The Insiders Guide to Yosemite
Digging through the group pool I came across this beautiful photo from Rollie Rodriguez of El Cap. What a great shot! I don’t know how I missed making this Photo of the Day before. Thanks for sharing, Rollie.
Be sure to check out more of Rollie’s great photos on Flickr and don’t forget to add your photos to the Yosemite Blog Group Pool.
Photo by Rollie Rodriguez
Mark and Janelle Smiley have set out to do what few have done, climb all of the routes famous by the iconic book, Fifty Classic Climbs of North America and document the whole thing in HD footage. Follow along as Mark and Janelle make their way up the Nose of El Capitan, get caught in a rain storm, and spend 4 days taking in some of Yosemite’s most iconic scenery as only a climber can.
If you’d like to support the Smileys you can donate to their project by visiting their website or by becoming a supporter of their Kickstarter project.
Taken just a few days ago on February 2nd, this awesome shot of Horsetail Fall by Edie Howe heralds the return of the firefall.
It’s time once again for the annual ‘firefall’ in Yosemite. No, it’s not rangers dumping glowing embers from the top of Glacier Point, this one is the best kind of firefall, one created by nature. Every February, if the conditions are just right, Yosemite Valley visitors are treated to a spectacular show as the seasonal Horsetail Fall on the east buttress of El Capitan magnificently turns red in the suns fading light.
Where
Although there are good vantage points throughout the Valley the most convenient, and frequently shot view of Horsetail Fall is at the El Capitan picnic area about 1.7 miles past Yosemite Lodge on Northside Drive. The parking lot present a great view of the event but also fills very early in the day with photographers as they vie for the best shot. Some other common points to view and photograph the event are the Bridalveil Fall viewing area on Southside Drive, most of the pull-outs along Southside Drive, Cathedral Beach, Sentinel Beach, the Four Mile Trail, the beach by Swinging Bridge and even the Mist Trail above Vernal Fall. Just to warn you now, anything with easy access or close to the road will fill up quickly. Photographers have started flocking to Yosemite in droves to catch this event making it harder and harder to find parking. Try to hike to where you want to shoot or catch a ride with someone going the same way. Shuttle buses aren’t running this time of year.
When
The ‘firefall’ beings in early February when the sun reaches the proper angle to shine on the east buttress of El Capitan in the evening. Cloudless or lightly cloudy evenings are usually the best. Of course, there has to have been sufficient seasonal rain and snow to provide Horsetail Fall it’s life giving water. The ‘firefall’ generally peaks in mid-February but it is possible to catch beautiful shots all month long.
Horsetail Fall on the east buttress of El Capitan can present an awesome show when the conditions are right.
How to Shoot It
Over the years I’ve seen any number of shots of Horsetail Falls from just about every vantage point you can think of in Yosemite and they all seem to have one thing in common, a long lens. Although the event is spectacular the most dramatic shots seem to be the ones where the fall is isolated against the darkened wall of granite behind it. Some photographers prefer the slower shutter to make the water look silky and some prefer a faster shutter speed. I personally haven’t developed a preference yet. Depending on the shot it looks good either way. Since you’re shooting a very contrasty subject (dark granite/bright fall) use a low ISO (100) and noise reduction.
Helpful Advice
Bring a flash light. The best shots are often taken right at dusk.
Bring something hot to drink. Once again, best shots are in the evening and Yosemite Valley gets very cold in winter with snow and ice on the road.
Wear warm clothes. Stocking hat, gloves, scarf, ear muffs, warm jacket, thermals, etc. Since you’ll be standing in the same area for a while taking pictures wear extra layers to help keep you warm.
Chains. Yeah, it’s winter. Bring your chains in case there’s snow on the road.
Watch for rocks. Early evening in winter is one of the most dangerous times to be driving. It’s hard to see and water from melted snow is refreezing to ice and can cause rocks to heave and fall into the roadway. If you’re staying outside the park on Highway 140 be extra careful. Rocks on the road are a daily occurence. Drive a little slower and keep a sharp eye on the road. Don’t watch the guy ahead of you thinking the road is safe. Rocks have been known to fall between cars and even on top of cars.
Photo by Edie Howe of Little Red Tent.net.
Three rock climbers were rescued Monday afternoon after being forced to spend the night on El Capitan. According to Park Spokesperson Scott Gediman, it was a two day rescue operation.
Sarah Land of Oakhurst, 25-year-old Walker Mackey and 23-year-old Rio Mackey, both of Boulder, Colorado were forced to spend the night after a 200-pound boulder broke loose above the climbers and struck Land as she was climbing.
After attempting to complete the route on their own, Land was forced to call for help Sunday but Park Rangers were not able to bring in a helicopter or initiate a rescue because of the weather.
An Army National Guard helicopter took two rangers to the top of El Capitan the next day, where they lowered themselves down to the climbers. The climbers where then lowered to the talus slope below El Capitan by the search and rescue team evacuated Land to El Capitan meadow and then to a local hospital for medical attention.
Over 30 Yosemite National Park Rangers, Yosemite Search and Rescue Team Members, and others assisted in this rescue.
Photo by Edie Howe of LittleRedTent.net.
We’ve all seen those events where Engadget and or TUAW live blogs an Apple event. Edie Howe happened to be out shooting yesterday and did one better, she [live twittered[(http://twitter.com/edie_howe)] the rescue of an injured climber from El Capitan.
Just before noon yesterday Edie was alerted by the sound of helicopters to a possible SAR (search and rescue) and headed out with her ipad and camera to catch the action. Here’s the stream:
Edie: On site el cap meadow top down rescue in progress.
Edie: Lowering haul bag
Edie: Climbers on portaledge to left of zodiac circle, tangerine trip route.
Edie: Weather is building, storm forecast for tonight. Rescuers have time to reach climber
Edie: Climbers have stowed portaledge
Edie: Cage has reached portaledge
Edie: Climber is being put in cage/basket
Edie: 3 helos involved.
Edie: Coming down
Edie: repositioning for clearer view
Edie: According to SAR Zach fm climber dislodged rocks struck on head & shoulder
Edie: Basket nearing trees
Edie: Victim near talus slope
Edie: Out of view due to trees at top of talus slope
Edie: CHP will airlift from top of talus slope
Edie: Rescue complete! Bravo Zulu all hands!
Awesome stuff, Edie!
Photo by Edie Howe.
In July 1957 Warren Harding, Mark Powell and Bill Feuerer began what became one of the most controversial first ascents of the time. Unlike the single-push ‘alpine’ style used on the recent Half Dome climb by Royal Robbins and his group, they chose to fix lines between ‘camps’ similar to that used in the Himalaya style mountaineering. The team would fix ropes at varying points along the route, climb during the day and rappel down at night to have dinner and sleep in Camp 4. Many climbers at the time thought this type of climbing wasn’t in the true spirit of big wall climbing and that Harding’s attempt shouldn’t count as a “first ascent”.
Harding and his group began their ambitious endeavor. During the first push Harding and his group managed to get half way but soon encountered huge cracks in the granite. Feuerer set about to cast new pitons big enough for the monstrous cracks. Unable to find anything suitable to make a piton big enough to wedge into the huge cracks Feuerer finally came across the legs of a cast-iron wood stove. Estimating that the legs would be just about right he cut them off and drilled a hole for the rope the rope. The crack system would later be named after Feurer’s monstrous stove leg pitons and are today known as the ‘stove leg cracks”.
During Hardings “siege” (as many climbers thought of it) of El Cap word spread like wildfire and people from all over came to see the men attempting to conquer what many thought could never be climbed. The crowds in El Capitan Meadow became so huge that the National Park Service asked Harding and his group to stop until after Labor Day. Warren was forced to put the ascent on hold.
At a time when many unclimbed routes were being ascended for the first time there was a big push in the climbing community to be “the first” to climb something. Climbing groups in Camp 4 would form at the drop of a hat and teams would set off to conquer some yet unclimbed portion of the park. During one of these trips Powell suffered a compound leg fracture and was forced to drop out. Seeing that the team was falling apart and there were many other first ascents taking place and the El Cap endeavor was taking too long, Feuerer dropped out also leaving only Harding.
Harding began searching the camp for new partners looking for ‘whatever “qualified” climbers I could con into this rather unpromising venture.’ Feuerer stayed on to help as technical advisor when he wasn’t doing other climbs and even constructing a bicycle wheeled ‘cart’ to haul the heavy ropes and gear back and forth to Camp 4 every night. Wayne Merry, George Whitmore, and Rich Calderwood now became the main team, with Merry sharing lead chores with Harding.
In the Fall, two more pushes got the team to the 2,000 foot level. Finally, a fourth push starting in the late Fall would likely be the last. In the chilly November air, the team worked their way slowly upward pushing within 300 feet of the top.
After sitting out a storm for three days just 300 feet from the top the team decided it was time to finish the climb and began hammering their way up the final portion. Harding struggled fifteen hours laboriously drilling and placing 28 expansion bolts by hand through the night up an overhanging headwall, topping out at 6 AM. After 45 days (or 47 depending on who you ask), of more than 3400 feet of climbing it was done. El Capitan had been conquered.
Warren Harding, Wayne Merry and George Whitmore, (l to r), wave their handkerchiefs after scaling what had been until then unclimbed face of El Capitan.
In 2008, the 50th anniversary of the climb, the team was officially recognized by the US House of Representatives who passed a resolution honoring their achievement.
So what are you going to do today?
Here’s an awesome time lapse video reader Henry put together of a recent trip to Yosemite. Be sure to watch it in larger size over at Vimeo. The little viewer I post just doesn’t do it justice.
Nice stuff, Henry. Thanks for sending it over.
Photo by Henry Jun Wah Lee.
Today’s Photo of the Day comes to us from a good friend of YB, Robert Pearce. Robert sent in this cool photo of El Cap framed by snowy trees he shot on *GASP*…dare I say it…FILM! Yes, Film. Robert took this with his Mamiya on Fuji Velvia 100f (my favorite film).
As always, great stuff Robert. Thanks for sending it in.
Photo by Robert Pearce via Flickr.
