Top Twelve Photos of 2012

Gila Bend, AZ

 

 

 

    Here's what I feel is the best photo I took during 2012.
    Shoshone Falls, which is mispronounced as "Show-Shown" by the locals, is just up the Snake River from Twin Falls, Idaho.
    More Twin Falls Photos.

 

 

 

 

    Photo of the HooDoos at Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah; taken on 8 Apr 2012.
    More Bryce Canyon Photos.

 

 

 

 

 

    Mount Rainer, Washington, as seen from the north-east; taken on 10 Jun 2012.
    More Mt Rainier Photos and yet additional photos.

 

 

 

    Mount Lassen, California, the southern-most volcano in the Cascade Range, looks considerably different after the 2011/2012 winter than it did in 2011; this photo was taken on 18 Jul 2012. (Lassen NP did not open until August the previous year.) This photo was taken on 18 Jul 2012.
    More Lassen NP Photos.

 

 

 

 

    Grosvenor Arch in Utah south of Kodachrome Basin State Park; it is named for the founder of the National Geographic Society. Taken 7 Apr 2012. [Reached by a gravel road not advisable for travel by large RVs or 5th-Wheelers.]
    More Grosvenor Arch & Kodachrome Basin Photos.

 

 

 

 

    Strait of Juan de Fuca from Washington's Salt Creek County Park just after sunset. Photo taken 3 Jun 2012. [There are remnants of a former Coast Artillery Battery near the park as well as an RV Park.]
     Additional Juan de Fuca & Olympic Peninsula Photos.

 

 

 

    Rock formations at Kodachrome Basin State Park in Utah. Taken on 7 Apr 2012.
    Additional Photos of Kodachrome Basin State Park.

 

 

 

    Vista Point atop 9200' Sherman Pass with Olancha Peak just to the right of my rig. [N.B.Forest Service road not advised for large Class A RVs or large 5th-Wheelers.]

 

 

 

 

 

    Iconic Half Dome in Yosemite NP as seen from Olmstead Point along CA120, the Tioga Pass Road. Taken 7 Oct 2012.

 

 

 

 

 

    Devils Postpile NM, reached via Mammoth Lakes Road from US395. [N.B. There are travel restrictions during the summer and early fall on the Minaret Summit Rd to the Monument through the end of September.] Taken 5 Oct 2012.

 

 

 

 

    In an article in Century magazine John Muir spoke of a valley on the South Fork of the Kings almost as grand as that on the Merced River in Yosemite. The photo was taken from the Canyon View(point) on the way to Roads End past Cedar Grove. Taken on 21 Oct 2012.

 

    Number 12: you recommend one. Send me an e-mail with your recommendation for the 12th photo. If others send in photos which I prefer, will still keep a link to your recommendation along with your name.

 

    From Trevor Glenn of Mi-Wuk Village, CA: a photo of Shiprock in northwestern New Mexico.
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Links:

• More Twin Falls/Shoshone Falls photos
• Bryce Canyon images
• More Mount Rainier photos
• National Park Service website on Lassen Volcanic National Park
• Whikpedia article on Grosvenor Arch
• Many, many Grosvenor Arch Photos
• Wikipedia article on the Strait of Juan de Fuca

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Su 13 Jan Actual Route: Ajo Hwy bd - Tucson VA Hosp - Ajo Hwy & Mission Rd McD - Ajo Hwy bd
M 14 Jan Actual Route: Ajo Hwy bd - Mission Br Lib - Ajo Hwy bd
T 15 Jan Actual Route: Ajo Hwy bd - Mission Br Lib - Wilmont TJ's - Ajo Hwy bd
W 16 Jan Actual Route: Ajo Hwy bd - Mission Br Lib - So Tucson - Benson - Willcox - Sagebrush MH & RV Park
Th 17 Jan Actual Route: Sagebrush MH & RV Park
F 18 Jan Actual Route: Sagebrush RV Pk - Bowie - Lordsburg, NM, - Deming - Wagon Wheel RV Pk
Sa 19 Jan Actual Route: Wagon Wheel RV Pk - Deming - Wagon Wheel RV Pk
Su 20 Jan Actual Route: Wagon Wheel RV Pk - Las Cruces Walmart
M 21 Jan Actual Route: Las Cruces Walmart - Big Lots - Las Cruces Walmart
T 22 Jan Route: Las Cruces Walmart - Dollar Tree - Library - Las Cruces Walmart
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Finding Campgrounds:

• RV Campgrounds from TrailerLifeDirectory.com
• Family Camping Directories from Woodalls.com
• Free campsites website
• Info on finding BLM Campgrounds

N.B. I receive nothing from Trailer Life, Woodalls, or FreeCampsites.net for including links to their free campground lookups.

Saddlebag Lake & Yosemite National Park

Sonora Library, CA
[Two Links to my previous visits to Yosemite in 2011 have been added below]

 

 

    Mono Lake (elev: 6372') and Paoha Island as seen from US395 just south of LeeVining.

 

 

 

 

 

    LeeVining Canyon with the sun already below the crest of the Sierra Nevada but shining on clouds above and to the west side of the crest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Excelsior Mtn (12,442') to the NNW of Saddlebag Lake.

 

 

 

 

    In the distance, the U.S. version of one of Europe's most famous mountains: the Matterhorn. California's Matterhorn Peak has an elevation of 12,264 ft.
    Saddlebag Lake is the highest drive-to lake in California at 10,087 feet. Note that some fishermen nearly back into it.

 

 

 

 

 

    Zooming in one can see why the Matterhorn is aptly-named -- it has the same sort of outcropping on one of its triangular sides as the original in the Alps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Panning right, a view to the far end of Saddlebag Lake, which is man-made.

 

 

 

 

 

    Note the trail around the lake. While I walked to the spot from which this photo was taken in my Cabelas Walk-Mor oxfords, the soles weren't quite thick enough when I stepped on a sharp rock; wear boots if you decide to circumnavigate the lake.

 

 

 

 

 

    Am not certain if the snowfields near Excelsior Mtn remain all year or not. In other words, are there glaciers near that peak?

 

 

 

 

 

    Panning left, note a couple more snowfields which are still around after a dry-than-normal winter.

 

 

 

 

 

    Panning left, a meadow along the creek which drains Excelsior Mtn and off of which the creek dammed to make Saddelbag Lake branches.

 

 

 

 

 

    A photo of Mt Dana (13,063'), which is on the south side of LeeVining Creek and is the nearest peak to Tioga Pass, the highest pass over the Range of Light at 9,945 feet.

 

 

 

 

 

    The most notable rock in Yosemite: Half Dome (8,836'), as seen from Olmstead Point.

 

 

 

 

 

    Looking to the east along the Tioga Pass Road, Tenaya Lake (8,100').

 

 

 

 

 

    [Click once to enlarge; press ESC to return here.] A plaque which explains the process of opening the Tioga Pass Road each year (which, in more recent years, is a good indicator of the size of the Sierra snowpack and, hence, the amount of runoff to expect in streams and rivers draining the area).

 

 

 

 

    A good example of glacial-smoothing!

 

 

 

 

 

    The granite mountains in the right half of this photo were "worked over" by one or more glaciers; however, the mountain on the left seems to have excaped partially from becoming "a Smoothie."
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Links:

• 23 Apr 2011 post on Yosemite Natl Park
• 1 Nov 2011 post on drive from Big Oak Flat to Wawona
• Saddlebag Lake Resort website
• TrailPeak website for Saddlebag 20 Lakes Basin
• Wikipedia article on the Matterhorn in Europe's Alps

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Su 28 Oct Actual Route: N.F. Tuolumne Riv bd - Tuolumne - N.F. Tuolumne River bd

M 29 Oct Actual Route: N.F. Tuolumne Riv bd - Tuolumne - Mono Vista - N.F. Tuolumne River bd

T 30 Oct Actual Route: N.F. Tuolumne Riv bd - Sonora Library - Modesto Resv CG

W 31 Oct Actual Route: Modesto Resv CG - Waterford - Oakdale - Tuolumne Lib - N.F. Tuolumne Riv bd

Th 1 Nov Actual Route: N.F. Tuolumne Riv bd - Sonora Lib - Tuolumne - N.F. Tuolumne Riv bd

F 2 Nov Route: N.F. Tuolumne Riv bd - Sonora Lib - Standard - Tuolumne - N.F. Tuolumne Riv bd
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Finding Campgrounds:

• RV Campgrounds from TrailerLifeDirectory.com
• Family Camping Directories from Woodalls.com
• Free campsites website
• Info on finding BLM Campgrounds

N.B. I receive nothing from Trailer Life, Woodalls, or FreeCampsites.net for including links to their free campground lookups.

Yosemite: Big Oak Flat to Wawona Entrances

Bagby Recreation Area (Lake McClure)

    On Tuesday 1 November I drove from the Big Oak Flat Entrance on CA120 to the Wawona Entrance on CA41. Here's a first view of Yosmite's most prominent landmark in the center of the photo. [Click 1 or 2 times to zoom in.]

 

 

 

 

 

    The Many Faces of Half Dome.

 

 

 

 

 

    A veiw of the Merced River and Yosemite Valley from just before the two tunnels on the Big Oak Flat Road.

 

 

 

 

 

    Looking to the north-east from Washburn Point, which is on the Glacier Point Road; it is not only somewhat higher, but it is also much less crowded.

 

 

 

 

    Panning to the left note the ragged/rugged peaks which escape glaciation; the smooth domes which were left when the glaciers receded are easy to spot.

 

 

 

 

 

    A side view of Half Dome -- which is a bit of a misnomer since scientists estimate that 80% of its original formation remains.

 

 

 

    Looking down behind Half-Dome, one see the other prime attraction of Yosemite: waterfalls. Nevada Falls (elev:5907', ht:594') is to the right and Vernal Falls (5044', 317') is lower and to the left. [Click once or twice to enlarge.]

 

 

 

 

    A shot down into the upper end of Yosemite Valley in front of Half Dome, which is the basis for Yosemite's logo.

 

 

    As I was looking at Nevada Falls I noticed a smaller waterfall on Illouette Creek to the right which is such "small potatoes" that it's not even indicated in the brouchures's map which visitors receive at the four Yosemite entrances(Arch Rock on CA140, Big Oak Flat on CA120, Wawona on CA41, and Tioga Pass at the crest of the Sierra Nevada on CA120).

 

    Finally, here's a plaque which salutes Yosemite's "First Guardian, " Galen Clark and explains how the waterfalls, like the domes, were created by glaciation. [Note also a waterfall just over the top of the plaque in this photo; is it Nevada or Vernal Falls?]
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Links:

• 1907 article on rail access to Yosemite
• "Tourists in the Saddle" from Carl P. Russell's One Hundred in Yosemite, with photos

T 1 Nov Actual Route: Pines CG - Big Oak Flat Entrance (Yosemite) - Glacier Pt - Wawona CG

W 2 Nov Actual Route: Wawona CG - Oakhurst - Lupine-Cedar Bluff CG (Bass Lake)

Th 3 Nov Route: Cedar Bluff CG - Oakhurst - Coarsegold - Raymond - Eastman Lake CG

F 4 Nov Actual Route: Eastman Lake CG - Raymond - Mariposa Fairgrounds - Bagley Recreation Area (Lake McClure)

Sa 5 Nov Actual Route: Bagley CG - Coulterville - Greeley Hill - Anderson Valley - Pines CG (near Groveland R.S.)

Su 6 Nov Actual Route: Pines CG - Wards Ferry [Bridge] - Tuolumne - Sonora - N.F. Tuolumne River

M 7 Nov Actual Route: N.F. Tuolumne River - Sonora - N.F. Tuolumne River

T 8 Nov Route: N.F. Tuolumne River - Sonora - N.F. Tuolumne River

W 9 Nov Route: N.F. Tuolumne River - Sonora - Copperopolis - Woodward Reservoir CG
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Finding Campgrounds:

• RV Campgrounds from TrailerLifeDirectory.com
• Family Camping Directories from Woodalls.com

N.B. I receive nothing from Trailer Life or Woodalls for including links to their free campground lookups.