Bridalveil Fall, winter, Yosemite, California
Bridalveil Creek enters the west end of Yosemite Valley from the south and takes a 620 foot plunge, as Bridalveil Fall, toward the valley floor. The valley in which the creek runs just before it reaches the brink of the waterfall is probably the classic example of a glacial hanging valley in the entire world: a strongly U-shaped valley intersecting another U-shaped valley with a large drop in altitude. This is the waterfall which adorns the familiar views of Yosemite Valley from Inspiration Point. Several January days in a row, with daytime temperatures in the shade never exceeding 30 degrees, resulted in the buildup of this considerable coat of ice. It was just beginning to peel off in great sheets, when I returned for this second and final attempt at the image.
