Photo Discussion
Category: Where Was This Made?

Pit Stop

	Pit Stop I spent about a day and a half snowshoeing on the snow covered trails in Yosemite's Mariposa Grove. The grove has hundreds of giant Sequoia trees -- the most massive living creatures on Earth. They can grow up to about 300 feet tall and 20-30 feet in diameter at the base. The pine trees in the attached picture look like dwarfs compared to the Giant Sequoias I saw. During the peak season the Mariposa Grove is packed with people. But on a wintry weekend with at least 3-4 feet of snow already on the ground, you'd be lucky to come across 5 people. I was excited as I drove to the Grove because it had snowed the night before. I wanted to take a picture of the giant trees with their dark green needles and vibrant reddish bark dusted with snow. But alas, as soon as my right snowshoe hit the trail head, it started to snow again. And snow it did the entire time I was there. Falling snow makes for bad photos because ..(continued in photo discussion) Francis Cailles

I spent about a day and a half snowshoeing on the snow covered trails in Yosemite's Mariposa Grove. The grove has hundreds of giant Sequoia trees -- the most massive living creatures on Earth. They can grow up to about 300 feet tall and 20-30 feet in diameter at the base. The pine trees in the attached picture look like dwarfs compared to the Giant Sequoias I saw. During the peak season the Mariposa Grove is packed with people. But on a wintry weekend with at least 3-4 feet of snow already on the ground, you'd be lucky to come across 5 people. I was excited as I drove to the Grove because it had snowed the night before. I wanted to take a picture of the giant trees with their dark green needles and vibrant reddish bark dusted with snow. But alas, as soon as my right snowshoe hit the trail head, it started to snow again. And snow it did the entire time I was there. Falling snow makes for bad photos because all you'll see are white blurry streaks--plus it could ruin the camera. While it was an unproductive hike for photography, it was quite an indescribably wonderful feeling to walk in the deep snow amidst the enormous trees with no other human in sight. It was very quiet-- except for the sound of my snowshoes sinking in the fresh powder, and the intermittent thud of snow blobs dropping to the ground from the Sequoias' branches above me. So there I walked, surrounded by creatures who have been alive for hundreds or even thousands of years, and will more than likely live for hundreds more after my own death. Many of the Sequoias have scars left by forest fires, disease and insect infestation. A couple of trees even have tunnels carved out of them for human amusement. The tunnels were big enough for a horse-driven carriage to go through. And yet these scarred and mutilated trees continue to thrive. If the Giant Sequoias could talk, I bet they would have inspiring tales to tell.

To love this question, log in above
January 09, 2007

To love this comment, log in above
January 10, 2007

To love this comment, log in above
January 10, 2007