Yosemite et al.
Muir Woods, Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon
This May, I was able to take some semi-impromptu travel and check several national parks off my bucket list. Over several days, we explored California's coastal redwoods, Yosemite National Park, and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. I have been wanting to see Yosemite Valley for as long as I can remember but was truly shocked by how incredible it was in person. The massive trees in the various areas of the state and Kings Canyon - which may be the most underrated national park - were all so awe inspiring. This story is not only meant to be an excerpt of my life but also somewhat educational (sorry, geography major here...) and serve as a presentation of my film photography work. All photos in this story were shot on Kodak Gold 35mm film at box speed with a Canon AE-1 Program.
John Muir Woods National Monument
On Wednesday, I flew into San Jose, rented a car, and promptly drove past San Francisco, over the Golden Gate Bridge, and into John Muir Woods National Monument. When I saw my first Coastal Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) I was giddy with excitement. These massive trees will give you vertigo and are truly hard to comprehend. In Muir Woods, the tallest is 258 feet but these colossi can grow well above 350 feet - for reference, that is taller than the Statue of Liberty which only sits at 305 feet, pedestal and all.
In the late afternoon, the next stop was Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park and we viewed some more mind boggling Redwoods. This was really only the start of my proportional conundrum as later in the Sierra Nevada, the giant sequoias proved even broader than the coastal redwoods. We'll learn more about those later. After a day among the coastal redwoods, the trip continued east towards the Sierra Nevada, where the scale of California's landscapes got even harder to comprehend.
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is in contention for the most impressive natural wonder I have ever seen and it deserves the hype. After countless books read, climbing documentaries rewatched, and screen savers mesmerized by, I was finally able to see El Capitan, Half Dome, and the valley that inspired so many to explore and preserve our great landscapes. Yosemite is a glacial valley carved primarily by water and ice that was directed by dramatic plate tectonic uplift. The power of this type of erosion is on display here showcasing cliffs rising thousands of feet from the valley floor and many hanging valleys with towering waterfalls flowing off the edge where glacial tributaries once connected with the main Yosemite Valley trunk glacier. It only took a dozen or so million years - which in geologic terms is no time - but I feel lucky to be alive now to enjoy it.
Vernal Falls and Nevada Falls Hike
The hike to Vernal Falls then Nevada Falls via the Mist Trail and back was only about 6.7 miles but the elevation was nothing to be shy about. Speaking of not being shy, the trail was packed with hikers. There were a few areas where it was hard to tell if I was at a ~750,000 acre vast protected landscape or if I was at Disney World - although, if I'm honest, this really did not distract from the experience at all. Everything in Yosemite is just too big for any amount of visitors to take away from it.
The return route followed the John Muir Trail back which was particularly inspiring as I hope to do the whole JMT one day. From Clark View, you get a really unique perspective high above Vernal Falls and if you are wanting to get away from the crowd, getting off or sometimes just going further down the main trail is the best way to do it. No one else was at this spot and the hike back to the connector trail was mostly solitary.
Tunnel View and Glacier Point
Tunnel View and the view from Glacier Point are two of the most iconic viewpoints in the valley. From Tunnel View you can see El Capitan on the left making a statement with its famous Nose protruding into the valley, Half Dome prominently in the middle, and Bridalveil Falls on the right showcasing a perfect example of the glacial landform known as a hanging valley mentioned earlier. Glacier Point offers a unique perspective of Half Dome and the High Sierras north of it. Enjoy a few photos from both locations below; in the case of Glacier point you can follow the changing light as it moved into golden hour in the final photo.
Morning in the Valley
The next morning began at yet another waterfall. This time the iconic Yosemite Falls via the Lower Yosemite Fall Trail. Despite this being a paved, highly trafficked area, when you get there at 6:00am, you'll have it all to yourself. Yosemite Falls is one of the tallest waterfalls in North America where the Upper Fall section itself has a drop of over 1,400 feet. Catching the sun rays trickling down the granite while dawn turned to day was a challenge for me and my mediocre film photography skills but I captured a few unique shots that I think show the glory of this God-given masterpiece.
The Dawn Wall
The southeast face of El Capitan is one of the first cliff faces to capture the rays of the morning sun. It was originally named the "Wall of Early Morning Light" by the aid-climbing first ascensionists in 1970 before being recoined as its much more cinematic name, the "Dawn Wall". In 2015, Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson were the first to free climb it.
Note: "free climb" is the term for the style of climbing where you use only your hands and feet to advance up the wall all while being protected with ropes, a belayer, and various anchor points in the rock. "free solo" is when a climber has no ropes or protection while they climb.
Mariposa Grove in Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is much more than just the valley. It is also home to a few giant sequoia groves. Giant sequoias (Sequoiadendron giganteum) are the cousin of the coastal redwoods discussed earlier and in some ways are even more grand. While they don't grow quite as tall, they still average above 250 feet and grow much wider in comparison. Coastal redwoods average around 15 feet wide while the General Sherman Tree in Sequoia National Park, which is the largest living tree on Earth by total volume, measures over 36 feet wide.
Giant Sequoias are a very rich cinnamon color and in the afternoon light are a sight to behold. Across these national parks, the route passed several famous trees including the Grizzly Giant, which holds a special place in the story of shaping policy in D.C. for protecting these gentle giants; the General Grant tree, also referred to as the Nation's Christmas Tree; The General Sherman Tree; and the Roosevelt Tree (Teddy), which we discovered after dark and and illuminated with our headlamps.
Kings Canyon National Park
Kings Canyon is also a glacier carved valley just south of Yosemite. The scenic byway into Cedar Grove was long and winding but offered stunning and expansive views in and outside of the valley. Even John Muir described Kings Canyon as "a rival of the Yosemite", calling it "a yet grander valley".
Roaring River, Roaring Falls, and Zumwalt Meadow
There wasn't nearly enough time to explore Kings Canyon but did manage to hike out to Roaring River Falls which feeds into the aptly named Roaring River. This waterfall is distinct from the waterfalls in Yosemite because it was primarily carved in rock and had little to no surrounding vegetation. The name didn't disappoint though as the river and waterfalls were roaring with incredible power. One of the most unique features of these glacial valleys are their flat bottoms. These create amazing meadows that have unobstructed views of the valley walls above. Zumwalt Meadow was a quiet and beautiful way to close out our brief visit of Kings Canyon.
Moro Rock in Sequoia National Park
After taking in the towering trees and craning upward at the massive granite walls, the trip finished with a short, fun, and exposed hike up to the top of Moro Rock. The summit provided expansive views of the park and the sun set on an amazing adventure into the Sierra Nevada. I will definitely be back soon to explore more of these incredible landscapes and feel so grateful that the public lands are ours to use and admire. Hope this inspires you in some way to appreciate, respect, and explore our world's natural wonders.