In this Olmstead Point 360 you can explore the incredible views across Tenaya Canyon to the north side of Half Dome. As you look towards Half Dome, on the left you will see the mountain known as ‘Clouds Rest’. The perfect clear summer weather and glorious sunset didn’t offer any resting clouds on this occasion.
You arrive at Olmstead Point on the The Tioga Pass; California’s highest mountain pass, cutting across the Sierra Nevada. It’s a short season here. In winter it’s buried under deep snow and The Tioga Pass is shut through much of the year; often closing in November and being impassable until the snow ploughs can reach through in May. Sometimes this can close as early as October and open as late as July. Having nearly been snowed in at Yosemite once, I appreciate how extreme the weather can be here.
In summer though, the greatest danger faced is the swarms of mosquitos – as soon as the sun went down they arrived in swarms and I was bitten to pieces.
This Olmstead Point 360 captures the quieter side of Yosemite. While the valley floor fills with visitors, up here there’s stillness and space.
This is part of my California Series of 360 panoramas. This is a collection of interactive panoramas created across the state, from Laguna Beach to Joshua Tree. Each one shows a different face of California’s epic landscapes, from desert to ocean to granite peaks.
To explore more 360° photography from California, please visit my California Series page.
To see more 360 photos of locations around the world, please visit my portfolio