Photography: Mirror, Mirror, on the Lake

Mirror Lake in Yosemite National Park in 2012-13 fall/winter…

Mirror Lake in Yosemite National Park is extremely picturesque, as long as there’s plenty of water. These photos were from our trip last December. We were hoping for some snow but the fall-like conditions didn’t disappoint. Look at those colors! And that view of Half Dome!

There’s more to do here than just gaze at the scenery, such as hiking along the trails. Make sure you take the right path back or you’ll be in for a REALLY LONG walk back to the shuttle. I felt so bad because I told everyone there was a shortcut but we missed the entrance and ended up trekking for quite a while on rocky terrain. My mom and her husband needed pain pills when we got back. Oops!

Apparently, other visitors found another way to entertain themselves. There were tons of balanced rock stacks. I mean tons! I don’t know if this was started recently or not but it seemed just as respected as the untouched nature around it. That and it was pretty cool.

Frans and I went a tad bit photo crazy. Plus, we took our tripod with us and tried a million different compositions. We wanted to take pictures of so many things but there was no way we could do the natural scenery justice.

Though it wasn’t cold enough to snow, it was cold enough to form a thin layer of ice on parts of the lake. The way it formed was what impressed us. It was like an intricate web of ice that twisted and turned around the remaining plant life. If you live or have lived in areas with colder climates, this may  normal for you to see. For me, though, it was astonishing!

Yosemite never fails to amaze me. No wonder it’s such a revered place of majestic beauty. Yes, I’m kind of sappy and emotional but I can’t help it when I look at these photos again and remember the total peace I felt there. This lake is seasonal but if you ever get to visit Mirror Lake here in the Valley in early spring or late fall, it’s a not-to-miss sight!