Month: May 2009

  • Honoring Yosemite’s Other River

    Many visitors to the park know the Merced River with it’s thundering waterfalls (Vernal and Nevada) but most miss the beauty of the Tuolumne River as it winds it’s way through the high alpine meadows, plunges into it’s narrow granite canyon and finally rushes headlong into Hetch Hetchy Resevoir. From Hetch Hetchy the river flows…

  • Photo of the Day: Dogwood in Bloom over Merced River by John O’Connor

    Today’s Photo of the Day is by far my favorite dogwood shot I’ve seen this year. I would have loved to have been able to take some shots myself but an unexpected bout of the stomach flu kept me lying around the house the better part of my vacation last week. So, John’s awesome photo…

  • Be Safe Around The Rivers – It’s Up to You

    Docentjoyce posted this photo she took of the Merced River on Monday, May 18, 2009. Gives you a pretty good idea why it’s so difficult to find someone if they fall in. The rivers and streams are at their peak right now. Please, please, please exercise extra caution around water in the park this Memorial…

  • Leaves of Three Let it Be

    Sure everyone has heard the old rhyme “leaves of three let it be” but if you were hiking through the woods could you identify poison oak? Don’t worry if you say you can’t. You’re not alone. Most people, even those previously exposed, have a hard time identifying Poison Oak. Poison Oak contains an irritating, oily…

  • Hiking Half Dome with Doug McConnell

    I grew up watching public television like Trailside by John Viehman, former editor of Backpacker magazine and Huell Howser’s California’s Gold. Today I still enjoy catching Huell as he explores California but when I really miss being in the park I open my web browser and watch 5 minutes in Yosemite with Doug McConnell from…

  • Still No Word on Missing Yosemite Hiker

    Still no word on missing Yosemite hiker, Katrin Lehmann. I put in a call to Scott Gediman to find out if there was any new information but his office has yet to call me back. As soon as I find out anything I’ll let you know. I’ve received a ton of emails from people expressing…

  • Photo of the Day: Sierra Nevada -Sunset Light Show by HighSierraCowboy

    Today’s Photo of the Day is a beautiful shot of lightning from Lookout Mountain in Mariposa looking toward the Central Valley. We saw this storm off to the south of us but it never came our way. Man it was wild looking. Beautiful shot. Nicely done. Photo by HighSierraCowboy.

  • Cutting Loose With Color

    Our good friend Penny Otwell is going to be teaching a class on watercolor at the Ansel Adams Gallery. Penny is a very talented painter and her works are beautiful beyond compare. If you’ve been dabbling in watercolor or painting in general I’d highly recommend taking her class. She’s absolutely fabulous. The class is June…

  • Summer Fires Already Burning Around Yosemite

    This years early spring brought with it an unwelcome guest, an early fire season. This year the Sierra is extremely dry and already there are fires burning in and around Yosemite. The three fires listed below started the afternoon of May 18th when a monsoonal flow brought a mass of unstable air over the Sierra.…

  • Missing Person By Vernal Fall Footbridge

    The National Park Service in Yosemite is looking for anyone who may have seen or have information regarding Katrin Lehmann who was last seen below the Vernal Fall footbridge where she fell into the Merced River. Ms. Lehman is 31 years old, 6 foot tall, 150 pounds with light brown hair and brown eyes. Lehman…