Month: June 2008
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Photo of the Day: Vernal and Nevada Fall by Wallace Wade
I’m finally catching up on my email and one of the great photos and emails I came across was this one from Wallace Wade. Here’s what Wallace had to say. I am a new visitor to both your website and to Yosemite. I went there for the first time last week, June 16-20. I have…
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Carleton Watkins
Smithsonian has a good article on Watkins, the 19th-century landscape photographer who was so good they named a “Mount” after him. It took a team of mules to carry his gear, which included 18 by 22 inch glass plate negatives and darkroom chemicals. Link PS – hi to everyone from Brian in Arizona
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Heart Transplant Recipient Scales Half Dome
Looks like the unstoppable Kelly Perkins has recently made another ascent in Yosemite, with the help of Yosemite Mountaineering School guide, Scott Stowe. Since getting a heart transplant in 1995, Kelly has been traveling the world, climbing significant peaks in an effort to promote organ donation. She’s a great inspiration, not only for organ transplant…
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Fire Spreading into Yosemite West of Hetch Hetchy
A fire that has been burning along the Tuolumne River has moved into a section of Yosemite west of Hetch Hetchy. The Modesto Bee: “A fire that’s been burning in the Stanislaus National Forest for eight days spread into Yosemite National Park on Saturday, according to authorities. Lightning started about 10 small fires in the…
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Photo of the Day: IMG_5295 by Angela Sevin
Sometimes, when I’m picking a photo for Photo of the Day, I’ll make up a title to go along with the picture if it only has a camera assigned image number. Today it was too hard. What would I title it? Beautiful Lake? Really Blue Sky? Awesome Photo? Awesome photo works. Hey Angela, awesome photo.…
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Cough cough wheeze
It’s incredibly smokey, it’s hard to breathe and it sucks right now with the smoke from all the fires. The real one close to the park is the Aurora Fire close to Mariposa and there’s another down by the Tuolumne. If you’re interested in seeing where all the fires in California are right now here’s…
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Yosemite Speed: Half Dome Running and Nose Climbing Records
There are some newsworthy happenings on the speedclimbing and running fronts happening right now in Yosemite. To back up a bit for those who don’t know about these obscure domains of human endeavour, some folks like to compete against a clock (you’ve perhaps heard of the Boston Marathon or the Iditarod?) and some of those…
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The Holy Grail
The Yosemite Museum is currently hosting a superb exhibit on the history of climbing at the park. Yosemite’s textured granite and die-hard climbers have made the park one of the world’s premier destinations for this sport. Many innovations were developed during Camp 4 bull-sessions. In addition to the expected Big Wall displays, the one that…
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Bad Air
Smoke from fires in the surrounding region have prompted an air quality alert to be issued from the San Joaquin Valley Pollution Control District and the National Weather Service. AM PDT TUE JUN 24 2008 SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY, KERN COUNTY, MARIPOSA COUNTY, AND TUOLUMNE COUNTY AIR POLLUTION CONTROL DISTRICTS HAVE ISSUED AN AIR QUALITY ALERT…
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Fires Around Yosemite
As of 0600 Tuesday, June 24, 2008 several significant fires continue to burn outside Yosemite National Park due to the weekend’s lightning strikes. The Oliver Complex, burning on the Sierra National Forest, is currently at over 1300 acres with about 5% containment. This complex, which includes 14 fires, has threatened homes in some areas. FOR…