Photos of a spectacular, amazing, not enough adjectives to describe it, sunset over Tenaya Lake in Yosemite

Sunset over Tenaya Lake (photo by Paul Amstutz)My friends Paul and Karen Amstutz took their family up for a skate on Tenaya Lake on January 2 and were gifted with a truly amazing sunset. At about 4 pm, I had headed down the hill back home from my trip to Tuolumne, and Paul and Karen considered doing the same as it looked like storm clouds were approaching. When the alpenglow kicked in the sky exploded in a fiery burst of color and instead of leaving, they remained to watch this mesmerizing scene. I am sad I missed it, but thankful Paul and Karen shared these incredible photos.

The Amstutz Family on Tenaya Lake on a colorful night

Note from Paul: "Since there's been no snow this winter, we've been taking our 3 girls on a few "trans-Sierra-skate" trips. It's been fantastic to skate on June Lake, Gull Lake, the Tuolumne River, and of course, stunning Tenaya Lake. Being a California boy, I don't have much experience with frozen bodies of water, so these weeks have been extra special. In 25 years of living, working & playing in the Park, I'd have to say that skating on Tenaya, by moonlight, warm sunshine, and during astounding sunsets, has been one of my absolute Yosemite highlights!"

A snowy Tioga Pass, fall color in Lee Vining Canyon and sun dogs over Tuolumne Meadows

Gaylor Lakes and Gaylor Peak (photo by Beth Pratt)Yesterday I ventured up to Tuolumne Meadows and Tioga Pass to do some wandering. My orginial intent was to climb Mammoth Peak, but the almost full snow coverage on its shoulder forced me to reconsider. Instead I had a nice hike to Upper Gaylor Lake and the Great Sierra Mine area on the border of Yosemite. As I traversed snow fields and walked by creeks reinvigorated with the newly melting snow, it was almost reminiscent of a spring landscape. Yet the vegetation attested to it being fall, painting the hillsides in browns, reds and yellows.

Fall color in Lee Vining Canyon (photo by Beth Pratt)

After my hike, I drove down Lee Vining Canyon to gaze at the aspen trees (and of course make my usual stops at the Whoa Nellie Deli and Latte Da Coffee Cafe (oh, the pumpkin spice coffee cake!). The canyon is about midway through its fall color transformation and I am guessing it will peak this week. I'll be interested to learn how this early dumping of snow (over a foot in some places) impacts the fall color.

I followed the delightful specter of sun dogs on my drive back up the pass. Ice crystals refracting the sunlight create sun dogs and halos. The two hexagonal crystal types most likely to create these optical phenomena are shaped like six-sided wafers and columnar pencils. Both have eight surfaces capable of refracting light. As depicted in the photo with this entry, sundogs and halos can accompany each other.

Sun dog over Mt GibbsSundogs appear in a diverse cross-section of history and literature, as a entry in Wikipedia demonstrates. Artistole's work mentions "two mock suns," and Cicero's On the Republicexamines the parhelion. In The War of the Roses, the appearance of sundogs was viewed as an omen of victory for the Yorkists.

In modern times, sundogs appear in Nabakov's novel, Pale Fire, provides the title for a Stephen King novella and Jack London short story, and even warrant a mention in the rock group Rush's song "Chain Lightning" (band member Neil Peart is a weather fanatic).

Being a dog-lover, I wanted to know the origin of the name and oddly enough most of my weather books remained mute on the topic. But I dug up the answer in my Weatherwise magazine archives (yes, I am that much of a weather geek). In the November 2002 issue, author Stephen Wilk answers the question 'whose dogs are the sun dogs?' in the article "Every Dog Has Its Day." He provides a few explanations, one of them being that the Germanic sky god Odin possessed two hounds/wolves, Geri (Ravener) and Freki (Glutton). For more information on sun dogs, you can read an excellent description on The Weather Doctor's site.

More photos from my wanderings:

Dana Meadows, Mt Gibbs and the Kuna Crest from Gaylor Ridge (photo by Beth Pratt)

Aspen trees in Lee Vining Canyon (photo by Beth Pratt)

Mt Dana, Gibbs and Mammoth Peak from Tuolumne Meadows (photo by Beth Pratt)

Unicorn and Cathedral Peaks from Gaylor Lake (photo by Beth Pratt)

Sun dog over Mt Gibbs (photo by Beth Pratt)

The best lunch spot in Yosemite: Lake of the Domes

Yesterday I dashed up to Tuolumne Meadows to sneak in a quick hike before the winter weather arrived this week. My destination: a cross-country trip to one of the best lunch spots in Yosemite, Lake of the Domes. The small lake is nestled between two ridges on Medlicott Dome and its north shore offers spectacular views of the surrounding peaks, a panorama from Mt. Hoffman to Mt. Conness.

As I munched on my sandwich, I also watched the storm system move into the park--the sky seemed excited to offer the first signs of the first winter storm. Cumulus clouds traveled frantically, hurried by high winds, and cirrus clouds wrote their warnings on a canvas of blue. On the way down I stopped on the shores of Cathedral Lakes, another fine spot to have lunch, and also spotted some grouse during my travels. Another wonderful day in Yosemite and a fine hike to end the season with should this snow close Tioga Road.

Lake of the Domes Mt Conness from Lake of the Domes

Cathedral Peak and Lakes

The view from Lake of the DomesGrouse near Lake of the Domes

Oh, the water: Yosemite's spectacular waterfalls

Bridalveil Fall in Yosemite, June 11, 2011 (Photo by Beth Pratt)

At the viewing point from the bottom of Lower Yosemite Falls, park visitors—drenched from the spray—glance up in awe as over 2,000 gallons of water per second fall with a thundering roar 2,425 feet down from the granite cliffs above.

Yosemite’s waterfalls always provide a spectacular show, but this year the 384% above normal snowpack for June has given birth to a breathtaking display of moving water not usually seen this late in the season. Waterfalls in the park usually peak in mid-May, and Yosemite Falls is often dry by the end of August.

When walking in Yosemite Valley this past week, it was impossible not to hear the thunderous music of the falling water, especially when hiking up the Mist Trail. The rocky staircase winds by Vernal and Nevada Falls, and the waterfalls douse visitors as they pass and roar as loud as a passing train. Other waterfalls, like Royal Arch Cascade, fall gentler and play a more subdued tune as it slides down the smooth granite above the Ahwahnee Meadow.

For intrepid hikers, the ultimate Yosemite waterfall experience is making the trip to the top of Yosemite Falls, the highest waterfall in North America. Although the trek is strenuous—three grueling miles with almost 3,000 feet of elevation gain—those who make it receive the ultimate reward: being able to stand next to the top of the mighty falls as it tumbles over the brink.

For more information on visiting Yosemite, see the official site of the National Park Service.