Saturday, November 22, 2014

YOSEMITE


YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK
Yosemite, nature's imposing  falls
With granite cliffs and  water- falls 
Imposing impetus for National park system
Capped an era of expansionism.
Abraham Lincoln set aside the Yosemite valley
with a new belief of conservationism
as settlers poured into California
Today  draws  visitors over globe to this area.
Oh the Yosemite Valley
poses to our minds really
How minuscule we humans are
In scale of things Nature carves
MARIPOSA  GROVE
Mariposa  grove, beneath giant trees
feel the magnificent serenity
Sequoias beautiful in tranquil setting
Walking up the trails an exhilarating experience.
Giant Sequoias in longevity next only to Pine
Three Thousand Years as against four thousand five hundred of Pine
Grow tall to around three hundred feet
with diameter as much as forty feet.
Fallen Monarch fell three hundred years ago
Lies resistant to decay, lingers for years to go
Faithful couple growing close
Trunks  fuse at the base below.
Grizzly giant, second largest
In volume 963 cubic meters present
while Washington tree the largest
in volume 1018 cubic meters, first.
Telescopic tree hollow inside
Due to repeated fire strikes
Walk inside and see the sky
Giant Sequoias need no trunk to survive
Wawwona   tunnel tree
Fallen in 1969 due to snow storm
In 1881 a tunnel carved through its trunk
Created awareness of preservation of sensitive Eco systems.
With towering trees around
Sound of wind and Sun peeping down
Smell of forest all around
Yosemite,  a nice trekking ground
TUNNEL VIEW
Tunnel view, out through tunnel  Wawwona
4233 feet long, longest in California
Drama of expanding daylight
Leading to spectacular panoramic  valley sight.
EI captain to the left, Half dome in back ground in center
Sentinel rock to center right appear
Bridal veil to far right
Vast array of green forest against blue sky
sunset views excellent to see
sun rays highlighting top of valley
against dark background
stored sights that astound.
On a moonless night
Eyes getting adjusted to ambient light  
Watch the starry sight
Milky way to hearts delight.
BRIDAL VEIL
Bridal veil at West end
Across the valley from EI captain
Welcoming visitors to valley
From 620 feet, a fall tall and misty.
In Spring much higher flow
Yet  water- falls all year you know
Half a mile trek from Wawwona  parking
Get damp from mist  from a distance.
 YOSEMITE  FALLS
Yosemite falls in three sections
Upper, middle and lower ones
Upper falls of 1430 feet plunge
The drop in world top twenty range.
Five middle level plunges
Account for a drop of 615 feet
Twice as high as lower ones
Visible only to hikers.
Lower Yosemite falls
Visible, 320 feet tall
The Yosemite creeks at bottom
Flows into Merced  river
Sentinel falls, Ribbon falls, Horse tail falls
Ribbon falls close to Bridal veil falls
Nevada  falls impressive from Glacier point
on drive from  Ahwahnaa  or curry village
Orange glow Horse tail fall on east of EI Captain
Mid to late Feb due to sun reflection.
John Mur Vernal falls mist trail hike
In  Spring blows mist all over, you like.
EI CAPTAIN
EI captain carved by glacier action
now a standard for  big wall climbing action
3000 feet above the valley floor
Largest monolithic granite in world  ever.
THREE BROTHERS
Located east of EI Captain
made of Eagle, upper most brother
and middle and lower brother
You can see from Merced river.
SENTINEL ROCK
see the Sentinel Rocks
From opposite side of Yosemite falls
CATHEDRAL ROCKS AND SPIRES
East of canyon see Cathedral Rocks
Opposite EI Captain rocks 
The granite scene elegant 
Bridal veil flows through, a sight so pleasant

HALF DOME
5000 feet above Yosemite valley
8000 feet above level of sea
Half Dome the valley icon
A challenge to hikers ' I CAN'
George Anderson reached the summit
Leading to cable route of today, hike it                    
An exciting arduous  hike
Observe safety precautions in hike
View Vernal and Nevada falls
Liberty Cap, Half Dome with elevation raise
and High Sierra, observing safety
Panoramic view of Yosemite valley.
Scare the Bear away
See Squirrels, Chipmunks on the way
Wild Life respect them from a distance
Black bears grabbing back packs, a nuisance.
Half Dome, signature land mark of Yosemite
A  strenuous 16  mile  hike, round trip
hikers see magnificent  water falls
And top of 8842' Half  Dome monolithic tall.
K.S.V.SESHADRI