We have been frequent visitors to Yosemite National Park since moving up to Pine Mountain Lake. Typically, we see visitors of all ages, races and nationalities at rest stops, overlooks and campgrounds.

However, today was different. A group of people came together to experience an unusual occurrence. Tenaya Lake is completely frozen over  and is accessible from Tioga Pass. Once we arrived, we looked out to the open spaces and saw dozens of people standing on the lake. People were playing hockey, kite surfing, picnicking, and skating with ice skates, chairs and walkers!

We joined the group as we shuffled along to the center of the lake. We occasionally heard a loud pound followed by a vibration. We also heard strange groans that sounded most like singing whales. As we walked, we looked down and saw interesting stress patterns and cracks in the ice.

We saw trapped bubbles that trailed throughout the thickness of the ice which varied from six to twelve inches. In some places, we could clearly see the bottom of the lake.

We took pictures of the surround Sierra Nevada Mountains, which somehow looked different from this point of the view. We also joined the chorus of “oooh”s and “ahh”s as we admired what nature had created.

We walked the lake’s edge which showed ice curved upwards and extending onto the land. Drift wood laid trapped at the lake’s edge. This was clearly one of those magical days that a group of strangers were brought together by their appreciation of the miracles and beauty of nature.

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