Yosemite National Park Tours & Activities |
Yosemite Guided Hikes & Photo Workshops
Winter is here and so is the snow. Recent storms have dumped over 3 feet of powder in the Yosemite high country. Here are a few panorama photos taken from a recent Yosemite Snowshoe Adventure. The hike begins at Badger Pass along the Glacier Point Road to Summit Meadow and then to Dewey Point. All photos taken on an iPhone 5 with no filters.
November is the perfect month to fall into the beauty of Yosemite National Park. Here are some panoramas from recent adventures at Matterhorn Peak and Yosemite Point up the Yosemite Falls trail. Although Matterhorn is in Yosemite National Park, the hike starts in the Eastern Sierra at Twin Lakes. You enter the Hoover Wilderness before traversing Horse Canyon into Yosemite. This is a highly recommended hike, but only if you’re willing to scramble on talus for long periods of time. The last image of dogwood trees was taken along the Big Oak Flat Road.
I had the opportunity to lead a late season Half Dome hike yesterday with a new friend, David from Singapore. While discussing what led David to Yosemite on his first visit to the United States, his story immediately impressed and inspired me. David comes from an island nation whose highest elevation is 163.63 metres (537 ft.). Like most of us, David likes adventure gear. One particular company (Salomon) struck his fancy. I also really like Salomon footwear, and I am currently enjoying my latest pair of Eskape Aeros. David likes to run and never really trekked before he visited the Salomon website. While surfing the site, he noticed a lot of people enjoying themselves on various trails. That piqued his interest. Knowing he was to arrive in the United States for a conference and training, he decided to purchase a pair of trail runners. Since he would be in Las Vegas and Los Angeles, he decided he would also like to explore one of the crown jewels of the American National Park system. Ultimately, he chose Yosemite National Park, and that leads us to our story.
We began our morning early and made our way up the Mist Trail ahead of the sun. We started fast, but our pace wasn’t sustainable. David had hit a wall and was struggling as much as any first time Half Dome hiker. I assured him we would continue at his own pace and his safety was my number one priority. We were less than one mile from the summit when we reached a vista I like to call Motivation Point. David was certainly motivated and he began to take each step with more confidence. From this point he shared one of the most memorable quotes I have ever heard on this trail. His legs were starting to hurt and he apologized once more for his slow pace. After I wouldn’t accept his apology (like I need an excuse to spend extra time up there), he saw the cables for the first time. He had been telling me his story about how he made it to Yosemite and took another break. At that moment he gazed at the summit turned to me and with excitement,
“Forget the conference, I’m here for Half Dome!”
We continued and were soon at the top. From there he was overjoyed and a bit overtired. It was a great day full of lasting memories and interesting photographs. David knew he was going to the conference but his decision to extend the trip into Yosemite helped make a positive change in his life. He concluded this was his greatest adventure.
Here are a few panoramas I collected from the trail. If you are interested in reading about more experiences at Yosemite, then please see here. Otherwise, here is an overview of all of the hikes available at the Half Dome.
Beams of Light Through the Clouds
By John P. DeGrazio
Once again, we were honored to lead the Northern California Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation on their Xtreme Hike this past weekend. 37 hikers completed the hike from Yosemite Valley to Glacier Point and raised over $80,000. Several continued on to Sentinel Dome, and some of us even experienced a brief snowstorm there. Throughout the day, our group evolved as a coalition of several teams, and we emerged on the Sentinel Dome summit as “Team All Storms”. We traveled down the Panorama Trail for, well, extraordinary panoramic views on our return to the Valley. It was an exciting day, and one we will always remember. Thanks to all who participated and donated to this wonderful cause.
If you are interested in reading about more unique adventures at Yosemite, then please read here. Otherwise, here is an overview of available hikes at the Half Dome.
Editor’s Note: As summer has drawn to a close, please expect an increase in volume of stories and photos from Yosemite. I have a nice new library of images to share over the coming months. Thank you for your patience while I was out exploring.
Yosemite 150 Year Celebration June 30, 2014
By John P. DeGrazio
Today, we celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Yosemite Grant. On this day in 1864 President Abraham Lincoln signed the Yosemite Grant protecting Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias for all time. We participated in many festivities in the Grove and the Valley amidst the summer heat. On our departure from the Valley, we made one last stop at Half Dome View to gaze out into the blue sky and imagine what it must have been like for the first people to set their eyes on this wondrous landscape. Today, we are grateful that Yosemite is protected for all to enjoy in perpetuity.
If you are interested in reading about more unique experiences at Yosemite, then please read here. Otherwise, here is an overview of all available hikes at the Half Dome.
