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