Vernal Falls and Hiker

Yosemite National Park will always own a special place in my heart. When I lived in the Bay Area many years ago, I researched the park for many months before ever visiting and seeing its wonders. I built it up to be something that was almost impossible to meet my exceptions. However, on my first visit, many decades ago, it not only lived up to those exceptions, but exceeded them greatly … it blew them away. And that joy and love for Yosemite’s landscape still burns brightly every time I get to walk that valley floor, see those granite walls or hike its beautiful trails.

On this particular hike up and around Mist Trail (a hike I highly recommend you include on your itinerary when visiting Yosemite) the Merced River was running strong after many days of rain and storms in the area. That rain created a beautiful flowing Vernal Falls that we really didn’t expect to get on this particular trip/hike. I decide to go with a frozen water within the falls to capture its power and strength on this day (1/2500 sec shutter). Which also helped freeze the hikers coming down Mist Trail, giving the viewer some perspective in size. Mist Trail is one of the most exhilarating hikes I’ve ever experienced … The massive sound of the water pounding the large boulders below when hiking this section, in conjunction with the cool, wet air of the MIST coming off Vernal Falls, washes over your soul and mind, leaving you forever grateful for the opportunity to see its beauty.