Yosemite Negatives. Weston Junipers.

  Went to Yosemite last October.  Crowds were down and there wasn't much water.  It wasn't a working trip but I did pack along my 5X7.  We flew into Fresno with friends on American.  Really close to the valley with no complications of coming out of the Bay area.  We stayed in Camp Curry and then in Yosemite Lodge.

  We did get to Lake Tenaya twice, coming and going from Bodie.  I had Mark Klett's book and wanted to see Weston's Junipers, some I had seen and some which I hadn't.  An Adams subject of quartz veins in granite with glacial polish is also in the area.  There is at least one Muybridge from 1872 in the area as well.

  AA shot in the middle of this.  We dumped a couple of waterbottles to see what the contrast looked like wet, as Ansel shot it.

  I liked it from the other side.  Thinking about printing this one.  There are plenty of possibilities, though it would help to have a little step ladder to get up.  It's like the 60s.  You just can't get high enough.

  Here are directions to Weston's Juniper.  He shot at least two variations, maybe three:

  Drive 120 out of Yosemite Valley toward Tioga Pass from West to East.  Pass Omstead view, (where you should stop and...view), be alert.  A SOON as you see Tenaya Lake close to the road on the right, park on the LEFT in the first pull-in slot.  Walk through the conifers in front of the car until you come into open space.  About 50 yards.  Your direct front is crossed by rolls of granite.  Walk up.  Stop on top.  It's not climbing, just a walk.  To the North, directly ahead, you will see the top on a closer granite dome skyline descending from right to left.  Behind it, you will be another, farther, skyline descending from left to right.  They intersect right over the Weston Juniper.  Use that as your navigation point.  The country is open, though you will climb some, descend a little and go around boulders and through treelines.  300 yards max.  As you get close you will see a VERY large boulder to your left.  The Adams granite photo is past it about 150 yards downhill.  Look for the quartz veins.  To the right as you approach the Weston Juniper you are looking through the back of the 1872 Muybridge.  The Weston Tree is obvious and behind it is a rising granite dome with more trees.  Most good athletic shoes will get a good enough grip to walk up the dome to more trees.

  In "California and the West", Charis talks about camping next to Lake Tenaya for several days and climbing around looking for Junipers.  This is where they were.

  The Klett book is helpful, and cheap on Amazon Used Books, though his panoramas sometimes link things together in a way that isn't helpful.  Don't be disappointed.