Spotlight on Bridalveil Falls

Bridalveil Falls is a classic example of a hanging valley. The Pleistocene-age glaciers that scoured Yosemite Valley carved away at the granite and granodiorite, undercutting the side canyon now hanging 620 feet (189 meters) above the valley floor. The angled peaks behind Bridalveil Falls are the Cathedral Rocks.

Print No. B96-15

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Inspiration Point Sunset

This view of Yosemite Valley is from above the Wawona Tunnel Overlook. The vertical wall on the north side (El Capitan) and the south side (Cathedral Rocks and Half Dome - obscured by clouds) curve below the valley floor to make a giant u-shape. This was the original valley scoured repeatedly by glaciers between 10,000 to perhaps as much as 800,000 years ago. As much as 2,000 feet (600 meters) of sediments from a naturally-dammed post-glacial lake filled the valley floor.

Print No. A98-27-1

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Reflection of Half Dome

The peak of Half Dome lies at an elevation of 8,842 feet (2,720 meters) and rises about 4,700 feet (1,430 meters) above the valley floor. The top of Half Dome was an island among a sea of flowing ice during glaciation. The north half was scoured by glaciers flowing down Yosemite Valley. These boulders along side the Merced River may have once been part of Half Dome.

Print No. A97-4-3

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El Capitan Cloud Shadow

El Capitan is an extreme climber's paradise with its sheer drop of almost 3,000 feet (950 meters). The top elevation of El Capitan is 7,569 feet (2,330 meters).

Print No. A98-26-12

Leonid Meteor over Yosemite

This image is from the November 19, 2002 storm looking east from the Wawona Tunnel overlook at 3:23 AM. There was a near-full moon in the western sky at the time, which made it impossible to see many of the meteors, but allowed the landscape to be illuminated in this time-exposure. One bright meteor is visible just above El Capitan on the left side of the image. The other streaks are star tracks.

Print No. A02-45-2

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Yosemite Falls from Taft Point

Taft Point jets out from the south rim of Yosemite Valley at an elevation of 7,503 feet (2,287 meters). Looking northeast across the valley, this is the view of Yosemite Falls. From this perspective, you can see the upper and lower falls, separated by a cascading section formed by one of several horizontal fractures (look for the dark vegetation bands). The total height of Yosemite Falls is 2,425 feet (739 meters), making it the highest waterfall in the continent and the eighth highest in the world.

Print No. A02-16-9