January Yosemite Valley Snow -

January Yosemite Valley Snow

Yosemite / 0 Comment / January 24, 2017

After record snowfall had hit California, and Yosemite National Park along with the Valley seeing significant snowfall, I felt it was time to head up to the Park to capture some winter scenes.

While on the way to Yosemite on the 41 I noticed the snowline beginning in Coarsegold, a first for me since moving to California. To me this meant there were going to be spectacular scenes in Yosemite. As we approached Oakhurst I decided to check the Yosemite phone line as warnings of trees falling, as well as the 120 already being closed were red flags to me.

The phone call hit the news that Highway 41 (the normal way in for me) was closed after Wawona, and Highway 140 (the next closest entrance) was also closed. With the 140 being the lowest elevation entrance I decided to gamble and wait there for an eventual opening.

Luckily after waiting about an hour it happened and we were allowed in the Park. Unfortunately with heavy snowfall and quick accumulations, the 120 at Foresta, and Highway 41 at the gate just above Bridalveil Fall were both closed, leaving me to only explore the Valley. Normally this would be the worst news possible, but in Winter the Valley is much more spectacular to photograph.

There was however one issue, the snow, which was knee deep in many places. In some it was nearly waste deep, meaning looking for those extremely rare unique angles was going to be impossible with just my blue jeans on. I did however capture many winter scenes which you can see below.

: Jan 23, 2017; Yosemite National Park, CA, USA; Layers of trees stand covered in snow as fog rolls through them after a winter storm in Yosemite National Park. Photo Credit: Kiel Maddox

: Jan 23, 2017; Yosemite National Park, CA, USA; The Merced River flows towards El Portal after a recent snowstorm in Yosemite National Park. Photo Credit: Kiel Maddox

: Jane 23, 2017; Yosemite National Park, CA, USA; Sunlight breaks through clouds in Yosemite National Park near the El Portal entrance. Photo Credit: Kiel Maddox

: Jan 23, 2017; Yosemite National Park, CA, USA; Snow covers Sentinel Meadow along with Cathedral Rock in the distance after a recent snowstorm blanketed Yosemite Valley. Photo Credit: Kiel Maddox

: Jan 23, 2017; Yosemite National Park, CA, USA; The Yosemite Valley Chapel sits in a snowy season after storms left the Valley covered in over a foot of snow. Photo Credit: Kiel Maddox

: Jan 23, 2017; Yosemite National Park, CA, USA; Glacier Point Cliffs stand covered in snow above the tree line after a winter storm in Yosemite Valley. Photo Credit: Kiel Maddox

: Jan 23, 2017; Yosemite National Park, CA, USA; Snow covered trees in Yosemite Valley are backlit after sun peaks out from behind the clouds and granite walls. Photo Credit: Kiel Maddox

: Jan 23, 2017; Yosemite National Park, CA, USA; The granite walls around Yosemite Valley sit covered in snow as clouds rolled in throughout the day. Photo Credit: Kiel Maddox

: Jan 23, 2017; Yosemite National Park, CA, USA; Cathedral Rock reflects in a snowy Wosky Pond in Yosemite Valley. Photo Credit: Kiel Maddox

: Jan 23, 2017; Yosemite National Park, CA, USA; Snow covers Yosemite Valley and the Valley walls during a wintery day in Yosemite National Park. Photo Credit: Kiel Maddox

: Jan 23, 2017; Yosemite National Park, CA, USA; El Capitan sits high in fog with a snow covered Valley floor below it. Photo Credit: Kiel Maddox

: Jan 23, 2017; Yosemite National Park, CA, USA; The sun peaks through clouds and begings to illuminate the side of a mountain in Yosemite National Park. Photo Credit: Kiel Maddox

: Jan 23, 2017; Yosemite National Park, CA, USA; El Capitan Meadow blanketed in over a foot of snow with surrounding peaks covered as well. Photo Credit: Kiel Maddox

: Jan 23, 2017; Yosemite National Park, CA, USA; Three trees stand covered in snow in a Yosemite Valley meadow. Photo Credit: Kiel Maddox

: Jan 23, 2017; Yosemite National Park, CA, USA; Cathderal Rock rises out from behind a set of trees in the Yosemite Valley forest. Photo Credit: Kiel Maddox

The Blog

January Yosemite Valley Snow

Share On

More Story

Half Dome Sunset