Taken in Yosemite Valley at Valley View on December 29th, 2012
I was winter camping in Yosemite Valley. After a lovely snooze on a bed of snow, thermarests, and cozy blankets, I got up early on the morning of December 29th, 2012 to catch the sunrise. I drove to El Capitan meadow to assess the light and it looked like the most interesting display would be happening to the east. Knowing the layout of the park, I decided that Gates of the Valley would be a perfect place to watch the sunrise. Arriving at the Gates, I noticed a few other photographers already set up. Not wanting to stand right next to anyone and noticing these fantastic tufts of snow-covered grass in the Merced, I waded out into the river to shoot. The sunrise started off blandly and I thought it was going to be a bust, but after 30 minutes of patient waiting the clouds broke up enough to let these lovely salmon and lavender splashes of light in. What a way to start the day!
Joshua Cripps is a renowned landscape photographer who has garnered worldwide acclaim for his breathtaking images of our planet’s wild places. His photos have been published by the likes of National Geographic, NASA, CNN, BBC, and Nikon Global.
The Mount Whitney Gallery was founded in 2023 by Joshua Cripps as a way to share his passion stunning landscapes of the Sierra Nevada and beyond.
Set at the foot of the breathtaking Sierra with a view of the range’s highest peaks, the gallery features large format, museum-caliber fine art prints of Josh’s signature photographs.
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