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The Four Seasons of Yosemite (1980) by Dana Morgenson

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• Title Page
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• Four Seasonsr
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  • Winter
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  • Spring
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  • Summer
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  • Autumn
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• Dana Morgenson
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About the Author

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• r r Dana Morgenson’s biographical sketch is at the beginning ofr at the online version of Yosemite Wildflower Trailsr
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• r See also the r last page of this bookr
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Bibliographical Information

r Dana Clark Morgenson (1906-1980),r The Four Seasons of Yosemiter (Yosemite Park and Curry Company, 1978).r 40 pages. Illustrated. 28 cm. Bound in saddle-stitchedr paper wrappers illustrated with color photographs.r No valid copyright.r No copyright registration.r

r Converted to HTML by Dan Anderson, November 2007,r from a personal copy.r These files may be used for any non-commercial purpose,r provided this notice is left intact.r
r     —Dan Anderson, www.yosemite.ca.usr

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The Four Seasons of Yosemite (1980) by Dana Morgenson

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r Ther
r FOUR SEASONS OFr
r YOSEMITEr

r Text and Photographsr
r byr
r DANA MORGENSONr

r The Four Seasons of Yosemiter
r By Dana Morgensonr
r Published by Yosemite Park & Curry Co.r

r Copyright 1978r

r Book design by B. Weissr

r The single most striking feature of Yosemite Valley’sr architecture is half Dome, rising almost 5000 feet above ther Merced River. One of the world’s most unique rock forms, itr dominates every view in the upper portion of the Valley, liker some great shrine to which come the faithful from every land.r Its compelling presence is felt in each season, but in winter ar special aura envelopes it. Draped in snow, silhouetted abover the Valley headwall, this great rock structure seems remote,r unattainable, a temple of the sky beyond the reach of merer mortals.r

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The Four Seasons of Yosemite (1980) by Dana Morgenson

Winter

r Yosemite National Park, justly famed for its exquisite sceneryr and its dramatic example of the action of glacial ice on hard rock,r is most generally thought of as a summer-time attraction. Thenr the American public is on the move, seeking through vacationr travel a change of pace from regular routines. Yosemite, inr common with most Western parks, hosts the largest portion of itsr annual visitor count during those summer months. It’s a time ofr long sunny days—seldom interrupted by storms, mild andr invigorating climate, open roads and trails across the far reachesr of the Park, and the beauty of fully-developed meadows, wildflowers and forests. Admittedly, Yosemite’s famous waterfallsr are ebbing at that season, as the snow-melt recedes. But that is ar fact of summer-time, and Yosemite’s visitors take it as such.r

r Strangely enough, many who come in summer give no thought tor the other seasons of the Park. Many, in fact, seem surprised tor learn that Yosemite is open after September, or before Memorialr Day, that in fact it never closes. They are unaware of the richr colors of its meadows and forests in autumn, of the silver-etchedr beauty of its great cliffs in winter, or the excitement of majesticr waterfalls pouring out of the sky just as spring seems to pour newr life into the entire landscape.r

r Those who have discovered the splendor and unique quality ofr these other seasons are wont to return again and again to enjoyr them, finding something of the deeper essence of Yosemite—r something of the qualities which make this park very special to sor many of its devotees. Let us, then, through the medium ofr pictures, try to present some of the drama of these seasons—forr the information of some visitors and the nostalgic recollection ofr others.r

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r (Top Right)r
r On a bright winter morning following a snow storm, Yosemiter Valley holds a special magic. Every tree and shrub andr rock and stream bank seems to have been created anew,r through the artistry of billions of tiny snowflakes.r The world is hushed in the presence of such beauty,r and the all-pervading quiet is broken only by the softr whisper of the river gliding gently past. Sharp, clear,r sweet air quickens every sense of one fortunate enoughr to see this splendor. A warming sun drapes a few filmyr scarves of mist across the Valley’s walls.r

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r (Lower right)r
r On such a morning, follow the river if you will, pastr the shrubbery freshly decorated by the previous night’sr storm. You will catch glimpses of Yosemite’s famousr scenery through the screens of leaf-less branchesr ornamented in tones of silver and alabaster against ar clear blue sky. Save for the gentle touch of a bird’sr foot, or a squirrel’s, yours may be the first prints in ther unbroken snow at this early morning hour.r

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r When strolling in Yosemite Valley after a recent snow storm, you will surely stop to admire the wayr of winter with the long needles of the ponderosa pines. Snow flakes, like tiny feathers, cling to eachr needle, while the trees as a whole seem clothed in white robes. Photographers, especially, will enjoy ther sharp contrast of these trees seen against the darker background of forest, river or cliff. But do notr linger too long under such a tree, else the playful fingers of the warming sun will loosen some of thatr snow from higher in the branches, bringing it down upon you in a sudden rush like a minor avalanche.r

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r (Right)r
r Yosemite Falls with its ice cone presents one of ther memorable sights of the winter landscape. How the coner develops can be seen in this photo: the freezing of ther mist from the fall itself during cold winter nights, whichr adheres to the cliff in a form vaguely resembling a huger pine tree frosted with snow. As the sun begins to shiner upon the icy wall, its warm fingers pluck away the icer and it falls with a resounding crash to the basin below.r Result: a spectacular cone which reaches its peak inr early March—sometimes becoming 250 feet in heightr and covering several acres. By mid-April, the ice coner usually is gone, having melted away under the impetusr of heavier volume in the waterfall together with longerr and warmer days.r

r (Below)r
r The region of heaviest snowfall in the Sierra normallyr occurs above the floor of Yosemite Valley. Thus, ther rims of the Valley may be deeply snow-covered, followingr periods of storm, while the floor itself retains onlyr moderate amounts. The eye is impelled by the gleam ofr fresh snow around Yosemite’s walls to scan these rimsr with deep satisfaction—revelling in the vivid contrastr between silvery rocks and trees and the blue of the skyr or the soft grays of clouds. Late afternoon light,r accenting this contrast with long, level rays of sunshine,r brings special emphasis to this facet of winter’s beauty.r

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r The great rocks of Yosemite become deceptively softened byr the delicate lighting effects of storms. Half Dome’s tremendousr upthrust above a snowy meadow appears almost dream-liker on occasions when veils of winter clouds drift slowly throughr the Valley, as a new storm system begins to appear.r

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r Winter storms sometimes fill the Valley with misty clouds andr vapors which completely shroud the surrounding cliffs so thatr they all but disappear. On such a day, one gets the impressionr of a great forested plain stretching on without apparent limit.r Instead of Yosemite’s familiar walls, dark trees rise like accentr marks out of the mist.r

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r El Capitan’s mighty brow—3000 feet above the Merced River—looks down through a delicate screen of cloudsr which softly veil the reality of this incomparable cliff. Often said to be higher than any other completely verticalr wall on earth, it seems to float airily above the Valley Floor on such a winter day as this.r

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The Four Seasons of Yosemite (1980) by Dana Morgenson

Spring

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r The approach of spring in Yosemite is seen first in the increasingr volume of the waterfalls. The warming sun of late March and earlyr April particularly affects the flow in Yosemite Fall, which is on ther sunny, warm side. Its roar begins to echo across the upper Valleyr as it tunes up for the full symphony of springtime. In this photo,r the winter’s ice cone is still visible through the mist, but it is beingr worn away steadily by the relentless pounding of the water,r increasing day by day.r

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r Half Dome looms serenely above the Valley Floor, which is responding to spring’s approach as the Mercedr River rises and the adjacent meadows turn green. Recently mantled in snow, the bright silhouette against the skyr symbolizes winter’s last stand.r

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r An early spring landscape in Yosemite Valley features the fresh greenery of emerging grasses and sedges, whiler tall cottonwood trees and small willows yet rise in lacy silhouettes, awaiting later leaf development. The mellowr light of an April afternoon reveals distant cliffs rimmed with snow. Glacier Point soars darkly out of the scene onr the right.r

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r (Above)r
r When early May brings a succession of softly-lightedr spring mornings, Yosemite’s meadows reveal one of theirr most beautiful aspects. Then, the groves of black oaksr which stand in many of the meadows are clothed in ther most delicate of tones for the brief period of leafr emergence. Muted reds, greens and golds weave a mistyr tapestry across these great trees, particularly striking asr seen against the background of blue-gray cliffs. Ther fleeting quality of this display only olds to its hauntingr beauty. Our scene is in El Capitan Meadow, withr Middle Cathedral Rock as a backdrop.r

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r (Right)r
r In close-up, the origin of the black oaks’ colorful springr display is seen clearly. The tiny new leaves emerge asr a bright scarlet tone, while the lace-like pollen catkinsr which are sprinkled liberally along the branches arer colored in shades of gold. This striking blend of springtime color is enhanced by the new green of ther developing leaves as they begin to enlarge.r

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r The sound of springtime is, in essence, the rush of water from its source in the deep snow fountains of the Highr Country down toward the sea. Everywhere, the streams are outlined with white water, singing their wayr onward with unceasing vitality. Graceful branches of the big-leaf maples bend over the surface, their newly-openedr leaves a rich chartreuse in tone.r

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r As the snow melt from the High Country reaches its peak—r sometime during May—the Merced River rises dramatically. Inr more level areas of the Valley Floor, it broadens to the proportionsr of a slender lake, often engulfing generous portions of its banks.r Temporarily, willows, alders, cottonwoods and other streamsider trees stand in the swirling current, swaying gracefully as inr a gentle breeze. Afternoon light plays across Half Dome, outliningr it sharply against a soft spring sky.r

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r Another familiar aspect of springtime is the rising of the waterr table under Yosemite Valley’s meadows, as the descendingr moisture from the snow-melt above saturates the ground. Ther result is the filling of small meadow basins to create mini-lakes orr reflection pools which mirror the tremendous scenery aroundr them. As these pools disappear quietly in early summer,r wildflowers follow their receding patterns into the dampness. Thisr pool, with Sierra pond lilies floating on its quiet surface, has for ar backdrop the 3000-foot north face of the Sentinel Rock.r

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r The unusual snow plant (Sarcodes sanguinea) is one of spring’s most treasured discoveries. Rising through ther pine-needled floor in May like a blood-red stalk of asparagus, it is completely without the green hues so commonr to the rest of the plant world. Thus, lacking chlorophyll, it is unable to produce its own food as most plants dor and must depend for sustenance on decaying vegetation beneath the forest floor. It seems exotic and unreal, yetr invariably fascinates with its striking form and color. The snow plant is never abundant, but every spring offersr a few of them. No matter how often one has seen them in the past, it is always thrilling to find once again ther first snow plant of another springtime.r

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r (Right)r
r More than any other feature of Yosemite, its overpowering waterfall display seems ther very essence of springtime’s glory. As the melting snow from the High Countryr rushes down toward the sea, streams pour over the great walls of the Valley to meetr the Merced River, flinging themselves into the air to create rockets of white waterr which seem to emerge from the sky itself. In years of heavy snowfall, their roarr literally fills the Valley. Nevada Fall, 596 feet in height, is seen in this photo,r surging over the upper cliff of the Giant Stairway.r

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r (Left)r
r Vernal Fall, 317 feet in height and nearly 80 feet wide at peak volume, constitutes the lowerr step on the Giant Stairway. The well-known Mist Trail enables the hiker—climbing throughr the driving spray of the fall itself—to reach its top from Happy Isles, a distance of one and ar half miles and a vertical rise of about 1200 feet. All of Yosemite’s waterfalls reach their peakr during May; however, good displays in most of the falls will be seen in normal years fromr mid-April to the latter part of June.r

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r Bridalveil Fall, 620 feet high, is located at the extreme western end of Yosemite Valley and thus is the first ofr the great waterfalls to be seen by most visitors. Pouring out of its hanging valley between the Cathedral Rocksr and the Leaning Tower, it crashes into the granite below, forming vast clouds of spray. This in turn is lifted byr the unseen hands of the wind as a filmy veil and spread across the cliff in ever-changing patterns of lace-liker delicacy. It is literally a plaything of the winds and is capable of innumerable forms and moods as the lights andr shadows evolve. Bridalveil has a dependable watershed, draining the basin around Ostrander Lake; thus it runs,r albeit in diminished volume, throughout the year.r

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r Dogwood is easily the favorite blossom of those who come tor savor the special charms of Yosemite’s springtime. Theser elegant blooms come at the same time as the peak of ther waterfalls—the month of May—though the earliest are foundr in late April and they linger on into June at higher elevations.r Well distributed across the Valley Floor wherever there isr adequate moisture, dogwood is especially abundant near Fernr Spring and in the area of Happy Isles. The western dogwoodr (Cornus Nuttallii) usually consists of a pattern of sixr petal-like bracts surrounding the actual flower-head itself,r though groupings of four or five can be seen too. The size ofr the entire blossom is frequently an astonishing six inches inr width.r

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r (Left)r
r Back in the 1860’s, three apple orchards were planted in Yosemiter Valley and after more than a century they still add the delicater beauty of their blossoms to a memorable day in springtime.r Normally, these apple trees flower in late April, just before ther dogwood comes into its prime. Occasional trees appear up andr down the Valley, where seeds have been carried by birds orr animals. Their spring blossoms bring a unique pictorialr foreground to many a vista of cliffs and waterfalls, such as thisr scene with Yosemite Fall as its central theme.r

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r Most famous of all Yosemite’s waterfalls is the one which carries the name of the Park itselfr —Yosemite Falls. Correctly referred to as “Falls,” it consists of three increments—the 1430r foot sheer drop of the Upper Fall, the 675 foot descent through the tortuous, twistingr Inner Gorge and the 320 foot plunge over the Lower Fall. This total of 2,425 feet from rimr to Valley Floor makes it the second highest known waterfall on earth. Only Angell Fall inr Venezuela is known to be higher—about 3,200 vertical feet in total height. The Lower Fall,r seen in this photo, is easily approached by a short trail near Yosemite Lodge. At peakr volume—in May—the scene is a wild blending of white water, dark rock, driving mist andr the all-pervading roar and clamor of the furious stream. At the time of the full moon inr May, when the waterfall fills this grotto with mist, an ethereally beautiful lunar rainbowr spans the chasm for three or four nights.r

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The Four Seasons of Yosemite (1980) by Dana Morgenson

Summer

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r Sunrise on a day in June, when the sun signals the advent of summer by riding farthest into the northernr sky, appropriately occurs over the shoulder of North Dome, which rises more than 3,500 feet above ther Valley Floor. Half Dome and adjacent cliffs are in two-dimensional silhouette, awaiting the sculpturing effectr of the sunlight.r

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r (Top Right)r
r Summer in Yosemite Valley is a time of warmth and languor, of lazy days when time seems to standr still. The Merced River, no longer swollen by the exuberance of spring’s snow melt, moves slowly andr at much-reduced volume. Its water is warmer now, and invites the attention of swimmers andr sun-bathers and fishermen. Along its banks, wildflowers nod in gentle breezes. Deeply-green meadowsr bask in the sun, laced with shadow patterns of pines and oaks. Always, the great cliffs provide ther dramatic backdrop for such scenes of quiet splendor.r

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r (Lower Right)r
r June is the month which belongs to the azaleas (Rhododendron occidentale). Then their fragrancer perfumes the air in Yosemite’s meadows and their creamy-white trumpets shine out from the shrubs’r dark recesses. They are well represented in the Valley meadows—especially in El Capitan and Cook’sr Meadows—and may be found frequently wherever moisture in desired amounts is present—such asr near the river and in cool side canyons along the roads to Glacier Point and Crane Flat. Thoughr exquisite in form and texture, their most memorable quality is undoubtedly their delicate fragrance.r Once experienced, only a fleeting reminder is sufficient to transport one again in memory to the gloriesr of a Yosemite day in June.r

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r Another flower commonly seen in the early-summer meadows of Yosemite is the cow parsnip (Heracleumr lanatum). Dramatically tall, with large creamy heads of massed flowers, it stands brilliantly against the sky or,r as seen in this photo, as bold contrast to views of the waterfalls or great rock forms of the Valley.r

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r (Right)r
r The Three Brothers stand in side-lighted silhouette amid the tranquillity of a summerr morning. Quiet reigns across the Valley—no breeze yet sways the graceful stalks ofr golden helenium or mars the perfect reflection of cliffs and forest. This formation isr named for the three warrior-sons of old Tenaya, chief of the Yosemite Indians at ther time of the first entry of white men into the famous valley in 1851. The highest of ther three, known as Eagle Peak, rises almost 3,800 feet above the Valley Floor.r

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r Summer in Yosemite National Park means to many visitors the availability of the High Country, thatr vast region of meadows, lakes, streams and mountain peaks which lies above and beyond ther more-famous Valley itself. Tuolumne Meadows, seen in this photo, is the heartland of the High Country.r Lying at an elevation of 8,600 feet above sea level, it is the largest single area of grassland in all ther Sierra, with the Tuolumne River meandering quietly through its lush green-ness. Around it are groupedr an impressive array of the Sierra’s summit peaks, their bare granite thrusting far above tree-line. Ourr photo includes Mt. Dana (13,053 feet) on the left and Mt. Gibbs (12,700 feet) to the right, softlyr bathed in evening glow. In the far left foreground rises Lembert Dome, most prominent landmark of ther Tuolumne region.r

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r (Top Right)r
r Early summer, late June or the first week of July, brings the first touch of spring tor the landscape of the High Country. Snow still lies in shaded pockets along the lowerr mountain slopes and in larger expanses near the summits, feeding the many icyr streams and clear, blue lakes of this lovely region. However, the fresh green of newr grass and tiny flowering plants can be seen everywhere, transforming meadows andr lake shores with the magic of life’s awakening from its long winter sleep. In ther background of our picture, Mt. Dana (13,053 feet) dominates the horizon above oner of the many small lakes of the High Country.r

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r (Lower Right)r
r Summer’s full development brings rich emerald tones to the meadows of the High Country.r Soft, spongy turf gives the feel of deep-piled carpeting across spacious rooms, whoser walls are shadowy forests reaching up to a ceiling of cobalt skies and cottony-whiter cloud patterns. These meadows, which often have evolved as old glacially-scooped laker basins that later filled with silt, are one of the lasting impressions of the mountains’r mystique. Our photo shows White Wolf Meadow, situated some 35 miles fromr Yosemite Valley along the Tioga Road, at an elevation of 8100 feet.r

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r (Right)r
r The many lakes of the High Country are an important element inr its memorable beauty. Some are in rocky basins among the cragsr while others lie surrounded by smiling grasslands—some arer shallow tams which reveal patterns of rocks and plants under theirr surfaces and some are darkly mysterious in their unknownr depths. Lakes come in every size and shape, but they all have inr common the clean, unspoiled attraction of mountain waterr removed only a short distance from its source in the snowr fountains of the peaks. Here, we see evening light painting ther quiet surface of Tioga Lake with the subdued tones of sky andr clouds and granite summits, holding briefly all the memories of ar glorious summer day.r

r (Below)r
r The ultimate glory of a mountain meadow comes withr the blossoming of summer’s wildflowers. Usually aboutr the first of August, spring is at last firmly establishedr in the High Country with lavish displays of the blossomsr native to this land of the sky. The picture of springtime—r a season almost forgotten in the hot landscapes of ther foothills and central valleys of California—seemsr complete on such a day as this: mild sunshine, driftingr clouds in a richly blue sky, birds singing, a soft breezer swaying the tall grasses and flowers. Our scene is ofr a meadow near Tioga Pass, with multitudes of smallr pink asters (Aster alpigenous ssp. andersonii) leadingr the eye on toward Mt. Dana (13,053 feet) on the skyline.r

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r Tuolumne Meadows glows with its own incomparable display of wildflower color in late July. Then, large areasr are brightened by the rich magenta tone of the alpine paintbrush (Castilleja lemmonii). Although individually ar rather small flower, the effect of large masses of them is like vivid scatter-rugs thrown across the green floor ofr the meadow. In the background, Lembert Dome rises almost a thousand feet into the sky, dominating mostr views of Tuolumne Meadows as does Half Dome in Yosemite Valley.r

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The Four Seasons of Yosemite (1980) by Dana Morgenson

Autumn

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r Late August sees the first indication of approaching autumn in the High Country. It begins nearr tree-line and moves slowly through the next three months down the mountain slopes to ther foothills—reversing the progress of spring which surged up from those foothills from March tor July. The seeds of grasses and flowers have matured by now and the plant world is starting itsr return to winter’s dormancy. Auburn tones spread across the once-green meadows—a sort ofr distillation of the long hours of sunshine during the summer now fading. Tiny lakelets—orr tarns—lie quietly in afternoon’s warmth, like open eyes gazing intently into the deep blue Sierran sky.r

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r As days drop from the calendar like autumn leaves, the season makes its way down toward the 7000 tor 8000 foot levels. Meadows in this region respond beautifully in their own way. Occasional groups ofr aspen glow as though spot-lighted by beams of sunlight. Creek dogwood (Cornus stolonifera), commonr along stream courses and marshy areas, flames against the sombre landscape of tall sugar pines and redr firs. The meadow in our photo is one of many idyllic places along the road to Glacier Point.r

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r Autumn appears first in Yosemite Valley in late September. A golden glow spreads slowly across many ofr the meadows and along portions of the river banks. A common plant of these areas, Indian hemp, isr responsible; its leaves turn a bright yellow as its stalks become red. Seen in brilliant light against shadowedr cliffs or sunlit granite domes, it is indeed a dramatic harbinger of the glory of approaching autumn. As wer look across the Leidig Meadow in this photo, North Dome on the left and Half Dome on the right gleamr in the misty light of a September afternoon.r

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r (Left)r
r October brings the gradual deepening of color to the loveliestr of Yosemite’s broad-leaved trees—the California black oaks.r Slowly, the rich green of summer fades into warm bronze,r with occasional over-tones of red. Looking up through ther branch structure of such a tree, the leaves brightly outlinedr against the sky or the dark cliffs, one has the impression ofr looking through the splendor of a stained-glass window.r

r (Below)r
r The October moon rises through misty clouds above ther mile-high brow of Half Dome, as sunset turns the granite’sr gray to a glowing autumn red.r

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r (Top Left)r
r By the end of October, Yosemite Valley basks in the fullness of autumn color. Richly golden-bronze oaks standr in perfect complementary tones against azure skies. Often, the shadowed cliffs, when seen through the brightr leaves, appear delicately lavender. The ground beneath these lovely trees is carpeted with crisp fallen leaves,r adding to the pleasure of an afternoon’s stroll through their varied textures.r

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r (Lower Left)r
r In close-up, the richly saturated tones of the black oak leaves provide magnificent framing for vignettes ofr Yosemite’s cliffs and domes. The quiet river repeats the brilliance of the scene in myriads of catch-lights acrossr its surface as it moves dreamily through the beauty of a late-October afternoon. In the background rise ther Cathedral Rocks and Spires.r

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r (Above)r
r Dogwood has a second season of glory in autumn, as the large green leaves change gradually to variedr tones of red—ranging from light pink to deep crimson. Their startling colors set the forest aglow, inr contrast to its remaining green hues and the strong lines of sun-drenched tree trunks. Look for ther peak of dogwood color about the end of October, although the first leaves to change begin theirr transformation in late summer.r

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r (Above)r
r Autumn has one more gift for its devotees, when November appears on the calendar. Even as the brilliance ofr oak color begins to recede, the vivid butter-yellow leaves of the black cottonwoods (Populus trichocarpa) glow inr moist meadowy areas and along the river’s edge. It is as though autumn, knowing its time is running out, hasr determined to make one last brilliant effort to climax its grand performance. Leidig Meadow, seen in this photo,r contains excellent examples of these impressive trees.r

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r (Top Right)r
r The last rays of sunshine on a November afternoon light up a grove of cottonwood in brilliantr profile against the muted gray of Yosemite’s cliffs. This is a typical location for these lovely trees;r they are most content where their roots have easy access to water, thus affording us too the enjoyment ofr their reflected luster in the slow-moving river.r

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r (Center Right)r
r The first storms of approaching winter produce a gentle flow in Yosemite Falls which, in manyr years, have been almost totally dry since late summer. The Upper Fall accents the deep shadowsr of late afternoon, while young cottonwoods along the river glow in sun-lighted silhouette.r

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r (Lower Right)r
r Some time near the end of November is the expected date for the first snow of the oncomingr winter to reach Yosemite Valley’s floor, though earlier storms may have left a white mantler across the rims and over the great crown of Half Dome. These first snows on the Valley Floorr are seldom great in amount, and in fact seem to resemble heavy frosts. Some autumn-bronzedr leaves still cling to the black oaks, but most are now on the ground—soon to be tucked in forr winter’s long sleep under the deepening blanket of snow yet to come.r

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r Winter settles into Yosemite Valley with the coming of December, in most years. Nature seems to be strivingr for appropriate decorations in honor of the approaching Christmas Holidays, and the familiar scenery is given ar fresh, clean surfacing of white. The deep accumulation of snow which will become the water run-off in spring isr yet to come, but the storms of December provide the base. Half Dome looks serenely into a snowy Valley, asr the last of the alpen-glow gilds its crown and suffuses the sweeping flank of Clouds’ Rest with the soft rose tonesr of early evening. The year draws to a close in quiet splendor.r

r And so it is that the seasons of Yosemite pass in review across the spectrum of the years—a pageant ofr beauty and inspiration which offers unique experiences through the entire calendar. Rather than ther traditional four seasons to which we have become accustomed in other places, Yosemite’s ever-changingr scene can be described as having twelve—for every month brings new facets of growth and subsidence.r

r Yet no two years are ever the same. Variations in climate produce differing patterns of wildflowerr development, waterfall volume, the incidence of bird and animal life, the memorable beauty of winterr landscapes, the colors and intensity of autumn’s drama. One can never exhaust the thrilling potential ofr Yosemite’s incomparable scenery.r

r John Muir, who loved Yosemite with such singular devotion and wrote of it so feelingly, has summed upr the emotion of many with these well-known words: “Oh, these vast, calm, measureless mountain days,r inciting at once to work and rest! Days in whose light everything seems equally divine, opening ar thousand windows to show us God. Nevermore, however weary, should one faint by the way who gainsr the blessings of one mountain day; whatever his fate, long life, short life, stormy or calm, he is richr forever.”r

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r Yosemite > Library >r Four Seasons of Yosemite >r Dana Morgenson >r

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The Four Seasons of Yosemite (1980) by Dana Morgenson

Dana Morgenson

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r Dana Morgenson has had the unusual experience of living in Yosemite National Park for more than thirtyr years. For a man with a camera, and an eye sensitive to the ever-changing natural wonders in such anr area, that is indeed a rare privilege. The result has been the building of a very large collection ofr photographs of this great park and the Sierra Nevada Range. His camera has looked at the overwhelmingr landscapes of peaks and lakes and waterfalls and sky, the individual glories of trees and rocks and clouds,r the tiny aspects of Yosemite’s beauty as found in flowers and grasses and mosses.r

r Associated with the Yosemite Park and Curry Co., the chief concessioner in the park, he has attemptedr to share his knowledge, love and reverence for Yosemite with its many visitors. Through a program ofr camera walks and slide shows, he has introduced thousands to the inner splendor of this unique place. Her has authored an earlier book, “Yosemite Wildflower Trails,” and contributed photos of this park tor several magazines and books.r

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The Four Seasons of Yosemite (1980) by Dana Morgenson

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• Title Page
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• Four Seasonsr
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  • Winter
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  • Spring
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  • Summer
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  • Autumn
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• Dana Morgenson
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About the Author

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• r r Dana Morgenson’s biographical sketch is at the beginning ofr at the online version of Yosemite Wildflower Trailsr
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• r See also the r last page of this bookr
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Bibliographical Information

r Dana Clark Morgenson (1906-1980),r The Four Seasons of Yosemiter (Yosemite Park and Curry Company, 1978).r 40 pages. Illustrated. 28 cm. Bound in saddle-stitchedr paper wrappers illustrated with color photographs.r No valid copyright.r No copyright registration.r

r Converted to HTML by Dan Anderson, November 2007,r from a personal copy.r These files may be used for any non-commercial purpose,r provided this notice is left intact.r
r     —Dan Anderson, www.yosemite.ca.usr

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