Birthday trip to Yosemite Valley!

I've planned this trip out weeks in advance, hoping for fine weather in the midst of this harsh winter, and it worked out great! However, it almost never happened. On the way to the Park, I ran into some very slick ice and nearly slid off the road, In fact, a car a few minutes in front of me did just that. Staying off the brake saved me from ending up where they did. They were OK and just shaken up a little bit.

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Again, I intended to explore some of my favorite spots to get another winter perspective on Yosemite Valley. I also found some ways to get different shots from those same areas, too. I climbed up to a small ledge about 12 feet up and took this Half Dome shot from near the bottom of Yosemite Falls. It's nice but, not a jaw-dropping picture.

I had intended to have an awesome birthday breakfast at the VERY ritzy Ahwannee Hotel but, I just wasn't hungry enough to eat $60 worth of food at the time. If I had never eaten there, I would have dined just to say I have been there and done that. Instead, I wandered around the inside of the historic hotel and tried to capture some of its wonderful features. The fireplaces had roaring fires, except for this one.

I generally don't go to places where the other tourists go but, the Wawona Tunnel view is a special place. I came up with an idea to get a unique perspective on this spot by walking into the tunnel and shooting outward. Interesting but not really a showpiece.

I always go back to my "secret spot" and see what the Merced River will give me. The cold was giving my camera battery fits and I couldn't fully explore this place again before my battery got too weak.

On the way into the Valley, I saw this wonderful scene in the Merced River Canyon. This particular spot gets very little sun during these short days and the snow was still hanging in the trees and on top of the rocks. I struggled to get some nice new shots and a few did come out very good.

More to come!!