Yosemite...Second Time Around

[schrackman]

All these photos were edited, once again, with PS Elements (this will have to do until I get my full PS version loaded), so I'm unsure of the quality of the jpegs that you'll see as I am limited in what I can do with this program. In any event, these first four are just the first installment of more to come when I have some more time later on today. All photos taken with my Canon Digital Rebel with Sigma 28-80 lens.

#1 We took a shortcut (or so we thought!!) through the foothills from Merced to Oakhurst, and landed somewhere in the middle of nowhere! This is how it looked for miles and miles and miles until we reached hwy 49 that leads into Oakhurst, which was somewhere in those mountains you see in the background.

#2 Our first glimpse into Yosemite Valley late in the afternoon, taken from the vista point a little way before the tunnel on hwy 41. You can see Half Dome in the distance.

#3 My favorite photo out of all that I shot. This was taken on hwy 41 on the way back to our hotel on the first day. Shot somewhere between the tunnel and the Glacier Point turnoff.

#4 Here's one for Paul, and Kokopeli...A mule deer buck foraging for breakfast on our third day in Yosemite, as we were making our way on up to Tuolomne Meadows. All in all, we saw about 3 does and 8 bucks (all 4-pointers and one 5-pointer) on this trip, with six of the bucks traveling loosely as a herd. Kokopeli, are you jealous yet?

More to come later on. Please feel free to comment on any of the photos.

Ray

[natatbeach]

Kokopeli, are you jealous yet?


Ray

if he's not I can certainly tell you I am!!!!! awesome shots...when I get lost all I get is a headache...these are great!

[paulnj]

recount.............................

3 on each side makes......... 6 POINT BUCK IN VELVET

the brow tines are short, but G1 and the main beams aren't quite done growing yet either

quite a nice typical deer

one question ...

how do you know it's a true MULE DEER and not the blacktailed deer which is a sub-species of mule deer got you thinking huh

[schrackman]

recount.............................

3 on each side makes......... 6 POINT BUCK IN VELVET

the brow tines are short, but G1 and the main beams aren't quite done growing yet either

Yes, you are correct about the count.

one question ...

how do you know it's a true MULE DEER and not the blacktailed deer which is a sub-species of mule deer got you thinking huh

Actually, the Yosemite brochure says they are mule deer. So that's how I knew. Now, whether or not I can tell the difference between the two? Probably not, except to say I think the mule deer is larger than the blacktail.

The following are a few more photos from our trip:

#1 Another one for Paul and Kokopeli...closeup of a 10-pointer. I actually shot this from the driver's side of my Jeep Liberty looking out the passenger side. This was one of the deer that was traveling in a herd. He sat real still for me by the side of the road, although I wish I could have got him with his head pointed at us.

#2 A six inch brook trout being caught by my daughter, Adrienne, by using a bobber and a small artificial fly. This was one beautiful little fish!! Of course, we safely released him/her back into the river. The brook trout is not native to Yosemite waterways but was introduced by man sometime in the 20th century.

#3 On a hike to Soda Springs, this is a partial view of Tuolomne Meadows, Tuolomne River, and Unicorn Peak (the peak on the left side...forgot the name of the one on the right side).

#4 My wife, and two daughters, Adrienne (14) and Melanie (16) in the background. This was shot on the bridge near Bridalveil Falls.

Ray

[schrackman]

if he's not I can certainly tell you I am!!!!! awesome shots...when I get lost all I get is a headache...these are great!

Thanks Nat! I'm glad you enjoyed them. We didn't really get lost...it was just an odd way to get to where we were going. My wife doubted me all along, until of course we reached the main highway, LOL. We laughed about where the road was taking us the whole time, but all agreed it was quite an adventure traveling in what looked like such a vacant landscape.

Ray

[schrackman]

One last set of photos to share...

#1 Two bucks for the price of one shot...these two were part of the six buck herd.

#2 Slowed the shutter down just a tad to catch Yosemite River's flow.

#3 We met this hiker up in Tuolomne Meadows. He started off in New Mexico and hiked over 900 miles along the Pacific Crest Trail till he got to this point, which took him a little over two months. He said he was heading for Canada, which would take him another three months. We said, good luck and have a nice hike! We then wondered amongst ourselves what this guy did for a living that enabled him to take 5 months off work just to go hiking??

#4 Siesta Lake with morning reflection, shot along the Tioga Rd. The sign here said that these small mountain lakes were formed by glaciers and that the evolution of these lakes is such that they will eventually fill in with sediment and then form meadows, which in turn will dry up and become part of the forest you see behind the lake.

Ray

[paulnj]

mule deer ;)

mule deer have a black tip on a white tail, while the black-tailed deer has a........ black tail ;)


you size comparision was apsolutely correct Ray

great images too

[schrackman]

Thanks Paul, Penny. Yes, we had a wonderful time. And to prove it, look how much fun the girls are having just before we went horseback riding. By the way, that's Melanie's new Canon Rebel Ti w/28-80 Sigma lens that she's holding. I can't wait to see how her first prints come out.