Continuing my Yosemite posts. Fire, Rocks, Autumn

Fires

As I drive around California I am awed and humbled at the immensity of the fires that have gone through the state. I am amazed at the ones in other states, too, but I'm in California right now. I haven't even been to see the Redding area's destruction.
When you enter into Yosemite officially it is about an hour drive to the valley. You travel along very windy roads. Windy as in curving. This picture doesn't give it justice. This was taken near the top looking way, way, down into a valley. There are many trees that were burned from a past forest fire. Here also, is the bottom of El Capitan. The trees looked burnt, and they were making piles of dead branches. This area was a very small burn, and I wasn't sure from when.

The next day when we went to Glacier Point we drove along the road that had the most burnt from this year. There had also been a park closure at that time.

There was a spot where we stopped and waited for a flag man. They were working on the road. They were cutting down burnt trees because they could become hazards falling on the road.

Look very closely at the gray just to the left of the center in the picture. This tree was still smoldering.

This picture shows how fire can go through a forest, skipping from tree to tree.

Do you see a little green coming back?

Side note: Windy as in curving roads and windy as in lots of air moving are spelled the same? Anyone like Dom can help me out here?

Rocks

Rocks What is it about them that fascinates me? Why do I keep collecting them to make a rock garden? Don't know, just me I guess. One of my favorite things to do in Western PA was to go to the "mountains" and climb the rocks. My most favorite thing to do at one camp was hike and crawl down through chimney rock. I wonder if they still do it. Well, Yosemite has some very big rocks. El Capitan and Half Dome are not the only rocks there. There were more I could have taken pictures of, but I would still be there snapping if I asked Richard to stop at every spot. My biggest thrill at Yosemite was the drive to Glacier Point. Richard hadn't been there before, and was amazed, too.

The walk we took to the hotel (there is a road, too, but walking is good!) took us on a path that had huge rocks. The other pic shows El Capitan's left side view while we were driving along.

Top of Glacier Point. WOW. Miles and miles and miles.

You should know this one. I had a friend who did the 8 mile hike to the top. Not me!

Looking down into the valley. You can see the river from here. You can also see the road, parking lots, and the hotel.

The pics above are still from the top, just a little more down the road.

Captain, my captain.

Autumn

The color. Most of these pictures are from the RV park we stayed in. There were some really nice areas while we were driving, but I couldn't get any nice pics from the car.