The Magic of Snow in Yosemite Valley
Yosemite National Park is located in the western Sierra Nevada Mountains of Central California. It’s 759,620 acres are bounded with the Sierra National Forest on the southeast and the Stanislaus National Forest on the northwest. It is designated a World Heritage site. Nearly 95% of the park is designated as wilderness. Yosemite Valley which is located on the west side of the park and which is the most developed, sees the vast majority of tourism. Yet it represents but 0.5% of the total park area. That said, the beauty of Yosemite Valley’s less that 4,000 acres can not be overstated.
While most of Yosemite becomes inaccessible in the winter, Yosemite Valley generally remains open year-round due to it’s lower elevation (~4,000 feet). During the summer months Yosemite Valley is a tourism mecca and becomes quite crowded. Regardless of the time of year, it is amazing to experience with it’s unmatched scenic beauty, many huge waterfalls, lush pine forests, many miles of trails, the Merced River, epic rock climbing and other recreational activities.
As the winter brings lower temperatures, tourism drops off substantially and quiet serenity returns. The winter, however, has it’s own magic. In late February, if you are lucky, you might experience Horsetail Falls turning into Firefall; a truly spectacular experience. I write about Firefall in another blog entry: Yosemite’s Amazing FireFall — Norbert's Photography (norbertsphotography.com). The other truly remarkable experience is when snow transforms Yosemite Valley into an amazing winter wonderland. To explore this winter wonderland, four-wheel drive and chains are essential as it can get very cold and roads can very quickly become slick with ice and snow. Yet seeing snow fall on the tall pines in this valley of giant waterfalls and 2,000-3,000 foot sheer cliffs is a truly unique experience.
In snow the valley becomes very quiet with only a few remaining people present. The snow muffles the sounds of civilization and only the soft sounds of nature remain. The bubbling of the Merced River over the rocks, the wind in the pine trees and hushed crashing of water at the base of waterfalls on either side of valley make for a serene, ethereal and spiritual experience. It nurtures the soul.