Yosemite: Day 2

Around 5:30 AM I woke up to the sound of rumbling, but it wasn't the sound of a rock slide pretending to be thunder. It was the sound of all the waterfalls in the Yosemite Valley mingling together.  As I stretched my arms, I felt poetic and strong. Ever since I was young I’ve had a thing for waterfalls. When at school in Ithaca, I would spend hours just watching Taughannock Falls, lost in my thoughts. Mike told us this year was the heaviest water flow he had ever seen, so throughout the valley, little ribbon waterfalls were now flowing that would vanish over the next month. Like everything so far, our waterfall timing was perfect too.

After a shower, breakfast, a quick post to FB and securing everything in my bear box, we headed out to swinging bridge to catch the first light hitting upper Yosemite Falls. Mike had us park in a tow away zone saying, “They won't tow us until 10 AM.” Boy, he really knew this place down to the second. After a short hike, all 10 of us set up our tripods and started shooting waiting for the perfect light. Once again, Mike admonished us, “There is a DVD of post card shots in the souvenir store, try something different.” Of course I took a couple of post card shots, and some abstract images.

After making it back to the cars with 1 minute to spare. Mike took us to a location that seemed a little off topic.  We were to shoot tight shots at Fern Spring and the Merced River. Our focus had been the big vistas, now Mike was trying to get us to think small. That stretch of the river had been where John Muir had camped with Teddy Roosevelt when trying to convince him to make Yosemite a National Park. It took some time to adjust to thinking small, but after awhile it started getting easier. It was nothing I couldn't have gotten in New England, but Mike was getting us ready to put it all together later.


After having lunch at Yosemite Village, we went to the Ansel Adams’ Gallery, which once was his studio and dark room. Then we walked next door to the Yosemite visitor center.  The museum was, among other things, a shrine to John Muir. I snapped the quote below on my camera phone. It would stick with me the rest of the trip.

We picked up our gear and started walking toward lower Yosemite Fall. On the way Mike pointed out a famous tree under Half Dome that Ansel had shot, but once again said everyone and his mother has taken this shot, don't bother. Now I might be projecting, but everyone in the group wanted to stop and take the shot, but as everyone looked at each other, no one wanted to be the first. As the group walked away, I uncapped and pressed the release. I don't think anyone in the group saw me, but damn it, this was where Ansel had stood. I had to do it.


We arrived at the lower Yosemite falls area and the light was perfect. After an exercise in perspective, Mike turned us loose.

As the group walked toward the falls, we came on a group of Canon shooters in a different workshop. There is a small rivalry between Nikon people and Canon shooters, but rather than get into a gangland rumble, we just nodded as we passed by. 

There was so much there I wanted to shoot. “I could stay here for another 3 hours”, I said. But Mike kept us moving into the field across from the falls and within view of Half Dome. After playing with some reflections and getting a post-card shot of Half Dome, the group was exhausted. Even my boundless energy since arriving was waning.


We drove back to camp and set up for cocktail hour in view of Yosemite Fall. Scott had bought a bottle of Merlot, usually a non-starter for me, but it tasted pretty good in the crisp air. Thankfully Dave had brought a bottle of Pinot Noir for the 2nd round, making the moment very close to perfect. After a quick dinner, we packed up our gear and headed out for a place called Tunnel View to catch the late day light.

Tunnel View is a scenic overview that provides sweeping views of the Park. Being lightly lubricated from cocktail hour, I relied on muscle memory to set my camera correctly. Since Mike’s system was so non-technical, it worked perfectly for my state of mind.

As the light began to fade, I started feeling the weight of the day. By the time we got back to camp I had a throbbing headache. Mike was going to go out to do astrophotography again, but I needed to recharge for the next day, which was being described as a challenging hike at altitude. So after downing some Advil, I reluctantly told the few who were going that I needed some rest. It was the last time on the trip that I wouldn't have an unlimited energy supply.


Walking to brush my teeth that night, I was worrying a lot less about bears and rock slides, in a sense I was becoming a native. I fell asleep wondering about the upcoming hike. I knew it would be great, but what I didn't know was it would be one of the best days of my life.