Yosemite

Bridalveil Fall

Elevation at trailhead: 4,000 feet (1,200 meters)
Elevation Gain: 200 feet (60 meters), more or less

Why Hike to Bridalveil Fall? At 620 feet (189 meters), this cataract is short compared to Yosemite Falls, but we're still willing to bet you don't have anything like it in your neighborhood. It's famous for the mist that wafts off it when the breezes blow and which, according to the poetic, isolation-addled souls who get to name waterfalls, resembles a bridal veil.

Best Time to Visit: In the springtime, when the snowmelt is roaring over the falls and you'll need windshield wipers for your spectacles - sometimes from a quarter mile away.

Hiking Time: 15 - 30 minutes

Crowd Factor: As heavy as the waterflow, generally. Along with Lower Yosemite Falls, this is one place where virtually every tour bus is sure to stop, so crowds will appear in waves.

Difficulty: Easy; we rate it a 1 out of 10. There's some incline and the spray-soaked path can be slippery near the falls, but it's still a hike that almost anyone can do.

Parking: A large lot at the trailhead. It often fills up, but if you drive a few hundred meters into the valley, you'll find a trail to the falls running parallel to the road, and you can almost always find a parking spot somewhere along here, with the added bonus of having a view of El Capitan. We prefer this longer trail anyway. It crosses Bridalveil Creek and some pleasant meadows - and really, the more of Yosemite Valley you walk through, the happier you're going to be.

Nearest Restrooms: In the parking lot.

Nearest Snacks: Assuming that all the cooler-laden cars in the parking lot are out of bounds, your best bet is Yosemite Village, five miles east.

Getting There: From Yosemite Valley, take Highway 41, which heads towards Wawona and the south park exit. You'll reach the Bridalveil Falls parking lot very shortly after turning onto Highway 41. See the trail map for a clearer idea.

Beware of: slippery rocks. The mist that gives the falls their name makes footing treacherous as you approach the falls.

Best Views: They aren't always from the very end of the trail, which is near the base of the falls. During the spring runoff, there's so much mist whipping off the falls that the only people who'll go there are small children who've been ordered by their parents to risk their tiny, expendable lives to pose for pictures, or me. (next time I should have my water-housing or maybe some windshield wipers) =)

Just wanted to say thank you to Phil King who happens to work for Flickr. He picked my buddy Shawn & I up when we got lost after our 12 mile hike to the sequoia trees. We happen to miss our turn to the campgrounds & wound up 3 miles outside of Yosemite.

www.yosemitehikes.com/yosemite-valley/bridalveil-fall/bri...



The Tunnel View

The Tunnel View is probably Yosemite's most famous vista. Lots of famous landmarks are visible here, including, from left to right, El Capitan, Clouds Rest, Half Dome, Sentinel Rock, Sentinel Dome, Bridalveil Fall, and a tree.

If you enter Yosemite Valley via Highway 41, this will be one of your first glimpses of Yosemite Valley; you'll see this immediately upon exiting the eponymous tunnel just uphill from the viewpoint. If you entered Yosemite Valley via another route, follow the signs to Bridalveil Fall (or Highway 41), but continue uphill past the falls to this spot.

View On Black

Buy my art at Imagekind!

Piru Creek

Few of the hundreds of thousands of people that have driven up Interstate 5's Castaic grade, thirty minutes north of downtown Los Angeles, are aware of the stunning gorges that are found along Piru Creek upstream and downstream of Pyramid Reservoir.

Located just south of the intersection of the San Andreas and Garlock fault zones, the creek winds its way through land twisted and torn by the combined effects of these major faults, the related San Gabriel fault, the Pine Mountain fault, and several other smaller faults. The result is a stunning streamscape with towering cliffs, tilted strata, deep gorges, and remarkable views.

Add water and the reach between Pyramid dam and Lake Piru becomes one of the most unique, isolated, and scenic one-day, road accessible, whitewater runs in the Western U.S. It is considered a "must do" classic by many expert whitewater kayakers.

Water is the key. Water years with average,or above average, precipitation will usually produce some boatable days in February and March. But since the dam is just upstream, the release from Pyramid is the primary source of the water at the put-in. Sometimes it is necessary for boaters to make their way downstream on marginally boatable flows until side creeks add sufficient water.

You don't have to be a geologist to appreciate the unique terrain of Piru Creek -- you just need to be able to gawk at the rocks, cliffs and gorges in the 2500 ft. deep canyon and say, "Wow!" Want a "before you paddle" preview? Here's a Google Earth image of Piru Creek and Google Earth KMZ file of Piru Creek that shows much of the creek from Frenchman's Flat (on the left) to Lake Piru. Zooming in, here's a image of the "Falls Gorge" section, pictured on the right. For more info see Google Earth.

read more here
or
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piru_Creek

My buddy Jeff wanted to go fishing, so I packed my camera gear of course and tested out some new techniques my contacts have been asking me about.. stacking filters, testing the full capacity of the lee filter foundation. so I started with the HoyaND400, but I was blowing out my sky, so I tried my 3stop reversed gnd, and it didn't look so natural. The Lee .0.9 (3-stops) GND works wonders and is much stronger than cokin if you're rugged like me, its worth the extra cash.. =)

Grass Valley Lake Vertorama

Grass Valley Lake Vertorama
Originally uploaded by smgallery

Grass Valley Lake is a small private lake owned by the members of the Lake Arrowhead Country Club. This doesn't mean that you can't enjoy it too. The lake is a short 10 minute drive from the Lake Arrowhead Village.

Winter Wonderland

Winter Wonderland
Originally uploaded by smgallery

Welcome to Lake Arrowhead Country Club...

For this is a place where bald eagles glide over fairways shouldered by towering sugar pines and incense cedars. Where you can stop and listen to the cool winds in the lofty trees, the lapping of clear water, the superb silence of serenity.

The club of choice for discerning golfers for over 40 years, LACC is a fully appointed facility with a magnificent tennis venue and beautifully situated swimming pool and aquatic deck.

Less than two hours from Los Angeles, San Diego or Palm Springs; Lake Arrowhead Country Club is a mile high oasis of pleasure for avid golfers, enthusiastic tennis players and busy families looking for a relaxing escape from the heat and humdrum of life "down-below". To visit once is to want to stay forever.

Tewinkle Park Vertorama

Tewinkle Park Vertorama
Originally uploaded by smgallery

My 1st vertorama I posted on Flickr.com/smgallery

TeWinkle Park
970 Arlington Dr., Costa Mesa, CA, 92626
(714) 548-4165
Features a lake and waterfall, tennis and volleyball courts, ball fields, playground, picnic tables and more.

Balboa Park

. . .
Originally uploaded by smgallery

WELCOME to BALBOA PARK
Welcome to Balboa Park - the nation's largest urban cultural park. Home to 15 major museums, renowned performing arts venues, beautiful gardens and the San Diego Zoo, the Park has an ever-changing calendar of museum exhibitions, plays, musicals, concerts, and classes—all in the beautiful and timeless setting of this must-see San Diego attraction.

ADMISSIONS and the PASSPORT TO BALBOA PARK
The admission prices vary by institution. Memberships are also available for purchase from the museums and performing arts organizations, offering an opportunity for visitors to support these San Diego cultural treasures on an annual basis. Admittance to the Park grounds is free. The Botanical Building, outdoor gardens and some additional attractions are also offered free of charge.

Passport to Balboa Park, San Diego's best cultural value, offers visitors the chance to experience 13 museums in the Park, with savings of more than 50% and the convenience of a one-time purchase. The Passport is valid for seven consecutive days, and includes one admission to each of the 13 attractions. The Zoo/Passport Combo includes the Passport to Balboa Park plus one-day deluxe admission at the San Diego Zoo, all for one low price.

www.balboapark.org/

The Jewel

La Jolla
Originally uploaded by smgallery

La Jolla in Spanish means "The Jewel". It is the Jewel of America's finest city, San Diego. La Jolla is located 15 minutes from downtown San Diego. It has wonderful beaches, cultural activities and fine restaurants. La Jolla is an exquisite combination of a southern European resort atmosphere and Southern California fun. While La Jolla is known to be one of the most affluent communities in the United States, it has a down to earth feel due to the beautiful natural scenery and the helpfulness of its residents. Moreover, in addition to fine restaurants, beautiful beaches, hotels and art galleries, La Jolla is home to renowned institutions, such as the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the Stephen Birch Aquarium & Museum. This is in addition to the University of California, San Diego. Furthermore, La Jolla is home to many Bio-Tech and software companies. In short, La Jolla is a great place to live in, visit, or do business.