Monday, February 14, 2005

I headed south this morning back along Highway 41 toward Oakhurst. According to Marc J. Soares' book 100 Hikes in Yosemite, Corlieu Falls is Madera County's highest waterfall, and I had hoped that it was "high" in altitude, too…and frozen. No such luck. By the time I arrived at the Lewis Creek parking area, I'd dropped about 2,000 feet in altitude, and was enjoying T-shirt weather even though it was overcast.

The hike to the falls was only about a quarter mile, although I've learned that when they list the distances of hikes around here, it has no relation whatsoever to a hike of equal distance back in the Los Angeles flatlands. When they mention a quarter-mile hike here, just imagine a quarter-mile staircase made of dirt and rocks arranged in switchbacks, and you'll get the picture.

Corlieu Falls is not only Madera County's highest, it's also very pretty. I couldn't decide whether to show you the picture I took of the top section or one I took later of the whole thing, so here are both.

That excursion took me about 40 miles away from Yosemite Valley, so by the time I bought gasoline and returned to the visitor center, it was lunch time. After grabbing a quick bite, I visited the nearby Ansel Adams Gallery and introduced myself to Glenn Crosby. Glenn is a board member at Yosemite Renaissance, and he works at the gallery. I stopped by the museum to meet the people and see the gallery space where Yosemite Renaissance XX will open a week from Friday, but they were out to lunch. I'll try again later.

With the sun high, scenic work was out of the question, so I focused on smaller subjects like individual trees. Here are two I liked a lot, a bare-branched hardwood with a background of the north wall of Yosemite Valley and another that still clung to a spattering of old dead leaves, back lit against its forest friends.

Tomorrow it's supposed to rain or snow. I'm hoping for snow, but it'll be interesting either way. See you tomorrow night!

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