Yosemite Valley

Soundtrack:

• Modest Mouse -- We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank

Pongo and I made a trip to Yosemite this weekend.  It was a wet one.  I'd hoped the rain would drive off the crowds.  No such luck.  Damn people brought their rain gear.  So much for my noble plans of having the place to myself.

Merced River, Yosemite National Park, CA

The rain darkened everything.  The sky was dark with clouds.  The granite walls of the valley were darkened by the water.  The pictures I took reflect all that.  Unfortunately, the photos also reflect the fact that I didn't make an effort to get them right.  Neither my camera or my dog are waterproof, so I was doing a bit of dashing in and out of the car to quickly get shots.  Pongo came with me most of the time, so by the end of the day the inside of the car was almost as wet as the outside.

Tunnel View, Yosemite National Park, CA

This weekend's rain isn't going to do much to help with the drought.  The snow pack was 5% of normal this year in the Sierras, this was just a one day respite.  The reservoirs will be tapped after this year, meaning if we don't have a good winter next year California is going to have serious problems.

Yosemite National Park, CA

California Mule Deer -- Yosemite National Park, CA

I saw a few deer.  Pongo didn't see them.  Too bad, he likes deer.  We had a deer walk right up to us last time we were in Yosemite.  She probably thought we'd feed her, but that wasn't going to happen.  I do my best to follow park rules.  Well, I tried to sneak Pongo onto a paved trail once in Sequoia National Park but stopped about 100 yards in.  A young lady called me out and she was right.  Not my greatest moment.

Yosemite National Park, CA

Bridalveil Fall -- Yosemite National Park, CA

Yosemite National Park, CA

If you're wondering how bad things are looking, see the photo of Don Pedro Reservoir below.  Given the time of year, that's likely to be the high point for 2015.  Yikes.

Don Pedro Reservoir, CA