Yosemite Day Two

Tunnel View, located directly as one enters Yosemite Valley from the South, is our first stop this morning. Visitors can look west into Yosemite Valley including the El Capitan, Half Dome and etc… This is probably the most common theme of the great photographs of Yosemite. The photo right above is the very photo that has drawn my attention since I saw it. (For me, the dream of Yosemite is created by Ansel Adams.)

Our second stop is the Bridalveil Fall, 188 m tall and flowing year round. As the wind blows briskly, the waterfall falls sideways, leaving with the mist as its characteristics light and swaying flow. It looks just like a veil of a bride from a distance. As for the Ahwahneechee, the Native Americans who used to inhabit at Yosemite, this waterfall is Pohono, the Spirit of the Puffing Wind. I tried to climb up to the base of it, but returned right after I met the half way because of the anxiety of leaving behind the other members. (I really don’t want to keep them waiting for me.)

Then, we drove to front side of the El Capitan, right opposite to Bridalveil. This monolith of granite, rising almost 3000 feet above sea level, is a popular site for advanced rock climbers. Luckily, as we got there, there were three climbers up there. I took out my binocular, a delicate gift from the Sun’s family, and spotted them! One star watcher with an astronomical telescope even found their sleeping platform and bags. I was thrills to witness all this in person.

Afterwards, we visited the Visit Center at Yosemite Valley and watched an outstanding documentary film, Spirit of Yosemite. The film’s photography and montage are incredibly fantastic. For example, there is a scene in which the photographer pans slowly across the valley and the film editor combined four seasons into a perfect sequence. Also, the creators of this movie adopt reenactments of past events to tell the story of the establishment of Yosemite. As a film watcher and Yosemite lover, I highly recommend this movie. (Personally, I am definitely going to order it on-line.)