Valley Loop Trail beneath Eagle Peak, Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, CA, 10/25/2015
On an autumn vacation to Yosemite National Park, a friend and I strolled along Valley Loop Trail and encountered this lovely view of the Merced River winding around Sentinel Beach. Leidig Meadow begins at the further shore. Behind Union Point, we glimpse Half Dome, and then Clouds Rest and North Dome to the left. A thin layer of cirrus clouds filtered the sunlight, enhancing the pastel fall colors. Inspired by an abundance of beauty, I immediately began photographing the scene. The meadow derives its name from George Frederick Leidig (1838-1902), born in Stuttgart, Germany. In 1869, he and his wife Isabella built and ran a two-story hotel here. Their son Charles was the first boy of European descent born in Yosemite Valley.
