Yosemite Valley in Winter is quiet and beautiful
There’s nothing like a trip to Yosemite in the Winter when the snow is on the ground and the crowds are thin. I love to get up in the morning before the sun rises, get some coffee and a scone, and drive to Yosemite with empty roads and the possibility of putting chains on.
I bring my snowshoes, boots, warm clothes, and just wander the valley. Parking real soon after entering the valley, I’m able to snowshoe along the Merced River in peace and solitude through the trees and next to the river.
Then a nice warm lunch at Yosemite Lodge and some more snowshoeing up above Curry Village. I have spent way too many sunsets freezing in Ahwahnee Meadow hoping for good light on Half Dome. Sometimes it’s alright, and most of the time the fog forms, messing up my shot. It’s alright though because it’s more about being there.
I love to film and take pictures, but it’s really an excuse to be there. Being in the meadow or on a dome in Yosemite is what keeps me going. But by filming it, I am able to share the experience.
I love sharing the experience through video and film, but I really don’t like sharing the experience with people. So many people you find in Yosemite are yelling at their friends, talking on their phones, or in some way making noise. I recognize that Yosemite belongs to us all and everyone has the right to enjoy the park in their own way, but I sure wish people would try not to mess up the pleasure of others with their racket. So that’s why I love Winter in Yosemite.
Where is your place to go when you want peace and quiet?
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