Took my Bronco to Yosemite a day after it snowed. Incredible!

[mark1031]

I posted some photos of my drive down the Oregon and California coast a few weeks back, well this is the return trip, mostly the drive through Yosemite. An absolutely incredible drive. I left Los Angeles and was hoping to drive Angels Crest Highway only to learn was closed because of the snow storm the night before. Basically had to drive around the mountains so I took the I-210 to I-5 to US14 where I stopped in Mohave to check out one of those airport storage facilities....

If you look close you'll see airplanes back there. Lots and lots of airplanes. I got a good run through the desert not far from here.

Cool vista along the way.

I eventually got to Fresno where I decided to take highway 41 to Yosemite. Only problem it had just dumped snow there as well and chains were required. I didnt have any. Crap. It was getting dark so I stayed the night in Oakhurst. The next morning I learned I could probably get to the park as the roads had been plowed. So off I went and after an insanely beautful drive along the bendy highway 41 I made it to the park.

I learned upon entry it's up to a $5,000 fine for not having chains in the park. Crap I still dont have any chains. I decided to risk it and see what the oncoming traffic looked like and if I saw chains I would turn around. Thankfully, almost no one had chains! I only saw a few dozen cars over the 4 hours I took to drive through. I put the GOAT mode in slippery and damn, not a single loss of traction up or downhill. I will admit with the possibility of a 5k fine I didnt push it.

Was sad to see a lot of the park burned.

Fire sucks.

My first sighting of Half Dome

Another shot of Half Dome.

The icicles looked cool...as does the Bronco.

The waterfall was amazing in motion, lots of freezing mist.

El Capitan reflecting on the hood.

The crows there have absolutely zero fear of people. (not Bronco related, sorry! lol)

After exploring the park I hit highway 49. Look at that!

Check that road out...and view!

Highway 49. Stunning.

Im bummed a lot of my photos got sorta ruined by the LED light flickering. Longer exposures next time. The drivers headlight you can see the problem.

One more shot of this guy.

Anyway, Yosemite was sick. I'd never been there and what a day I picked to go. Virtually empty, with all that wonderful snow.
Cheers.

Weird, cant seem to delete this image. I edit the post, delete it, save its still there. huh.

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[kodiakisland]

Awesome pictures.
The burns may look bad, and do allow erosion, but it's a natural life cycle of a forest. Mature forests don't support a diverse population of plants and wildlife, so the burns are a good thing for the overall health of everyone who uses it, except of course humans who build houses in forests and don't want their home burned down.

 

[EddieN]

Looks awesome. Can't wait to do a similar road trip when I get mine.

 

[mark1031]

Awesome pictures.
The burns may look bad, and do allow erosion, but it's a natural life cycle of a forest. Mature forests don't support a diverse population of plants and wildlife, so the burns are a good thing for the overall health of everyone who uses it, except of course humans who build houses in forests and don't want their home burned down.

True, but the fires are happening at far greater pace then ever before.

 

[fr8ycat]

Going up HWY 14 you would have passed my work south of Mojave, you probably got a whiff of it (wastewater treatment plant).

Great pics of the Non SAS 2 door Badlands, mine should arrive in a couple weeks.

 

[kodiakisland]

True, but the fires are happening at far greater pace then ever before.

Well, there may be more recent fires, but I doubt ever before. Forest management is a subject far greater than what can be discussed here. The last hundred years of trying to control mother nature with varying approaches has resulted in varying results. Those burns will look a lot better over the next 20 years when they are full of new growth and wildlife.

Anyway, awsome pictures. Looks like it was a great trip. I hope to get up that way sometime. Been to SoCal probably 20 times but never ventured North.

 

[WheresMyBronco]

Great pictures. Also I could be wrong, but I believe the tires on your Badlands are M + S rated which wouldn't need chains on a 4x4 unless the snow is at a level 3 (or something like that) level of severity, which at that point the roads would normal be closed at anyway. You should double check to be safe but I remember reading about it on the Caltrans website a while back.

 

[22Badskwatch]

nice photos! yeah Yosemite is beautiful. its been a few years since I've been.. its only about a 4 hour drive for me

 

[mark1031]

Great pictures. Also I could be wrong, but I believe the tires on your Badlands are M + S rated which wouldn't need chains on a 4x4 unless the snow is at a level 3 (or something like that) level of severity, which at that point the roads would normal be closed at anyway. You should double check to be safe but I remember reading about it on the Caltrans website a while back.

The ranger at the entrance gate just said its a federal law, anywhere in Yosemite when the chain signs are out you must have chains. Im guessing people have gotten stranded then some folks have to take a risk and rescue them. Thats probably when the 5k penalty comes down.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Those burns will look a lot better over the next 20 years

... or 50 or 100 or whenever nature ends this extended drought they're having out west.
But again ... nature.


@mark1031
Absolutely stunning pics!!! Thanks so much for posting these up!

 

[mark1031]

Going up HWY 14 you would have passed my work south of Mojave, you probably got a whiff of it (wastewater treatment plant).

Great pics of the Non SAS 2 door Badlands, mine should arrive in a couple weeks.

Oh yeah, I totally noticed that. I oddly pay attention to infrastructure and random things that make our world work.

 

[Cobrafang]

I absolutely love the pictures. Thank you so much for sharing!!!!!

 

[Beach_Bum]

Epic journey and fantastic photos. Thanks for sharing.

 

[jddunfee]

Those pictures were awesome. Thanks for sharing them and your story. I enjoy seeing the good things like this vs some of the Bronco breakdowns (although I read them lol.)
Totally get what you mean about the fires. We visit the Smoky Mountains and the fire that broke out there a few years back actually cracked the rocks and made it dangerous to hike on now. It's growing back but what a loss for so many years.
Thanks again!!!

 

[C00TER]

I posted some photos of my drive down the Oregon and California coast a few weeks back, well this is the return trip, mostly the drive through Yosemite. An absolutely incredible drive. I left Los Angeles and was hoping to drive Angels Crest Highway only to learn was closed because of the snow storm the night before. Basically had to drive around the mountains so I took the I-210 to I-5 to US14 where I stopped in Mohave to check out one of those airport storage facilities....

If you look close you'll see airplanes back there. Lots and lots of airplanes. I got a good run through the desert not far from here.

Cool vista along the way.

I eventually got to Fresno where I decided to take highway 41 to Yosemite. Only problem it had just dumped snow there as well and chains were required. I didnt have any. Crap. It was getting dark so I stayed the night in Oakhurst. The next morning I learned I could probably get to the park as the roads had been plowed. So off I went and after an insanely beautful drive along the bendy highway 41 I made it to the park.

I learned upon entry it's up to a $5,000 fine for not having chains in the park. Crap I still dont have any chains. I decided to risk it and see what the oncoming traffic looked like and if I saw chains I would turn around. Thankfully, almost no one had chains! I only saw a few dozen cars over the 4 hours I took to drive through. I put it in slippery mode, not a single loss of traction up or downhill.

Was sad to see a lot of the park burned.

Fire sucks.

My first sighting of Half Dome

Another shot of the Half Dome

The icicles looked cool...as does the Bronco.

The waterfall was amazing in motion, lots of freezing mist.

El Capitan reflecting on the hood.

The crows there have absolutely zero fear of people. (not Bronco related, sorry! lol)

After exploring the park I hit highway 49. Look at that!

Check that road out...and view!

Highway 49. Stunning.

Im bummed a lot of my photos got sorta ruined by the LED light flickering. Longer exposures next time. The drivers headlight you can see the problem.

One more shot of this guy.

Anyway, Yosemite was sick. I'd never been there and what a day I picked to go. Virtually empty, with all that wonderful snow.
Cheers.

Weird, cant seem to delete this image. I edit the post, delete it, save its still there. huh.

This is exactly why I purchased the bronco!!
I want to see all the national parks in my badlands!!

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