I am finally home from a whirlwind tour of the Sierra. After several stressful weeks of teaching, dying Grandma and leading a photo workshop in Yosemite, I strapped on my skis and headed out on Glacier Point road in Yosemite NP for a little solo time. Years ago I had visited Taft Point during the summer and realized the potential of this spot for a winter shot with the addition of untouched snow in the foreground.
After a slow ski out the groomed road I turned off the road and did the last hour of skiing down toward the valley rim just in time do drop my pack make a few turns and find a good sunset location. After shooting Horsetail Falls from the Valley the previous few days I really wanted to line up the last light on El Capitan with something to show my high vantage point and the winter snow. It all came together in this image!
I spent the night not far from this spot sleeping out under the stars until about midnight when the wind picked up and climbed into my bivy sack. After shooting the sunrise and melting snow I skinned back up to the road and enjoyed a long downhill glide on the icy road back towards Badger Pass Ski Resort.
After showering up and making a few calls I headed out of the park for the North American Nature Photography Association conference starting that night in Reno. Where I met and talked with several conservation photographers about future projects and ended the road trip by teaching a one day photo workshop at Lake Tahoe.
All told somewhere between 18-20 miles of skiing, a wonderful sunset, and a great box of mac & cheese can make for an amazing personal battery recharge.
