Photo: Snow Line at Vista Point

Snow Line at Vista Point

Snow Line at Vista Point

As my wife and I headed into Yosemite last weekend for the last snow storm of the season, there was this vista point that we came upon about half way between Groveland and Yosemite entrance.  This vista point looked north into the Stanislaus National Forest.  When we left Groveland we were just above the snowline.  As we pulled off at this vista point, the snowline was very evident.  It was about 500 feet below us and lived like a scar across the hillsides even as the clouds overhead threatened to release more snow.  Later in the evening as we drove back to Groveland, there was no snow visible from this same spot.

As I looked at this particular photo, I was curious what the red pine trees were on the bluff.  Then I remembered making a comment to my wife about all the dead pine trees we would see within the forest, their brown dried hulks would stick out from among their green brethren.  When you added the white of a fresh snow to the scene, they stood out even more.  I assume they were the casualties of the three year drought we have been having here in California.  Unfortunately, indications are that even with this last storm front, the state is still at less than 100% precipitaion for the year which still puts us well behind over the entire period of the drought. Most reservoirs we passed on the way to Yosemite looked like they were at half capacity or less.

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