Winter brings a whole new way to explore this World Heritage Site.

While Yosemite never ceases to be a jaw-dropper, there is something particularly elegant about the region's granite domes and sheer rock faces when trimmed and accented with winter white. Yet winter access can be fairly limited due to that same snow cover.

No worries. One of the best (and fittest) ways to explore Yosemite in winter is on a pair of cross-country skis or snowshoes. If you need gear, you can rent it at Badger Pass. Follow the 9-mile, fairly flat road leading from Badger Pass to Glacier Point, where you'll be rewarded (assuming the weather is clear) with a truly spectacular, bird's-eye-view of Yosemite Valley. If the snow has melted, then make it a hike to Glacier Point and check out the booming waterfalls from an unusual vantage point. Follow trails looping around the valley floor too. Relax in the evening back on the valley floor at the storied stone and timber Ahwanee Hotel .

Join us for the unique opportunity to explore, compare, and contrast the magnificence of two Yosemite Valleys including Hetch Hetchy, the hidden treasure of Yosemite National Park. The week's events will commence with an introductory hike in Yosemite Valley led by two renowned naturalists, David Lukas and the group's leader, James McGrew. A week of discovery will follow with instructional photography tours guided by acclaimed photographers Walter Flint, Phil Schermeister, Robb Hirsch, and Joshua Cripps. James and David will guide naturalist excursions including birding tours that transect both regions.