That's My World Tuesday / Mariposa Grove, Yosemite National Park, California USA

The road to the Mariposa Grove in Yosemite National Park was still closed when we visited here, last week.

We chose to walk the 2 miles because we were determined to be among the Giant Sequoias, which are very impressive and the largest of living things.

Here we are at the sign that says "we have now reached the grove."

The rest of the way means trudging on narrow trails in the snow...

One mile in and one mile out!

That's only the lower grove.

To include the upper grove would mean, add another 2 miles each way in deep snow.

We have been here before, but never in the tail end of winter.

We'll save the upper grove for later spring.

We soon spy a beautiful bridge which crosses a rushing creek.

There are only a few people back in the grove, which is VERY nice.

This fallen tree has been here for several centuries!

This is a view from the opposite side...

 and, my husband stands with the Fallen Monarch.

Some incredible time has passed...

We followed the path through the grove to reach these giants...The Bachelor and Three Graces.

We passed remnants of past fires.

Meandering creeks...

another bridge...

Finally, the Grizzly Giant comes into view.
This giant measures in at 96 feet in circumference and 27.6 feet in diameter at its base.
It, too, has been scorched by fire in the past.

and...moving on, we came to the California Tunnel Tree.

There was so much more to enjoy in this grove and we didn't even get to the Upper Grove this time.
I wish I could post so many more photos of our time here.
But, I will end with just a few scenes that caught my eye on our way out...

A lot of brilliant green moss caught my eye...

Trees scorched by fire left standing for many years...

Melting snow creates little reflections...

The swirling bark and moss on this tree caught my eye...

Oh!  How I ♥ Yosemite!

That's My World Tuesday

Macro Monday / A Snowy Walk in the Woods - Mariposa Grove, Yosemite National Park, California USA

We took a 2 mile hike, this past week, up to the Mariposa Grove of the Giant Sequoias in Yosemite National Park.

The elevation gain was 1000 feet in that two miles.  

There is still a lot of snow at the 5,000 ft. and higher elevations which is why we had to walk the road rather than drive to the grove.

I saw this lonely Black Oak leaf lying in the snow.

I thought this patch of melting snow looked like a ghost at first.

Then I decided it looked more like an owl...

But, today (3 days later) it might not look like anything at all.
March 25, 2010

Macro Monday