The forecast called for early morning clouds, so I got to Tunnel View before the sun came up. Usually, an early morning arrival means you get to avoid the worst of the hustle and bustle. Not this time, though. Photographers lined the Tunnel View overlook, tripod to tripod. Since no reservations are required to enter the park this year, the larger-than-usual crowds have already been in the news.

A clear blue sky meant no dramatic storm light in Yosemite Valley, but it turned into a perfect day to explore familiar spots and scout a few new ones around the valley floor.

A winter storm reset Yosemite Valley. Snow on the ground, runoff everywhere, and the strongest Horsetail Falls flow we have seen in more than fifteen years.

Firefall season without the fire. A clear February weekend in Yosemite and a Mist Trail hike that ended up being the best part.