[Leica] Day 3 in Yosemite

[JAMES HANDSFIELD]

Gorgeous!

Jim Handsfield
jhandsfield at att.net

“Thou shalt not commit nincompoopery.”
— Carl Sandburg






> On May 7, 2026, at 2:16 PM, Aram Langhans via LUG <lug at leica-users.org> wrote:
> 
> We started out with the big hike up the Vernal Falls trail.  At the start of the trail there is a tree with exposed roots  by the Merced River that I always use to gauge the flow of water.  On a good high water year those roots are mostly under water.  With all the talk of good snow and rain in the Sierra's I was surprised to see how low the water was.  A good 2-3 feet below my root indicator, so maybe a average to slightly below average year for spring runoff.  None of the meadows were flooded this year, either.
> 
> Tree Roots Merced River-1006550.jpg | Aram Langhans | Flickr <https://www.flickr.com/photos/24330215@N06/55254346572/in/album-72177720333481183/lightbox/>
> 
> My new knee and Margie's aching knees made it to the bridge with only a few stops along the way.  Muscles were really complaining. About 0.8 miles and 550 ft elevation, but we are starting out at 4000 ft. at the base of the trail.
> 
> Vernal Falls Bridge-1006556.jpg | Aram Langhans | Flickr <https://www.flickr.com/photos/24330215@N06/55255477109/in/album-72177720333481183/lightbox/>
> 
> Another quarter mile and few hundred feet up is what we call Bob's Rock, after Margie's dad who has been coming to the park since the 50's.  I think it is the best view of Vernal falls short of the mist trial.
> 
> Vernal Falls from Bobs Rock-1619.jpg | Aram Langhans | Flickr <https://www.flickr.com/photos/24330215@N06/55255235066/in/album-72177720333481183/lightbox/>
> 
> You can see some people up on the mist trail.
> 
> Vernal Falls from Bobs Rock-1623.jpg | Aram Langhans | Flickr <https://www.flickr.com/photos/24330215@N06/55255382953/in/album-72177720333481183/lightbox/>
> 
> We did not attempt the mist trail though I wanted to.  I fear my muscles are not recovered enough from my new knee to handle the stairs that are definitely NOT OSHA approved.
> 
> After lunch and a rest we went to Mirror Lake which is about a 3 mile round trip hiking from the campground and not nearly so much of a climb.
> 
> Here is Half Dome from the lake.  Can you see the angel and the bear on the face of Half Dome?
> 
> Mirror Lake-1006587.jpg | Aram Langhans | Flickr <https://www.flickr.com/photos/24330215@N06/55254347087/in/album-72177720333481183/lightbox/>
> 
> Mirror Lake-1006592.jpg | Aram Langhans | Flickr <https://www.flickr.com/photos/24330215@N06/55255235396/in/album-72177720333481183/lightbox/>
> 
> And the iconic shot of Mt. Wilkins reflected in mirror lake.  I have an old slide somewhere from here with a lovely girl in a skimpy bathing suit posing for someone on that rock which on a good water year you have to sort of get your feet wet to get to.
> 
> Mirror Lake-1006595.jpg | Aram Langhans | Flickr <https://www.flickr.com/photos/24330215@N06/55255235496/in/album-72177720333481183/lightbox/>
> 
> There.  That is day 3.  One more day to go....
> 
> Comments and critique welcome.
> 
> Aram
> 
> 
> -- 
> Aram Langhans
> (Semi) Retired Science Teacher
> & Unemployed photographer
> “The Human Genome Project has proved Darwin more right than Darwin himself would ever have dared dream.”   James D. Watson
> 
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