Spring Marches up to Yosemite

Popcorn flower, fiddleneck, and poppies light up the green canyon of the Merced River outside Yosemite, while 6-9 feet of snow still owns the park’s interior above 7000′ elevation – it’s “Winter fun” in the Sierra Nevada.

If you can arrange your Yosemite trip to travel either into or out of Yosemite Valley along Highway 140 during daylight hours, you’re in for a visual treat.  In addition to a 3000′ deep canyon and the crystal clear Merced River, right now there is one of California’s best flower displays.  Make time for even a short walk on the Hites Cove trail at Savage’s Trading Post at the South Fork confluence and you’ll be blown away by the color and diversity.  Redbuds are punctuating the canyon’s green with surreal purple now.

There’s virtually no snow on the floor of Yosemite Valley right now and the waterfalls are picking up in volume.  The skiing at Badger Pass Ski Area is still terrific; the air is warming, though winter’s grip is still firm on the ground.  Two more weeks of lift skiing, then it’ll be all empty for the backcountry skiers.

Spring in the lower SierraIce builds up below Yosemite Falls