It is proving to be a deadly summer in Yosemite National Park in California. A few weeks ago, three people were swept to their deaths over a giant waterfall. What apparently happened is that one person fell in and the other two tried to help the first, which was impossible close to the falls with rapidly running water pushing everyone forward.

Over the last weekend, a 26 year old woman died while hiking on Half Dome. The last part of the hike up, or first part down, goes over a steep area of granite with a steel line to hold on to. From the photos I’ve seen, it is not like mountain climbing, but it is not for the weak or fearful. It looks like a difficult, 400 ft. section. The woman slipped on the rock and was killed.

In a normal summer, one or more climbers will die. There are ever more daring ways to try to climb Half Dome and El Capitan and the best in the world gather each summer to test themselves and their skills in very dfficult, dangerous conditions.

Still, Yosmite is beyond a doubt one of our grandest national parks, a place made famous around the world by the photographs of Ansel Adams. Because of the beauty of Yosemite and because we can all use some reminders that there are still places this grand and wonderful, The TerryReport is sharing two recent photos taken by Kathy Brumberger, a Maryland resident who, along with her husband Elliott, is a volunteer in the park this summer. Click on the photos to see a larger view.