Thirty miles up the steep, narrow, winding road. There is no seeing around each bend. The land falls abruptly mere feet from the tires. One wrong move, one turn too fast could spell disaster. But I have my sights set on the end. I am motivated by what awaits at the conclusion of this trek. So I take it slow, even though I just really want to get there. I can feel the impatience stirring, tightening my belly.
Sirens. Something is happening up ahead. Two emergency vehicles speed by. My nerves fire and my jaw clenches. My hands grip the wheel until they’re numb. I proceed with more caution. Shouldn’t be long now. A few more miles…
The end of the road opens into a parking lot, not quite full. The rest of this trek will be a short walk. Cresting the hill, the Valley of the Yosemite is laid before me in all its grandeur. Half Dome stands as a sentinel in the midst of granite peaks, tree-filled canyons, and cascading waterfalls. A storm cloud hangs above the valley, flicking lightning like a snake tasting the air. The thunder echoes in a primitive language we understand instinctively.
The Yosemite Valley - from Tunnel View, Yosemite National Park, June 2021
Half Dome and Waterfalls - from Glacier Point, Yosemite National Park, June 2021
I am overcome with emotion standing atop this cathedral of nature. This place I’ve only ever seen in books and films. This place, so beloved by Ansel Adams and John Muir. This place I’ve longed to see for many years. It captivates me. Draws me in like a dream in deep sleep. What is it about this place? What wisdom do these mountains hold? What lessons do these trees offer?
Change. Change is inevitable. Change is rooted in nature, defined by physical law. Change happens. It has to. Sometimes slow and methodical; sometimes sudden and jarring. What is today will not be tomorrow. This place represents great change and dramatic upheaval. A landscape shaped by the immutable forces of nature and the relentless passage of time, locked together in endless battle. And we are not just witness to it, we are part of it.
The High Sierra - Olmsted Point, Yosemite National Park, June 2021
Mirror Lake - Yosemite National Park, June 2021
Amidst this upheaval, peacefulness and beauty can be discovered. Towering trees that whisper in the wind. Rushing waters that nourish tired feet. Rocks that touch the sky. Alpine meadows that free the soul.
Reflections on Mirror Lake - Yosemite National Park, June 2021
Bridal Veil Falls - Tunnel View, Yosemite National Park, June 2021
Yosemite Valley from Glacier Point - Yosemite National Park, June 2021
Boulder - Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park, June 2021
Staring out at the valley, the intensifying storm lowers its dark curtain behind Half Dome as it is set alight by the sun. I see the opposing forces of Light and Shadow; of Fear and Joy; of Known and Unknown. A world in black and white. I contemplate change and beauty. I think of all that has transpired over the last 15 months. I think of my mother, who so loved beautiful places. I think of the future. What changes will we experience? What beauty will we discover?
I raise the camera for one last photo.
Half Dome and Storm - Glacier Point, Yosemite National Park - June 2021
Time to go, but I will be back.