Hwy 120 to Tioga Pass snakes through 15 miles of forest then the landscape abruptly changes and it opens up to huge granite plates, carved by ancient glaciers, on either side of the road, and to the valley below. We stop at Olmstead Point, take the trail to an overlook but refrain from taking the hike down the canyon. Signs are posted everywhere about the dangers of Tenaya Canyon, many expert hikers and climbers lost their lives down there...
We press on to Tenaya Lake. There's a picnic area right on the shore and we pull in to take in the view while we enjoy a hearty meal with spinach and cheese ravioli. The lake is really beautiful, and in all its tranquility it reflects the mountain peaks like a mirror. We are taking it easy today: we don't hike but we stroll. We don't even talk about the possibility of biking... After lunch it starts raining and we know that it will soon turn into snow. We head out of the park to the west and drive through the Stanislaus National Forest. In Groveland we see the oldest saloon in the Far West (1825). It stops raining but it gets very foggy while we descend towards Don Pedro Lake. Then suddenly right at sunset, the sky opens up here and there to reveal some blue. It's just to irresistible for my sunset series. We are sleeping in Stockton tonight, tomorrow we will be visiting Napa and Sonoma.
Bridalveil Falls the day after.
Fall colors along the Merced river.
Panorama from Glacier Point.
Same view, with the glaciers wrapped in clouds.
Half Dome.
Yosemite valley.
This should be Yosemite Upper Falls.
More colors along the Merced river.
Us at Olmstead Point.
The road to Tenaya Lake.
The lake at our picnic spot.
Another view of the lake.
Fog in the Stanislaus National Forest.
Don Pedro Lake in the valley.
The fog is getting thinner.
Sunset colors: no, it's not a real fire, just clouds on fire!
Sunset, trees and dark clouds.
I took this picture on the fly to have the moon as well.
The moon at sunset.
Why not throw in also a rainbow in all of this!