turnout along Northside Drive across the river from Bridalveil. This turnout is 3.3 miles west of Yosemite Lodge, on the left side of the road just past El Capitan Meadow (location 4). Another good view is right from the Bridalveil Fall parking lot (location 7). Rainbows can be seen from this spot around 5 to 6 p.m. during May. If you don't mind getting wet, leave the parking lot and take the short trail up to Bridalveil's base, where you'll find rainbows appearing from about 4 to 6 p.m. (perhaps even later).

The best light on Upper Yosemite Fall occurs around 10 a.m. and about 3 to 4 p.m. Cook's Meadow (location 12) provides some nice vantages for this waterfall, or try going to Swinging Bridge (location 10, along Southside Drive, the one-way road that leads into the valley).

The Mist Trail to Vernal Fall is still closed -- another sign of a late spring. The good news here is that our winter's precipitation is now above average, there is lots of snow in the high country, and the waterfalls should be roaring well into June.

April 2, 2003 - Flowers and Waterfalls
copyright 2003, Michael Frye

The redbud bushes are blooming in the Merced River Canyon, just west of Yosemite. They are at their photographic peak right now, with branches full of magenta blossoms, but no leaves yet. Redbud can be found all along Highway 140 from El Portal west to Briceburg, and also across the river along Incline Road (location 17).

Unfortunately, few other flowers are blooming. A patch of poppies can be found near the start of the Hite's Cove trail (location 18), but otherwise poppies are scarce, as are other typical foothill wildflowers like goldfields and lupine. Since the weather has been so warm, I would expect the poppies to be peaking by now, so it looks like a poor flower year in the foothills west of the park.

In Yosemite Valley, conditions are typical for early spring: a
moderately high amount of water in the falls, the meadows just starting to turn green, and the deciduous trees still bare. The best flower display in Yosemite Valley is the dogwoods, which typically start blooming in late April and peak in early May. They may be slightly early this year. Most of the other Valley flowers don't bloom until June or July.

Throughout April, golden, late-afternoon sunlight strikes Bridalveil Fall about an hour before sunset. A good spot to see and photograph this light is from a turnout along Northside Drive across the river from Bridalveil (location 4). This turnout is 3.3 miles west of Yosemite Lodge, on the left side of the road just past El Capitan Meadow. Another good view is right from the Bridalveil Fall parking lot (location 7). Rainbows can be seen from this spot around 5 to 6 p.m. (daylight savings time) during April. If you don't mind getting wet, leave the parking lot and take the short trail up to Bridalveil's base, where you'll find rainbows appearing from about 4 to 6 p.m. (perhaps even later).

February 5 , 2003 - Waterfalls and Snow
copyright 2003, Michael Frye

No snow has fallen in Yosemite Valley since December. The few patches that are left look old and dirty, so don't expect the valley to look like a winter wonderland until we get more storms.

But does that mean there's nothing to photograph? Hardly. Warm temperatures are melting high elevation snow, producing better-than-average flow in the waterfalls. Conditions for photographing Yosemite Falls are unusually good, with plentiful water and beautiful early morning light. You can see rainbows on the upper fall between about 7:30 and 8:30 a.m. from Cooks's Meadow (location 12), and a little later from the Ahwahnee Meadow (between Yosemite Village and The Ahwahnee Hotel).

It's too early to tell whether it will be a good year to photograph Horsetail Fall (location 1). During the last half of February this small, ephemeral waterfall at the eastern edge of El Capitan can be backlit by the setting sun, making the waterfall glow a brilliant orange color. Some people have called this a natural "firefall."

But unlike Yosemite Falls, which is fed by a large watershed, Horsetail Fall drains a very small area on top of El Capitan -- probably less than a square mile. Since January has been so dry, most of the snow from this area has melted. Without snow to melt, there is no water source for this fall, so the current water volume is low. If February brings snow, conditions for photographing Horsetail Fall will be
excellent, but if not this will be the second year in a row without this natural firefall.

November 4, 2002
copyright 2002, Michael Frye

Fall color is near its peak in Yosemite Valley. The dogwoods, big-leaf maples, and cottonwoods are beautiful right now, with the dogwoods turning red and gold, and themaples and cottonwoods turning yellow. Some of the oaks are a vivid gold color, but many need to incubate for another week or so.

November, December, and January are the best months to photograph Half Dome.

 

 

 

Dogwoods and maples are understory trees, found along the Merced River and in shady areas throughout Yosemite Valley. Some of the best black oak groves are found in El Capitan Meadow (location 3) and Cook's Meadow (location 12), while cottonwoods line the banks of the Merced River.

On the east side of the Sierra, the aspens are now mostly bare, but patches of color may still be found in Lee Vining Canyon (location 35), Lundy Canyon (location 36), and around the June Lake loop. The Tioga Pass and Glacier Point roads are still open as I write this, but will close with the first significant storm.

Of course, in addition to pretty leaves, Yosemite has one or two rocks worth photographing. November, December, and January are the best months to photograph Half Dome and El Capitan. From late afternoon until sunset, low-angle sunlight highlights the texture on the face of Half Dome (try locations 11 and 12). Late in the day, El Capitan is also flushed with warm light (try location 5).

October 8, 2002
copyright 2002, Michael Frye

It's October, so I should be reporting on fall color, but there is little color to report -- yet. I made a brief trip to the eastern Sierra over the weekend. There were earlier accounts of good color at high elevations, but a snowstorm last week seems to have stripped the high country aspens of their leaves. At lower elevations the trees are mostly still green, but show signs of turning soon. I would guess that the middle and lower elevation aspens will reach their peak color around October 20th; however, more storms or cold weather could cause the leaves to turn brown and fall off earlier.

When and if the leaves do change, some of the prettiest aspen groves can be found in Lundy Canyon (location 36), Lee Vining Canyon (location 35), and the June Lake Loop (west of Highway 395 between Mammoth and Lee Vining).

Autumn seems to be right on schedule here in Yosemite Valley, which means the peak color should appear around the end of October and beginning of November. The park's lone (non-native) sugar maple across from the chapel is starting to turn red, but this tree is always one of the first change. The middle of the month should be a good time to visit the Tuolumne Grove of giant sequoias (location 25), where the dogwood understory will be turning red and gold. Lower down in Yosemite Valley the dogwoods and big-leaf maples (which turn yellow) usually change during the last two weeks of October, while the black oaks and cottonwoods typically turn gold and yellow (respectively) during the first two weeks of November.

May 3, 2002
copyright 2002 by Michael Frye

The dogwoods are right on schedule this year. Most are now blooming, lthough a few laggards remain. The next two weekends (May 4-5 and 11-12) should be excellent for dogwood photography. Blossoms should still be visible until at least the third week in May, but by then will look bedraggled. These trees are found in shady areas throughout Yosemite Valley, but are particularly abundant around Pohono Bridge (location 6 at the valley's west end) and Happy Isles.

Once the dogwoods in Yosemite Valley start to wilt, try heading for the Tuolumne Grove of giant sequoias (location 25). Dogwoods are abundant there, but since this grove lies at a higher elevation than Yosemite Valley, they bloom later--usually around the end of May and beginning of June.

The waterfalls are flowing at their typical high volume for this time of year. Since the snowpack is a little below average, the falls may start to diminish by mid-May, but should still be flowing well through mid-June.
Nice late-afternoon sunlight strikes Bridalveil Fall about an hour-and-a-half before sunset (about 6:30 p.m.) in May and June. A good spot to see and photograph this light is from a turnout along Northside Drive across the river from Bridalveil. This turnout is 3.3 miles west of Yosemite Lodge, on the left side of the road just past El Capitan Meadow (location 4). Another good view is right from the Bridalveil Fall parking lot (location 7). Rainbows can be seen from this spot around 5 to 6 p.m. during May. If you don't mind getting wet, leave the parking lot and take the short trail up to Bridalveil's base, where you'll find rainbows appearing from about 4 to 6 p.m. (perhaps even later).

The best light on Upper Yosemite Fall occurs around 10 a.m. and about 3 to 4 p.m. Cook's Meadow (location 12) provides some nice vantages for this waterfall, or try going to Swinging Bridge (location 10, along Southside Drive, the one-way road that leads into the valley).

The Mist Trail is now open, giving access to great views of Vernal and Nevada Falls (location 16). Rainbows are visible at almost any time of day while hiking up the wet stone steps of the Mist Trail past Vernal Fall. With enough spray, a rainbow may also be visible from the flat rock below Vernal around 5:30 p.m. To reach this rock, hike beyond the bridge below Vernal Fall and continue about two-tenths of a mile to a junction with the John Muir Trail. Keep walking straight on the Mist Trail for about 100 more yards, where a sign labeled "View of Vernal Fall" marks a short side trail down to the rock.

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March 28 , 2002
copyright 2002 by Michael Frye

When I wrote my last update in February, the weather had been dry, and the prospective flower season looked bleak. While the weather in March hasn't made anyone think of building an ark, there has been some precipitation, and so there may be a better bloom than I originally thought.

A recent drive through the Merced River Canyon along Highway 140 west of the park showed that there were many poppies opening up. Last spring was exceptional for poppies in this area. This year won't be as good, but looks like it will be at least average. Redbud bushes are starting late this year. Some are already in full bloom, but most aren't there yet. In another week they should be at their best.

Poppies and redbud are abundant all along the canyon between Briceburg
and El Portal. Two good spots are the trail to Hite's Cove (location
18), which begins at Savage's Trading Post, and Incline Road (location 17), which runs along the north side of the river.

Yosemite Valley is basking in a warm spell, and conditions are typical for early spring: a moderate amount of water in the falls, the meadows just starting to turn green, and the deciduous trees still bare. The best flower display in Yosemite Valley is the dogwoods, which typically start blooming in late April and peak in early May. They may be a week or two late this year. Most of the other Valley flowers don't bloom until June or July.

Throughout April, golden, late-afternoon sunlight strikes Bridalveil Fall about an hour before sunset. A good spot to see and photograph this light is from a turnout along Northside Drive across the river from Bridalveil (location 4). This turnout is 3.3 miles west of Yosemite Lodge, on the left side of the road just past El Capitan Meadow. Another good view is right from the Bridalveil Fall parking lot (location 7).

Rainbows can be seen from this spot around 5 to 6 p.m. (daylight savings time) during April. If you don't mind getting wet, leave the parking lot and take the short trail up to Bridalveil's base, where you'll find rainbows appearing from about 4 to 6 p.m. (perhaps even later).Good Luck!

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Horsetail Fall During a Better Year



February 12, 2002

One of Yosemite's most striking natural events usually occurs each February. During the last half of the month Horsetail Fall, a small, ephemeral waterfall at the eastern edge of El Capitan, can be backlit by the setting sun, making the waterfall glow a brilliant orange color (see the accompanying photo). Some people have called this a natural "firefall." Unfortunately, there is too little water this year to see or photograph this phenomenon.

This waterfall drains a very small area on top of El Capitan--probably less than a square mile. Since January has been so dry, all the snow from this area has melted. Without snow to melt, there is no water source for this fall. Unless we get some big snow dumps followed by warm, clear weather, and have both these things happen before the end of February, we won't see the natural "firefall" this year.

The low water volume in Horsetail does not apply to the larger waterfalls, which drain bigger, higher areas that still have good snow pack, although probably a bit below average for this time of year. Forthe next two or three weeks, a rainbow will still be visible on Upper Yosemite Fall on clear mornings. To see the rainbow, the sun must be more or less at your back. The eastern end of Cook's Meadow (location 12), the Ahwahnee Meadow (between Yosemite Village and The Ahwahnee Hotel), and the vicinity of Housekeeping Camp are all likely spots. A rainbow may be visible from 7 a.m. to about 9:00 a.m., depending on your location.

As the spring equinox approaches (March 20th), the afternoon light from Tunnel View (location 8) gets better and better. Around the equinoxes the late afternoon sunlight illuminates both El Capitan on the left and Cathedral Rocks on the right, while at other times of year only one side of the valley is lit. During the spring equinox there is also usually a good flow of water in Bridalveil Fall, and a high likelihood of witnessing a spectacular clearing storm from this spot.

Addendum - February 20, 2002
Not long ago I said that in order to see the natural "firefall" on Horsetail Fall this year, we would need a couple of big dumps of snow followed by a warm spell. We got one medium dump last weekend, a small dump (actually mostly rain) last night, and now we have a warm spell. I checked out the fall this morning and it had more water than it has had for awhile, but still below average for this time of year. I expect this flow will decrease over the next few days as the snow melts, but at least now there is a chance to see the "firefall," if only a diminished version.

 

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November 14, 2001

Fall color in Yosemite Valley is near its peak right now. Big-leaf maples, dogwoods, and California black oaks are all turning; only the cottonwoods seem to be past their prime, with many bare trees. A storm on Monday brought heavy rain, then snow (about two inches), then rain again. Wind and precipitation brought down some leaves, but most are still on the trees. I expect there will still be nice fall color this weekend (November 17th and 18th). Whether there is any color left by Thanksgiving depends on the weather: if it's cold and stormy, most of the deciduous trees will be bare; if the weather stays fair there may still be many colorful leaves on display.

It's easy to find fall color in Yosemite Valley right now: just drive around the one-way loop road and pull into a turnout when you see some color. The areas around Valley View (location 5) and Pohono Bridge (location 6) are particularly photogenic, as are the oak trees near Cook's Meadow (location 12).

For some reason most of the valley dogwoods turn gold, so there are few red leaves in Yosemite Valley. But at higher elevations you can find vivid red and red-orange dogwoods. Along Highway 41 between Oakhurst and Yosemite Valley there are many red dogwoods in shady areas near creeks.

Even when the leaves are gone, November is a great month for photography in Yosemite. On cold mornings the meadows often are covered in mist and frost, and intriguing ice patterns appear along the Merced River. From now until February both Half Dome and El Capitan are beautifully lit at sunset. Try El Capitan Meadow (location 3) or Valley View (location 5) for El Capitan, and Sentinel Bridge (location 11) and Cook's Meadow (location 12) for Half Dome.

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October 17, 2001

Autumn is arriving late this year. The dogwoods and maples in Yosemite Valley usually reach their peak color in mid-October, but as of October 17th most are still green or partially green. The elm tree in the middle of Cook's Meadow is turning gold, but is not yet at its best. Although I haven't checked it out personally, the Tuolumne Grove of giant sequoias should have some nice color right now. This area is at a higher elevation than Yosemite Valley, so things change earlier. Reaching the Tuolumne Grove requires a two mile round-trip hike.

Overall, I expect a better-than-average autumn display this year, but a late one. If I had to bet right now, I would say that the weekend of November 3-4 will be the best, but it could even be November 10-11 (Veteran's Day weekend).

Fall is late in the Eastern Sierra as well. You can find plenty of yellow and orange leaves among the aspens there right now. The color should last at least one more week at the lower elevations, possibly longer if we don't get a cold, windy storm. Lee Vining canyon, which
lies between Tioga Pass and the town of Lee Vining, is one good location. Others are the June Lake loop (south of Lee Vining off of Highway 395), and Lundy Canyon (from Lee Vining go north on 395 for 7.7 miles, then turn left toward Lundy Lake).

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June 20, 2001

For better or worse, summer has arrived in Yosemite. This means that the waterfalls are drying up, the heat is increasing, and the tourists are multiplying. Should you stay away? Not if you want to miss the best season for photography in Yosemite's high country.

But before talking about high country locations I should point out that Yosemite Valley is still beautiful. Many flowers are blooming in the valley meadows. Cook's Meadow, which lies between Yosemite Village and Yosemite Lodge (location 12), has shooting stars, cow parsnip, azaleas, and sneezeweed. Irises should be appearing soon. (Many azalea bushes can also be found near the Wawona campground.)

While the volume of water coming over the waterfalls is diminishing, Vernal and Nevada Falls have a good flow throughout the summer. These cataracts can be reached by hiking from Happy Isles (see location 16). The best light on both falls is in late afternoon: about 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. for Vernal, and 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. for Nevada.

The long days of June bring beautiful late-afternoon light to Cathedral Rocks. One of the best places to view these formations is from a small dirt turnout on the left side of Northside Drive (the one-way road leading out of Yosemite Valley), 1.9 miles west of Yosemite Lodge(Location 2).

Corn Lily

In the high country one of the most photogenic plants in Yosemite is sprouting. Beautiful, abstract patterns of corn lily leaves can be photographed in late June around Summit, McGurk, and Westfall Meadows (along the Glacier Point Road, location 21), and near Crane Flat (location 24). The soft light provided by shade or overcast is usually best for these subjects.

With the Glacier Point Road now open, it's easy to reach some of Yosemite's most stunning views. Glacier Point itself is foremost among these vistas, but along the road lies a trailhead for two other beautiful spots: Sentinel Dome and Taft Point (location 22). Both hikes begin at the Sentinel Dome trailhead, which is about 13.9 miles from the beginning of the Glacier Point road. Both trails are about two miles round trip. The hike to Sentinel Dome is uphill on the way in, with a short but steep final climb to reach a panoramic view of the Yosemite high country. Gracing the top of the dome is an old twisted snag of a Jeffrey Pine. Sunrise and sunset are great times to photograph these subjects. The trail to Taft Point starts out level and then gradually descends, meaning that you have some uphill work on the way back. At the point you'll find some unusual, deep fissures in the rock, and a cliff-edge view (with a railing) of the west end of Yosemite Valley, including El Capitan. This time of year, the best light for these viewsis in the early morning.