After I tipped over the ridge coming from Little Nellie Falls, I was hugely relieved to find that the gate was open. I didn’t think it would be a good idea to go back out through that mudhole.

As soon as I crested, the terrain changed. There’d been a fire up there over ten years ago, and while it did affect our hunting area, it didn’t look like the vegetation had come back with such a vengeance on this slope. But it gave me a magnificent view of the masters of the valley, El Capitan and Half Dome.

I kept on following my nose without looking at the map. The road kept getting better and better until it eventually was paved, so I figured I was on the right track. And I did pop back out on the highway.

I haven’t been to Bridalveil Fall in quite a few years and I was on a waterfall kick anyway, so that’s where I found myself eating lunch.

The view from my tailgate as I ate lunch in the parking lot was incredible, and it’s only a short walk up to the falls itself.

The river was iced over with water rushing by beneath. I was absolutely dumbfounded by the sight of a tourist encouraging his three little girls to go out and play on the ice. I don’t know, maybe he didn’t like them very much? One dip in that, and a kid would have a serious hypothermia thing going on, even if he could fish her out from the current.

But, idiots aside, the view was perfectly lovely. There’s a little ten-foot diameter or so landing area beneath the falls, where you get completely drenched if you go in the summer. The flow was reduced though, so there was just a little ice. The season had minimized the tourists, and most of those were probably on prepaid trips from other countries. They did luck out on the day though, as it was clear and fairly warm.

As you stood and listened, you’d hear popping booming noises. One family at the parking lot asked me if people were throwing rocks up there.

No, that was the sound of ice breaking loose. Don’t stand too close! They didn’t.

I walked back down after taking some pictures for a Korean tour group, and walked a little ways over to get a good view of El Capitan against the blue clear sky. Half Dome gets all of the press, but I think he’s my favorite. Maybe this summer, I’ll go up the back side (the trail’s not a rock climb, not if you start from the north.)

And walking back to my truck, I saw a winter miracle, one that was so rare that it took me precious minutes to recognize, compose myself, and capture.

Yes, my friends, that right there is an empty public trail in Yosemite Valley. Look long and hard; you’ll probably never spot one in the wild.

And that is why you go to Yosemite in the middle of winter.