Now that I am older and don’t ski or snowshoe anymore, I still love Yosemite in winter. When the storms have passed (and they seldom last long) the scenery is as spectacular as ever. And very different to the views you will see during the rest of the year.
Yes, you have to plan your travel a little more carefully, but be assured you will not have to deal with the crowds and high prices of summer. When the sun comes out and shines on all that snow, it is nothing short of spectacular, just from the valley floor. See pictures here that I shot with a basic iPhone over the holiday season last year.
And for the sports enthusiasts, bring your skates for the rink at Curry Village and your cross-country skis for the world class terrain both sides of the valley. Don’t ski yet? All my family learned downhill skiing at Badger Pass ski resort – it is especially ideal for kids. Hint: ride the shuttle bus up to avoid dealing with road conditions yourself and rent some snowshoes to try out this growing aerobic sport that anyone can do.
Cottages like this one are just outside the park, so convenient to town, below the snow but above the fog of California’s central valley. Sometimes we even get snow too, as you can see from this pond view below. I took it sitting on my Frontier Hill deck while watching to see how the ducks, geese and egrets were handling the cold water. Of course, my local hawks and owls were smarter and hiding out in some tree hole until spring arrives – even though the pond never ices over as temperatures seldom drop below freezing.
Contact me in advance or on arrival for more details. Martin