Yosemite National Park

We are reposting our video of Shelton Johnson discussing hidden histories for African American History Month. A story that has become uncovered can become buried simply by the steady stream of newer stories, so it seems pertinent to reinforce this one. What other underrepresented stories are out there that we should recover and amplify? #AfricanAmericanHistoryMonth

On a recent winter afternoon, we watch two female common mergansers diving in the Merced River, searching the river bottom rocks for an aquatic critter for lunch. These large ducks, with a distinctive pointed orange bill, can be found in Yosemite Valley all year. In early summer you might catch a mother herding her ducklings along the riverbank scooting from cove to cove on the Merced River.

"The negative is the equivalent of the composer's score, and the print the performance." - Ansel Adams The famous and inimitable Ansel Adams was the photographer that almost wasn’t. Adams’ early ambitions were as a pianist and composer of music. It was his travels and successful photographs from spending summers in Yosemite that had him jump from one dream to the other. Yet there was no lack of love for music. He applied his knowledge, understanding and talents as a musical ...composer to his work as a photographer, the composition has to have the right notes. Adams’ love of visual and musical arts plays out each winter at the Bracebridge Dinner. As a cast member for the first two years of the play, Ansel was tasked with creation of a new script in 1929. He continued as a cast member of the beloved play for many years along with his wife, Virginia Best Adams. There have been tweaks and additions, but his script has largely remained for the last 92 years. Like all the great composers of the past, Ansel Adams’ body of work continues to inspire and evoke each new generation to explore, enjoy and protect our natural landscapes. #Yosemite #NaionalPark #AnselAdams

Join Ranger Alex as a friendly squirrel helps them solve some questions about Yosemite’s trees.

For everyone planning trips to Yosemite National Park this weekend to experience Horsetail Fall, we have some safety tips to help you experience Horsetail Fall in a fun and safe way. -Arrive early: do not wait until 4:00 pm to park and walk out to the Horsetail Fall event viewing area. The walk from most parking areas to the event area is approximately 2 miles one way, on a flat, paved surface. -Take your time and wear walking footwear: For your safety, walk in the designat...ed pedestrian lane (on the right-hand side of the road). There could be snowy or icy spots, so watch where you walk. -Watch the weather and pack layers: as the sun sets temperatures in Yosemite Valley significantly drop. Be prepared for cold weather conditions as the evening progresses. -Pack a flashlight or headlamp: After sunset, the walk back to your vehicle will be very dark. Be prepared with adequate light for your safety. -Wear your mask: For your safety, masks are required in Yosemite National Park if adequate social distancing of at least 6 feet cannot be maintained. -Be prepared for a temporary road closure: Should conditions require it for pedestrian safety, a temporary road closure may go into effect in the Horsetail Fall event zone from about 5 pm to 6 pm. Please plan your visit to Yosemite National Park accordingly. There is no alternate route to exit Yosemite Valley during that time. The safety of park visitors and park employees is our number one priority.

More often than not, the trails and highways we travel through the Sierra Nevada follow routes that have been used for thousands of years. With the varied history and wanderings in Yosemite there are quite a number of disused and abandoned routes. The Tioga Road is familiar to many visitors as the way to the Yosemite high country or beyond to the eastern Sierra. It generally makes use of trans-Sierra trades routes created by native people. It was, however, widened into the Gr...eat Sierra Wagon Road in 1882-83 at some expense and with the hard work of Chinese immigrants. Built to service mines on Tioga Pass that proved unfruitful it did become used as a primary route across the mountains. It was acquired by the park in 1915 through donations by Stephen Mather and others, and eventually re-routed, then paved to make the current, easily travelled experience. For some folks the older rougher road was an adventurous experience that is missed with the modern road. Dramatic modifications in the 1950s to decrease travel times were particularly contentious. Can you imagine a time when current roads might be reimagined as the simpler trails they once were? Shown here in this historic photograph is the Hodgdon family’s homestead cabin and a country store in Aspen Valley, a tiny community inside the current park boundaries that once provided services and accommodations before the road was rerouted from Crane Flat to White Wolf in the late 1930s. Beyond Aspen Valley the abandoned route has become a trail through the Yosemite Wilderness. Hodgdon’s cabin can be visited in its current location at the Pioneer Yosemite History Center in Wawona and portions of the abandoned route can be walked in various spots including White Wolf, the Yosemite Creek Campground, or in Tuolumne Meadows. See more

Good ol’ rock. Nothing beats that Bart Simpson Except of course paper. This style of fist games has origins in China dating back to the Han Dynasty. As the game style became popular in Japan the version using rock-paper-scissors became the most popular and eventually made its way over to western cultures. Rock-paper-scissors, or rochambo, is seen as one of the fairest ways to break an impasse. Scissors cut paper and rock smashes scissors, but if you’ve found yourself w...ondering how exactly does paper beat rock, here is your direct evidence. Broken, cracked, and fragmented granite catches wind-blown soils. Seeds can also be wind blown or dropped by birds. It only takes a little bit of soil for a tree to start to grow. As tree roots push down or along cracks, fungus and lichens break down rock surfaces, directly bringing in nutrients from the rock to the tree roots. Rain and snow easily catch in the crevices, watering the tree, as well as aiding in further weathering of the rock. Perhaps you’ve come across the power of tree roots to lift concrete driveways and sidewalks as they continue to grow, much in the way this oak tree is pushing these two boulders apart.

Good luck, a blessing, a bridge to another realm, a promise. There are many beliefs about what a rainbow may symbolize. We see rainbows not when a storm is over, but when there is enough of a breakup that the sun can shine through. A rainbow’s flash of color across the sky can spark joy in volatile, gray sky, each color bringing its own brightness into our lives. Colors that can be found all around, up close in nature. Here you see bark of manzanita, (mock) oyster mushroom, yellow lichen, cedar tree leaves, Steller’s jay feathers, and bark of a Ponderosa pine. Can you piece together a rainbow where you live? In what ways can you spark joy for others in the coming year?

The natural world flows seamlessly from one calendar to the next, but we find meaning in marking the switch as a fresh start, a clean slate, or a new beginning. How are you wrapping up 2020? What are you using to mark the turn of the year? What hopes do you have for 2021?

Join us in thanking all Yosemite National Park volunteers and a special congratulations to the Volunteers of the Year. Our national parks would not be able to achieve all their goals for preservation and access without all the folks who contribute each year. For an audio decriptive version got here https://youtu.be/fUIkMAWehXA

Planning a visit to Yosemite this weekend? A winter storm warning is in effect through Sunday, with rain already falling in Yosemite Valley and snow arriving as early as tonight. Temperatures in the valley will dip into the 30sF by Sunday, with gusty winds expected. Plan, prepare, and be aware for a safe trip in wintry conditions! PLAN: Always check the weather forecast (go.nps.gov/wxmap) before you head out! It's a good idea to call the road conditions line as well (209/...372-0200 then 1, 1) to find out if tire chains are required on park roads. PREPARE: Check your backpack for extra water and high-calorie food, warm and waterproof layers (consider opting for down, wool, or synthetic instead of cotton for warmth in wet conditions), gloves, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, and a headlamp or flashlight with extra batteries. BE AWARE: Even an inch of snow can hide the trail and disguise landmarks and footsteps. Pay close attention to be sure you remain on an established trail, and carry and know how to use route-finding equipment (maps, compass, and GPS) if trails are snow-covered!

Even as temperatures drop and nights in the mountains turn frosty, we're still in fire season! If you're planning a visit, be aware: A red flag warning is in effect starting tomorrow night due to windy conditions and low humidity. Wood fires are prohibited throughout the park, including in campgrounds (gas stoves and charcoal grills are permitted). There are four active fires burning in the Yosemite Wilderness, all of which started from lightning strikes in JulyAugust. ... Smoke from the large Creek Fire south of the park continues to impact views and air quality; check current conditions at fire.airnow.gov. Nights at high elevations are below freezing, with a forecasted low of 5F (-15C) in Tuolumne Meadows tomorrow night! Brrrrrrrr... Peaks along the Sierra crest may get their first dusting of snow tomorrow! This is not likely to impact park roads, but it's always a good idea to call 209/372-0200 (then 1, 1) to check conditions prior to arriving. : Blue Jay Fire at night, seen from Tioga Road in September

This steady metronome of the seasons in Yosemite Valley provides a rhythm, even in times of uncertainty. Waterfalls empty in summer and refill with the first winter rains. Foliage turns from green to gold, falls, and emerges green again. The river floods, diminishes, and returns. Bears sleep and wake; songbirds arrive and depart; countless generations of pollinators flourish and pass away in time with the coming and going of plant life. What rhythms help you keep time in your life?

Famous around the world, Yosemite National Park in California is synonymous with natural beauty. Surrounded by a vast wilderness of mountains, forests and lakes..., the heart of the park is the iconic Yosemite Valley. Framed by towering granite cliffs festooned with shimmering waterfalls, the valley looks incredible under a bright sun or sparkling starlight, from dawn to dusk and back again. And every season is a chance to discover its wonder all over again. This is a place that once seen, will always be with you. Photo by Sarah Foster (www.sharetheexperience.org). See more

Tioga Road (continuation of Highway 120 through the park) and Glacier Point Road will temporarily close on Thursday, November 5, at 6 pm in anticipation of snow. We will evaluate conditions on Monday for possible reopening. (Based on the forecast, we don't expect this to result in a closure for the winter.) If you are visiting this weekend, expect rainy and/or snowy weather, and that means it's time to pack your tire chains (https://go.nps.gov/chains). Check current road con...ditions by calling 209/372-0200 (then 1, 1). (Photos from November 2019)

What would you do if a major flood or natural disaster closed your local grocery store? It’s #CAFloodPrepWeek! We encourage you to Be Aware! Be Prepared! Take Action! In 1950, the old Village Store in Yosemite National Park was in complete disarray following storms in November and December that caused widespread flooding throughout Yosemite Valley. People and property all over California are at risk for flooding. For #CAFloodPrepWeek we encourage you to #BePrepared for a flo...od scenario. In case stores are closed, it is important to prepare at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food and water, important medications, supplies to shelter in place, cash, and a first aid kit. Other ways to #BePrepared include understanding your personal flood risk, making an emergency plan with your family, and purchasing flood insurance. To learn more about your flood risk and other ways to stay safe during an emergency, visit: https://www.ready.gov/floods See more

"We simply need that wild country available to us, even if we never do more than drive to its edge and look in. For it can be a means of reassuring ourselves of our sanity as creatures, a part of the geography of hope." Wallace Stegner [Photo: Tuolumne Meadows from Pothole Dome]

You think you’re safe. You think there is no danger. You slip into a false sense of security. You never expect the squirrel that comes running at you from around the corner. #ConstantVigilance Mountain quail vs. California ground squirrel [Don't worry, the quail escaped unharmed...they're not typical squirrel prey!]

"Autumn leaves don't fall, they fly. They take their time and wander on this, their only chance to soar. Delia Owens, Where the Crawdads Sing Step into today's golden autumn light in Yosemite, and enjoy the whispering leaves that foreshadow the season's shortening days.

"This is not an empty lake. It is full of sand...and the possibility of a wetter tomorrow." . Mirror Lake is a section of the Tenaya Creek that fills in spring and early summer, on still days reflecting Mount Watkins and the face of Half Dome. At this time of year, it's a regular source of crestfallen hikers, who lack the boundless optimism of this park ranger.

Ranger Skelly says: Always bring a map! Even us...um...retired rangers can get turned around sometimes. Read on for more seasonal tips for the human hiker: Daylight saving time ends tonight! Shadows fall early and dusk creeps across the land...so, remember to hike with a flashlight or headlamp (unless your eyes glow like mine, of course). Carry extra food and water, and eat and drink before you start feeling light-skulled! Even as temperatures cool, mere mortals can stil...l get dehydrated in the midday sun. If you have lungs (no judgment here!), show courtesy to your fellow hikers and mask up when you pass on the trail. Happy Halloween from Ranger Skelly and all of us at Yosemite!

Yosemite Valley has experienced major floods in 1937, 1950, 1955, 1964, and 1997. Flood fighting (including sandbagging as shown in the image from 1937) and recovery are collaborative, interagency efforts! Following the destruction of the 1997 flood, Yosemite National Park recovery efforts were completed with help from National Park Service and Federal Highway Administration. Trails throughout the park were restored in partnership with California Conservation Corps, and water... infrastructure was rebuilt with partnership from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District. Although these agencies are always working to reduce flood risk, everyone needs to be personally prepared for a flood. #TakeAction in understanding your personal flood risk, making an emergency plan with your family, and purchasing flood insurance. Flood management across the state and country continues to be an interagency effort. To learn more about the California Silver Jackets collaborative approach to flood risk management, visit: https://silverjackets.nfrmp.us/State-Teams/California

Did you miss our Draw With A Ranger series? Get in the #BatWeek spirit with Craters of the Moon NPS! Craters of the Moon protects the starkly beautiful landforms, rugged sagebrush steppe, and cooled lava fields of a recent volcanic period in southern Idahoand is home to 11 species of bats (among other wildlife)! Take a journey and learn more: www.nps.gov/crmo #FindYourPark

As their wild habitat disappears throughout the state, mountain lions depend on places like Yosemite National Park to survive. But did you know that the park's ecosystems also depend on mountain lions? These predators control prey populations, such as deer, and influence the movements of other predators, including coyotes and bears. Yosemite Conservancy donors helped fund a three-year study to determine how many mountain lions are in Yosemite and which parts of ...the park they use. To collect clues, the team is using highly trained scat-detecting dogs, genetic analysis, and remote cameras. The data will help scientists identify individual lions and protect Yosemite’s population of lions and their habitat. The team recently reported back on last season’s remote-camera images, and the results are exciting: Mountain lions appeared at 8 of the 42 cameras deployed for the study, revealing that the wild felines are well distributed throughout the park. The lions were photographed more than 700 times more often than all but two other native Yosemite species: mule deer and black bear. The study’s cameras photographed about 40 other wildlife species, from bobcat and gray fox to the sooty grouse and northern saw-whet owl. #WildlifeWednesday #Yosemite #FindYourPark : Priscilla Du Preez, NPS See more

Have you hugged a tree today? #BearHug #KeepBearsWild .... . . FAQ: Why the bling? Yosemite wildlife biologists use visible ear tags to help identify bears hanging out near developed areas, even from second-hand reports. This way, if a specific bear is showing increased acclimation or getting human food over a short period, we can act quickly to try to protect it by aggressively scaring it away every time it approaches humans. About 30 of the 300500 bears in the park have them. This bear is a four-year-old female who also has a temporary GPS collar. These collars help biologists understand movement patterns in real time, so rangers can keep an eye on speed limits and proper food storage in areas frequented by bears. The collars are fitted carefully to each individual bear, and drop off after two years (at longest). Learn more: http://keepbearswild.org/

S E Q U O I A D E N D R O N G I G A N T E U M If you have visited the Mariposa Grove since its restoration, you might have crossed a vast cobblestone outline of a sequoia trunk with those letters engraved in the granite. "The idea is people like you stand on top so you realize how big it is."... Romina Pasten, lead civil engineer and construction manager for the Mariposa Grove restoration project, has worn many hats since she arrived in Yosemite over a decade ago as a recent engineering graduate from Chile. Starting as a cook for the park concessioner, she also worked in the clinic and the El Portal Market before joining NPS project management. Leading this unique, multi-year project as a contractor meant balancing the awe-inspiring grandeur and wellbeing of these massive trees with pragmatic concerns ranging from signage to sewage. Roads and culverts needed to be relocated to allow water to flow more effectively to the giant trees' thirsty roots. Flush toilets would need septic systems. A new parking area had to be constructed, and the old one restored. The role of a civil engineer is to understand all of the design elements simultaneously, answering any question that might arise on a job site. How did this job measure up? Romina calls it a "really fun, really complex project." Civil engineers are the unsung heroes of scenic viewpoints, public infrastructure, and functioning utilities that serve millions of Yosemite visitors each year. Each project balances artistry against functionality, shaping our experience in a space. Have you encountered a design like this sequoia outline that gave you a new perspective?

On a warm fall day a few weeks ago, Yosemite's meadows were visited by thousands of dragonflies! When conditions are right and small insects rise from meadows, wetlands, and other buggy areas, large feeding swarms of dragonflies can emerge seemingly from nowhere. Despite their delicate beauty, dragonflies are one of the world's most successful predators (they catch over 95% of the prey they pursue, vs. great white sharks' 50% and lions' 25%). Their Latin name Odonata means "t...oothed one," a reference to the powerful serrated mandibles used to hold, crush, and devour prey. As if that's not bad enough, their eyes are the largest in the insect world, wrapping around their heads in 30,000 individual facets that afford them a near-360 field of vision. Sorry, are we ruining dragonflies for you? Next time you see a dragonfly peacefully skimming over a river or forest pool, pause to notice the agile speed and maneuverability that helps make it an apex predator of the insect world. And if you glimpse a feeding swarm, count yourself lucky: not all predator sightings in a park are big, brown, and hairy. #InsectsAreWildlifeToo #ThoughTheyBeButLittle #TheyAreFierce

Gusty, wild, golden mornings Cliffs like safely cupped hands, open to the east and west Channeling air through the ice-carved granite bowl A monument to rushing meltwaters, tumbling granite, renewing fire, to Docile oaks tossing and roaring, grasses flattening... A moment of wind-driven abandon A single golden morning born of eons Look up with the thrill of Leaves tossed and driven high in the chilly gusts They lose track of time Forget to land . 360 photo: Cooks Meadow at sunrise

Did you know Yosemite was a contender to host the 1932 Winter Olympics? While it lost that bid to Lake Placid, NY, it did get a taste of world-class talent when the summer games were held in Los Angeles the following August! These photos show the 1932 Japanese Olympic delegation on a visit to Yosemite just after summer games concluded. Posing for photos at Valley View and giving a swimming exhibition in the Camp Curry pool (their swimsuits read "Y.P.&C.Co." for then-park conc...essioner Yosemite Park & Curry Company), the Olympic spirit of unity and friendly international rivalry shines through their excited smiles. What's not captured in these archived negatives is a nation struggling through the midst of the Great Depression while keeping a wary eye on the military actions of Italy, Germany, and Japan that would eventually prompt the entry of the US into WWII and the incarceration of 112,000 Japanese Americans in camps across the western US (including nearby Manzanar National Historic Site)just a decade after the shutter clicked on these scenes. Each chapter in history is made up of countless scenes like thismoments of unity and friendship alongside times of tension, struggle, and hardship. A decade from now, how will you look back at photos of today?

The National Park Service has selected Cicely Muldoon, a 35-year veteran of the National Park Service, as the new permanent superintendent of Yosemite National Park. Muldoon has been serving as the acting superintendent since January. Read more: https://www.nps.gov//national-park-service-announces-cicel

Each year, the Yosemite Museum hosts the popular Yosemite Renaissance art exhibit. Although museum doors were closed this season, we invite you to pause and explore a selection of works and artist reflections from this year's exhibit. If you're in the area, the full exhibit opens today at the Yosemite Gateway Art Center in Oakhurst and runs through Nov. 15! Yosemite Renaissance started in 1985 to "motivate artists to develop diverse interpretations of Yosemite and its varied landscapes." This year's exhibit includes pieces in many media, and the subject matter and perspectives reflect an equally diverse set of intentions and perspectives. As you take in each work, do you feel drawn into a focused moment in time? Do you appreciate something normally overlooked, or see things in a new light?

Roadwork Alert! Two major projects will cause delays and closures along Wawona Road (continuation of Highway 41) over the coming weeks: 30-minute delays are in place on weekdays from 8 am6 pm, Oct. 1928 and Nov 19Dec. 31 as road crews work to repair drainage pipes and stabilize road shoulders damaged by the 2018 Ferguson Fire. From Oct. 29Nov. 18, Wawona Road will be fully closed on weekdays from 8 amnoon and 15 pm to address active slide areas above the road. Th...ese full closures are to prevent vehicles from being hit by slide material or blast rock as crews work to remove loose rocks and boulders from unstable hillsides. Glacier Point Road and Yosemite West will still be accessible from Yosemite Valley. Wawona Road will be open as usual on weekends. Thanks for your patience as we address these safety concerns! See details on all ongoing and planned roadwork: https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/roadwork.htm

Can you identify where these photos were taken in Yosemite Valley? In 1950, a series of storms between November and December caused widespread flooding throughout the valley. Storms, like those in 1950, that carry moist, warm air, precipitate out as rainfall in high elevations. The downstream effect of the precipitation and snowmelt is flooding. These popular sites around Yosemite Valley which today see up to 5 million visitors per year were rendered almost unrecognizable fro...m the floodwaters. It’s almost #CAFloodPrepWeek! We encourage you to #BeAware of your flood risk, even when traveling! California experiences many types of flooding: alluvial fan, debris flow, riverine, coastal, tsunami, flash, and localized floods. Millions of homes across the state are at risk for the effects of flooding so preparing for these devastating floods is critical. Learn how you can prepare: http://bit.ly/floodprepca

Sound on! Check out this video of an adult male black bear vocalizing in a tree! Vocalizations are rare to hear, but black bears can produce a surprisingly wide repertoire of sounds. The most common sound heard by humans is a loud blowing indicating defensiveness or fear, produced when people approach much too close (sometimes, this is combined with teeth-clacking or bluff charging in a defensive, "stay-away-from-me" display). In friendly interactions with mates, cubs, and ...play partners, however, bears communicate using a variety of grunts. During rare displays of high emotion, bears sometimes produce the loud, resonant voice heard here. This can resemble a scream (typically used by cubs in distress), bawling (indicating pain or fear for cubs), moans (when afraid or frustrated), bellows (during combat between adults), or a deep pulsing noise (when a bear feels seriously threatened). We're not sure what prompted this unscheduled a capella concertthe bear wasn't apparently injured, threatened, or disturbed by other bears or humans at the time. Learn more about Yosemite's bears: keepbearswild.org #KeepBearsWild

"Then everything was still. Absolutely still." Mary Pope Osborne (Magic Treehouse series) Although Mirror Lake in Yosemite Valley is dry at this time of year, still mornings in the high Sierra create countless natural mirrors to the trees and sky. What reflections have you found on your adventures?