The Flora and Fauna of North Dome

One of my favorite parts about backpacking is really becoming familiar with the landscape, trees, wildflowers, and rock formations. We were up at 7,500 feet, camped on top of North Dome and had amazing views of Half Dome, Cloud's Nest, and looked down upon Yosemite Valley. This was a very different experience that being in Desolation Wilderness or Trinity National Forest. On our hike to and from North Dome we walked through beautiful little meadows, under huge pine trees and beside delicate wildfowers. But when we reached our destination it was hard to focus on the trees, flowers, and surroundings. We couldn't keep our eyes off of the amazing rock formations. These granite peaks were so enormous, with edges so defined, yet they looked so smooth. I even spotted a huge troll face in the peak right beside Half Dome. But this post is about the flora and fauna that live in such a wonderland.

These may have been my favorite, Alpine Lilies:

I don't recall the name of these interesting flowers but Adam was telling me that they get their moisture from fungi that grow around them.

Pictures never seem to do nature justice but these trees were beautiful. Many of them were Jeffrey Pines, so hugable...they smell like Strawberry Shortcake (the doll), at one point I came around a corner and caught Adam giving a Jeffrey pine a hug and smell.....I was so proud.

During my college days I spent a lot of time at Echo Lake in Tahoe area, I have spent many hours pondering, reflecting, and being amazed at the life cycles of trees and how they grow even in the cracks of huge rocks, and then die and break down to create more soil. How even in their death they provide homes for moss, animals, and other plants. This tree was right outside our campsite, and I grew close to it in the day we spent next to it. 

And I loved this fallen tree as well....

Adam was happy to find these adorable little succulents nestled in the cracks of North Dome.

These three flowers seemed so happy to share a stem together.

Some sort of daisy, right?

To this day I don't know if anything is as peaceful and calming as a meadow full of lupine...