Tuesday, February 15, 2005

The weather report said "Rain or snow." We got both. But I was hopeful for a short while just before dawn that there might be a few sunbeams mixed in, too. When I took the first picture you see here, looking down the valley, I thought maybe we'd get lucky and the rising sun would light up the underside of those distant clouds and tint the entire scene a warm-toned dawn color. That would have made a much better picture! But no…

Instead, within the next half-hour or so, the clouds spilled over the south valley wall mixing with the rising mist to create an almost complete fog-out of the scene. OK, next subject! I headed down into the valley thinking of misty forest images, but when I got to the bottom of the hill, Bridalveil Fall beckoned, and I turned into the parking lot. After shooting a couple images from the lot, I walked up to the base, took one more unspectacular picture, and then decided to play with the rocky creek below.

With the overcast sky, natural shade and soaking fog/mist/waterfall spray combined, the little cascades promised rich earth tones highlighted by the white foam. A very slow shutter speed smoothed the thrashing whitewater into a fog-like flow, and I got a handful of images I really like. Here are two of them.

The rest of the day I spent driving around, taking pictures either from inside with Pathfinder with the window rolled down, or in short sprints out for a quick grabshot before hightailing it back to the warm, dry truck. (Can you guess which important piece of apparel I forgot to pack? That's right. My rain gear.) Thanks to my patient wife, FedEx and the kindness of Kay and Don Pitt for letting me have it shipped to their address; I'll be better prepared tomorrow.

I drove out of the valley up Route 120 to Crane Flat watching the rain turn to snow as I gained altitude. I tried a couple of shots, but got nothing worth talking about. I gassed up, returned to the valley floor, and then headed down Highway 140 toward El Portal. After that I returned to Yosemite Valley and roamed around shooting various things dissolving into the mist until dark.

Haven't checked the weather websites for a reading on tomorrow's status yet, nor have I gotten a chance yet to review my books and maps, so tomorrow's agenda will be a surprise for all of us!

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