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1940s Yosemite Video (complete with cheesy theatrics)
Here’s an interesting video of Yosemite in the 1940s. It starts off in winter and ends in summer. I don’t think the guy leading the bear cub around like it was a trained animal realized it could still maul the crap out of him if it really wanted to. There’s also a scene in which…
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Crews Scrambling to Pick Up Pieces Before Next Sierra Storm Hits
Sticky snow blankets the trees and Yosemite Falls bus stop along Northside Drive. Photo by Edie Howe-Byrne. Utility crews are scrambling to restore electricity and telephone services to thousands of customers throughout the Sierra after last weeks storm blanketed the Sierra and caused snow-laden trees to come crashing down atop power and phone lines. The…
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Yosemite Closed
Yes, you read right. Yosemite is closed. Roads are blocked and unsafe due to large amounts of snow and falling tree limbs. If you’re headed up to the park please CALL ahead of time at (209) 372-0200 for up to date road conditions. Right now all traffic is being turned away at the park entrances.…
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10 FEET of Snow Expected in Sierra
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the northern Sierra Nevada warning that up to 10 feet of new snow is possible at higher elevations. “Snow is possible above 7000 feet late today. The snow will increase in intensity and the snow level will lower to near 6000 feet by Monday…
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Ridin’ the Bus in Yosemite (video)
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to take one of the bus tours around Yosemite here’s your answer. This video shows one of the big buses but there are also smaller shuttle buses which seat up to 25 or so and deliver passengers to Glacier Point and other destinations where a big bus would…
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The Occupation of Mount Conness
The other day I watched an episode of Huell Howser’s California’s Gold about the Conness Glacier on PBS. Unfortunately that video isn’t available anywhere on the internet but I did stumble across something REALLY interesting, a copy of Overland Monthly and Outwest Magazine detailing the 1890 occupation of Mt. Conness by the team of engineers…
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Michael Frye Has a New Blog
Michael Frye, our good friend and author of The Photographer’s Guide to Yosemite , Yosemite Meditations, and Digital Landscape Photography: In the Footsteps of Ansel Adams and the Masters, has moved his blog. You can find his new blog over at http://www.michaelfrye.com/landscape-photography-blog/. If you’ve been thinking about taking a photography class then check out some…
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Interesting Facts From the Big Meadow Fire Report
Here are some things I noticed reading the Big Meadow Fire Report from the National Park Service. • It took less than 2 hours for the controlled burn to get out of control. • Spot fires began appearing outside the fire lines less than an hour after ignition. • Ironically one of the goals of…
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Bad Economy is Good News for Yosemite
A very crowded Yosemite National Park (2006). Photo by Dolan Halbrook. When money gets tight people tend to do things less expensive like camping, hiking and visiting parks and recreation areas close to home. That belief holds true as Yosemite boasted it’s second highest visitation rate since the park began. Yosemite National Park officials recorded…
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Stinging NPS Report Says Yosemite Officials Were Overconfident About Ability to Manage Big Meadow Fire
The Big Meadow Fire burns unchecked. Photo by Edie Howe-Byrne A stinging report just released by the National Park Service about the Big Meadow Fire, which scorched over 7000, required the assistance of 171 personnel and equipment and closed 2 major roads into the park, says Yosemite officials were overconfident in their ability to control…