“It’s 4 AM and we wake from a short three-hour sleep just outside the West Gate of Yosemite National Park. Our rogue “campsite” was a discovery I made a few years back after realizing that civilized camping within park boundaries during tourist high season is impossible on short notice. Still barely awake, I silently drive us up the windy road, through the park’s gate and into the lush forest. I love driving in Yosemite at night, the roads cleansed of monstrous RVs and radar wielding authorities. We soon find ourselves at Olmsted Point, a spot famous for hosting Ansel Adams’ photography workshops. These days, pausing here to take photos is for the tourists. We press on into one of the most glorious areas of the Park, Tuolumne Meadows.
As we sort our climbing gear at the trailhead, I nervously watch the sky for signs of clouds or approaching thunderstorms. Today’s adventure will require impeccable weather as we scale one of the most dramatic rock formations in the park and follow its spine for over a mile. Thankfully, the sky is clear as we pause to admire the ever-changing colors of the granite domes around us, obvious signs of the arriving day, as we begin our approach to Matthes Crest.
Being an avid climber and photographer, I constantly have to battle with conflicting priorities. The climber wants the innocent, cloudless blue sky while the photographer yearns for the drama of menacing skies, lightning, explicit colors, puffy clouds. While in Yosemite during the summer months, my inner conflict is fueled with choices: to climb or to photograph, and how to do both at the same time?
The choice is clear today and we briskly move through Yosemite high country towards our objective… ” (Misha Logvinov)
Be sure to finish reading the rest of Misha’s awesome account of climbing Mathes Crest and shooting in Tuolumne Meadows.
A big thanks to Misha for sending me his story and letting me link to it. The photos are fantastic. Thanks.
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