I got to Yosemite National Park around noon, ate lunch, and then looked for a hike to fill the remaining daylight. I’d heard good things about the trail down to Illilouette Falls from Glacier Point and figured I’d give it a try.
The weather forecast wasn’t great—rainy and overcast all afternoon and evening—and it started pouring on me right as I got out of the car. It made the trail close to empty and my cameras had been through worse conditions, so I didn’t bother me much.
As expected, the falls was spectacular, but it wasn’t until the way back up when the real magic happened. A few stray rays of sunshine suddenly broke through the cloud cover and onto the valley below, creating a spotlight on icons Half Dome, Nevada, and Vernal Falls. The sight stopped me dead in my tracks.