Yosemite National Park is located in the western Sierra Nevada range of California and covers an area of over 3,000 square kilometers. In 1984, UNESCO added this national park to its list of World Heritage Sites. About 95% of Yosemite National Park is wilderness.
January is the time when the temperature here is often below 0 degrees Celsius, with heavy snowfall. Normally, visitors can drive to visit, but in winter, some areas are closed to ensure safety.
Photographer Pham Huy Trung, living in Ho Chi Minh City, came here in early January and was impressed with Yosemite when everything from canyons, cliffs, waterfalls, grasslands to wildlife was covered in white snow, spectacular and vivid.
According to the US National Park Service, Yosemite attracts about 4 million visitors each year.
In winter, the Yosemite Chapel stands out against the snow-covered landscape. The chapel is the oldest structure in Yosemite Valley, designed in the "New England" style by architect Charles Geddes. The structure is over 130 years old and can accommodate about 250 people.
A bend inside Yosemite National Park.
Behind the snow-covered tree is Half Dome - a famous peak in the eastern part of the national park. With an altitude of more than 2,600 m above sea level, Half Dome is considered a symbol of Yosemite, always attracting tourists who love hiking. The journey to the top is not simple, lasting 10-12 hours including the return time. The rangers here often have to support tourists in trouble.
Advice for those who want to challenge Half Dome is to turn back immediately if they cannot reach the top before 3:30 p.m. and always bring a good flashlight.
El Capitan is also an icon here, rising about 3,000 feet above the Yosemite Valley floor. The national park's website describes El Capitan as "an inspiration for photographers and climbers." Although not too high, El Capitan is still considered a "holy land" for many climbers to conquer because of its steep, dangerous surface.
The average time to summit El Capitan is about six days. In 2018, Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell set a speed climbing record, cutting the time to climb El Capitan by more than two hours. However, a few days later, the national park recorded two deaths after falling from the cliff. Both victims were professional climbers who were trying to break Alex and Tommy’s record.
Snow drifts near the Merced River and the Swinging Bridge in the distance.
The reflection was taken at the Swinging Bridge area, a popular picnic spot for visitors to Yosemite. It is also a popular spot for wildlife. Visitors are warned not to approach the animals or feed them under any circumstances.
A view of Yosemite Valley from above with towering trees and vertical mountains, covered in white snow.
The moment the sun shines in the cold of about -5 degrees Celsius on the day the Vietnamese photographer visited Yosemite.
Mr. Trung once came here in the fall and commented that Yosemite has its own beauty regardless of the time. However, in the winter, the snow and ice combined with the majestic natural landscape make Yosemite even more overwhelming.
Tu Nguyen
Photo: Pham Huy Trung
Source: https://vnexpress.net/mua-dong-trang-le-o-cong-vien-quoc-gia-my-4702378.html
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