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♪♪
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SHAPIRO: I remember driving
into the valley
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and sort of feeling
like I had somehow arrived.
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There is absolutely magic
in that valley.
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KLINE: Yosemite is natural
beauty on a grand scale.
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From the world's most
famous vertical wall...
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PUTNAM: It's a kilometer deep,
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so it's many times taller
than the Empire State Building.
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KLINE: ...to the earth's largest
living trees.
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TOM: Over 3,000 years,
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think of what a giant sequoia
has seen.
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KLINE: This snowy range holds
secrets both great and small.
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And all of them
are bound together
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by a single source of life.
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It's the power of water
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that made life in this
stone wilderness possible.
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But California's climate
is changing --
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from flash floods
to extreme drought.
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How will Yosemite endure
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as it faces an uncertain future?
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♪♪
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[ Bird chirping ]
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♪♪
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KLINE: As the glow of
pre-dawn light fills Yosemite,
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the forests begin to stir.
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Before the moon has been
properly put to bed,
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many who live here
enjoy the early quiet
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when they still have
the valley to themselves.
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[ Birds chirping ]
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♪♪
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KLINE: This is the time to rise
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and take in the majesty
of the High Sierra.
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♪♪
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As sunlight streams
across Yosemite Valley,
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visitors begin to arrive.
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Hang glider pilots are readying
their aircraft at Glacier Point.
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SHAPIRO: Watching the sun
crack the horizon
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and light fill in the valley,
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it's like you can almost feel
the history of the place.
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KLINE:
Yosemite has become a beacon
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00:03:09,857 --> 00:03:13,859
for adventurers
like Jeff Shapiro.
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SHAPIRO:
While you're setting up,
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the waterfalls across the valley
are sort of beckoning.
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It's just a place
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that is tangibly different
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than everywhere else
on the planet.
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That place holds magic.
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Watch that wing tip
on that rock.
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You know, you check your gear,
and you feel prepared,
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and you walk out to launch.
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You turn the nose
into the wind,
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and when everything is right,
and the conditions feel right...
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Clear.
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...it's 10 steps
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and into pure freedom.
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♪♪
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You get to fly away like a bird.
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KLINE: For those brave enough
to take those first few steps,
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the reward is breathtaking.
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For this is a land of giants.
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Stone monoliths far larger
than any skyscraper,
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and trees
bigger than blue whales.
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This is the Sierra Nevada.
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It stretches the length
of California and into Nevada.
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Forged by time and shaped
by the power of water.
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These forces carved out
Yosemite's most iconic valley,
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gave birth to countless
wild rivers,
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and made life in this
stone wilderness possible.
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SHAPIRO: I think
we're not meant to fly,
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but we all wish we were.
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To see it from the view
a peregrine would see it
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feels pretty special.
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[ Wind rushing ]
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[ Grunts ]
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Whoo!
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KLINE: Yosemite owes
much of its grandeur
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to countless waterfalls,
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including the tallest in
North America, Yosemite Falls.
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And here lies the Sierra's
greatest secret.
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In an otherwise dry climate,
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this snowy range bears
the gift of water.
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In winter, enough snow
accumulates in these mountains
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to provide more than 30% of
all of California's fresh water.
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But as global
temperatures rise,
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snowpack is shrinking.
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To make matters worse,
California is in the midst
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of a record-breaking drought.
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And one critter may be feeling
the heat more than most.
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This little guy
is an American pika.
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Although he looks
like a rodent,
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he's actually the smallest
cousin of the rabbit.
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But don't be fooled
by his cuddly appearance.
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Pikas are built for the cold,
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and they live in some
of the harshest places on Earth,
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from the Ural Mountains
of Russia to the Himalayas.
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Right now, it's spring,
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and like the rest of the pikas
in this rocky slope,
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he's hard at work.
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♪♪
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Pikas don't hibernate,
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00:07:01,221 --> 00:07:02,621
and that means
they'll need to gather
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00:07:02,656 --> 00:07:06,725
and store enough food
for the long, cold winter ahead.
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This pika will make
up to a hundred trips
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00:07:15,736 --> 00:07:19,938
in a single day.
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Provided they're all no more
than 60 feet from home.
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And for good reason.
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For the little pika,
danger is everywhere.
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When you're the size
of a potato...
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[ Pika chirping ]
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...you're on the menu
for a lot of the predators here.
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At first sight of the coyote,
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the little pika calls
to warn the others.
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[ Chirping ]
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But as soon
as the coast is clear,
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he's back to work.
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By mid-summer,
the pika's hay piles
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have reached enormous
proportions --
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so big they dwarf
the little pika itself.
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00:09:11,818 --> 00:09:15,921
But this pika may be preparing
for a winter that never comes.
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00:09:17,991 --> 00:09:20,091
With global temperatures
on the rise
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and snowpack in decline,
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this Ice Age critter
is facing an uncertain future,
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along with many others
that call these mountains home.
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[ Birds squawking ]
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♪♪
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SHAPIRO: El Cap is one of
the most special places
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on the planet for people
who love to climb.
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It represents the most
beautiful piece of rock
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that you could possibly
find yourself on.
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00:10:02,102 --> 00:10:04,436
KLINE: No single
vertical wall on Earth
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is more famous among climbers
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than El Capitan.
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00:10:09,209 --> 00:10:11,109
PUTNAM: It's a kilometer deep,
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00:10:11,144 --> 00:10:14,813
so it's many times taller
than the Empire State Building,
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00:10:14,848 --> 00:10:18,483
and it displays unique geology.
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00:10:18,518 --> 00:10:21,353
KLINE: Geologist Roger Putnam
and Jeff Shapiro
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00:10:21,388 --> 00:10:24,456
are preparing
for an ascent of El Capitan,
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00:10:24,491 --> 00:10:26,891
a journey that could
take them nearly a week.
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SHAPIRO: [ Laughs ]
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The pig.
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00:10:30,597 --> 00:10:32,097
PUTNAM: The pig.
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00:10:32,132 --> 00:10:35,834
The thought of climbing El Cap
to people in the early '50s
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00:10:35,869 --> 00:10:38,970
or even up until it was
first climbed in 1958,
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it seemed like the impossible.
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00:10:40,340 --> 00:10:43,008
It seemed just as remote
as getting someone to the moon,
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00:10:43,043 --> 00:10:46,678
because the techniques
for climbing cliffs that big
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didn't exist.
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00:10:50,484 --> 00:10:53,351
Climbers come from all over
the world to climb on El Cap,
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00:10:53,387 --> 00:10:56,154
because of this
particularly hard rock
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00:10:56,189 --> 00:10:58,223
that can build up
all those stresses
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00:10:58,258 --> 00:11:02,427
and create those long,
beautiful, perfect fractures.
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00:11:02,462 --> 00:11:06,331
I look at El Cap, and I see this
complex history of weathering
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00:11:06,366 --> 00:11:08,867
and erosion which made it
look the way it does
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00:11:08,902 --> 00:11:12,070
and continues
to shape it to this day.
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Water played a significant role
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00:11:14,708 --> 00:11:17,242
in almost
every part of the evolution
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00:11:17,277 --> 00:11:19,878
of El Capitan
and Yosemite Valley.
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00:11:22,349 --> 00:11:23,982
Water played a crucial role
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00:11:24,017 --> 00:11:28,186
in actually carving out
these beautiful valleys,
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00:11:28,221 --> 00:11:29,788
and then glaciers polished
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00:11:29,823 --> 00:11:33,158
and refined them
into their iconic shapes.
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El Cap was shaped within
the past 1.8 million years,
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and the rock was formed
about 100 million years ago.
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That's when the dinosaurs
were around.
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Super common thing.
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So the feature that
I'm standing on is
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one of those exfoliation flakes.
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[ Pounding ]
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00:12:00,620 --> 00:12:02,921
Hear that noise?
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00:12:02,956 --> 00:12:05,090
And it puts things
into perspective.
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00:12:05,125 --> 00:12:07,092
When you climb a rock that big
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and spend this much time around
something that's this big,
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you feel really small.
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00:12:13,834 --> 00:12:17,869
I think about how small I am
all the time.
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00:12:17,904 --> 00:12:20,138
How physically small I am
and then how small I am
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00:12:20,173 --> 00:12:23,108
in terms of geologic time.
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♪♪
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KLINE: Roger and Jeff
set camp for the night.
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This is just the first of many
before they reach the summit.
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00:12:39,893 --> 00:12:42,093
SHAPIRO: You mind sleeping on
the inside or outside or what?
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00:12:42,129 --> 00:12:45,563
PUTNAM: Oh, I don't care.
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00:12:45,599 --> 00:12:48,867
KLINE: It's easy to feel
small in Yosemite.
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00:12:48,902 --> 00:12:51,770
It has a way of putting
everything in perspective.
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00:12:51,805 --> 00:12:54,806
♪♪
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00:13:11,024 --> 00:13:14,259
PUTNAM: El Cap is a source
of inspiration academically,
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00:13:14,294 --> 00:13:15,960
mentally, physically,
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00:13:15,996 --> 00:13:19,397
and it's also
a source of gravitas.
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00:13:27,174 --> 00:13:30,341
KLINE: It's the last leg of
Jeff and Roger's climb,
189
00:13:30,377 --> 00:13:33,912
but they are not quite ready
to end their journey.
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00:13:33,947 --> 00:13:35,113
SHAPIRO: For me,
laying on a portaledge
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00:13:35,148 --> 00:13:36,281
and waking up in the morning
192
00:13:36,316 --> 00:13:38,049
and looking
at the valley peaceful
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00:13:38,084 --> 00:13:41,052
and, you know, sort of quiet
in those morning hours,
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00:13:41,087 --> 00:13:42,520
there's no place I'd rather be.
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00:13:42,556 --> 00:13:45,023
It's a unique place to be.
It feels like it was earned.
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00:13:45,058 --> 00:13:46,858
It feels so close
to civilization,
197
00:13:46,893 --> 00:13:49,494
but so far away, you know.
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00:13:49,529 --> 00:13:52,530
♪♪
199
00:13:56,269 --> 00:13:58,603
PUTNAM: Yeah, buddy!
200
00:14:02,242 --> 00:14:03,975
Yeah!
201
00:14:04,010 --> 00:14:07,078
Well done!
202
00:14:10,650 --> 00:14:13,084
KLINE:
Another arid summer unfolds,
203
00:14:13,119 --> 00:14:17,355
as drought persists.
204
00:14:17,390 --> 00:14:19,524
Temperatures continue to rise,
205
00:14:19,559 --> 00:14:23,361
and forests are dying
at an unprecedented rate.
206
00:14:23,396 --> 00:14:25,864
Across the state,
the number of dead trees
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00:14:25,899 --> 00:14:30,301
has now passed 100 million.
208
00:14:30,337 --> 00:14:32,470
And this sparks
another problem...
209
00:14:32,505 --> 00:14:35,206
[ Fire crackling ]
210
00:14:35,242 --> 00:14:37,475
Wildfires.
211
00:14:37,510 --> 00:14:39,811
[ Radio chatter ]
212
00:14:39,846 --> 00:14:41,713
[ Helicopter blades whirring ]
213
00:14:41,748 --> 00:14:43,081
[ Radio chatter ]
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00:14:52,692 --> 00:14:55,026
KLINE: A century of
fire suppression
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00:14:55,061 --> 00:14:58,129
has created
unnaturally dense stands,
216
00:14:58,164 --> 00:15:00,798
now filled with dead trees.
217
00:15:03,136 --> 00:15:05,970
Making an already
volatile situation
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00:15:06,006 --> 00:15:07,705
even more explosive.
219
00:15:12,512 --> 00:15:13,878
By the end of summer,
220
00:15:13,914 --> 00:15:15,313
this will have been
one of the most
221
00:15:15,348 --> 00:15:18,483
damaging wildfire seasons
on record.
222
00:15:18,518 --> 00:15:21,719
[ Fire crackling ]
223
00:15:21,755 --> 00:15:24,756
♪♪
224
00:15:28,995 --> 00:15:32,363
Yet fire is a natural part
of the ecosystem,
225
00:15:32,399 --> 00:15:34,732
and certain species
depend upon fire
226
00:15:34,768 --> 00:15:36,467
for their very survival.
227
00:15:40,674 --> 00:15:42,206
These black-backed woodpeckers
228
00:15:42,242 --> 00:15:45,376
are drawn to recently
charred forests.
229
00:15:45,412 --> 00:15:48,379
It's their best chance
for a meal.
230
00:15:48,415 --> 00:15:50,148
They'll seek out
woodboring beetles
231
00:15:50,183 --> 00:15:52,984
in the remains of these trees.
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00:15:56,256 --> 00:15:59,257
These scorched forests
are far from dead.
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00:15:59,292 --> 00:16:01,859
They are, in fact, new habitat,
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00:16:01,895 --> 00:16:04,529
equally vibrant and vital.
235
00:16:07,500 --> 00:16:09,567
Only recently have
we begun to develop
236
00:16:09,602 --> 00:16:12,670
a deeper appreciation
for the role fire plays
237
00:16:12,706 --> 00:16:16,274
in the evolution
of many species,
238
00:16:16,309 --> 00:16:18,076
from
the black-backed woodpeckers
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00:16:18,111 --> 00:16:20,945
to the world's largest
living trees.
240
00:16:20,981 --> 00:16:23,982
♪♪
241
00:16:29,089 --> 00:16:34,659
Sequoia National Park is home
to a forest of giants.
242
00:16:36,029 --> 00:16:38,396
NATE: I am so energized
by these forests here.
243
00:16:38,431 --> 00:16:40,765
I'm a forest nut.
244
00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:44,002
And the big trees give me goose
bumps every time I see them
245
00:16:44,037 --> 00:16:48,673
even though I've been seeing
them for more than 35 years now.
246
00:16:48,708 --> 00:16:51,376
KLINE: Nate Stephenson
is a forest ecologist
247
00:16:51,411 --> 00:16:53,911
with the U.S. Geological Survey.
248
00:16:53,947 --> 00:16:57,515
He has a unique understanding
of the crucial part fire plays
249
00:16:57,550 --> 00:17:00,518
in the life cycle
of giant sequoias.
250
00:17:00,553 --> 00:17:03,921
NATE: So, the bark of giant
sequoias is remarkably thick.
251
00:17:03,957 --> 00:17:05,289
[ Tree thuds ]
252
00:17:05,325 --> 00:17:07,959
And it's very fibrous,
and it's fire resistant.
253
00:17:07,994 --> 00:17:09,761
So when you have that
much thickness there,
254
00:17:09,796 --> 00:17:12,130
some of it might burn off
during a fire,
255
00:17:12,165 --> 00:17:14,832
but there is enough left over
to protect the tree.
256
00:17:14,868 --> 00:17:17,635
Fire has been burning
at the base of giant sequoias
257
00:17:17,670 --> 00:17:20,338
probably for millions of years,
258
00:17:20,373 --> 00:17:23,374
and this is one of the sequoia's
responses to that.
259
00:17:23,410 --> 00:17:25,476
To take advantage
of the fire in one sense
260
00:17:25,512 --> 00:17:28,713
and then to protect itself
from fire.
261
00:17:28,748 --> 00:17:33,251
KLINE: Giant sequoias are
the largest trees on Earth.
262
00:17:33,286 --> 00:17:38,056
They can grow for more than
3,000 years.
263
00:17:38,091 --> 00:17:42,126
But without fire,
they cannot reproduce.
264
00:17:42,162 --> 00:17:45,329
NATE: The giant sequoias
really are born of fire.
265
00:17:45,365 --> 00:17:49,467
Fire gives them three things
they need for regeneration.
266
00:17:49,502 --> 00:17:52,637
The first one is, it punches
a hole in the forest.
267
00:17:54,941 --> 00:17:56,641
That allows there
to be more light
268
00:17:56,676 --> 00:18:00,244
and more water
for the sequoia seedlings.
269
00:18:00,280 --> 00:18:02,880
The second thing it does
is it heats the cones up
270
00:18:02,916 --> 00:18:06,350
in the mature sequoia trees
without harming the trees.
271
00:18:08,755 --> 00:18:10,421
And those cones open up.
272
00:18:10,457 --> 00:18:13,458
♪♪
273
00:18:16,229 --> 00:18:19,163
And there's a rain
of seeds on the ground.
274
00:18:27,740 --> 00:18:30,441
And the final thing it's done
is it cleared away
275
00:18:30,477 --> 00:18:32,410
all the leaves
that have built up.
276
00:18:32,445 --> 00:18:36,047
Because sequoia seeds need
to hit bare mineral soil
277
00:18:36,082 --> 00:18:38,916
before they can germinate
and survive well.
278
00:18:38,952 --> 00:18:41,953
♪♪
279
00:18:47,427 --> 00:18:49,594
Then the winter storms
come in and bury them
280
00:18:49,629 --> 00:18:51,395
in a blanket of snow.
281
00:18:57,203 --> 00:19:00,872
And then when the spring comes,
they have the ideal conditions.
282
00:19:00,907 --> 00:19:04,075
It's warmer.
It's really wet,
283
00:19:04,110 --> 00:19:07,145
and those seeds will take off
and become seedlings.
284
00:19:07,180 --> 00:19:10,181
♪♪
285
00:19:17,023 --> 00:19:19,724
KLINE: From their birth
among the ashes,
286
00:19:19,759 --> 00:19:23,528
these seedlings have become
the groves we see today...
287
00:19:25,532 --> 00:19:28,466
...with trees
nearly 300 feet tall.
288
00:19:30,637 --> 00:19:33,337
NATE: Over 3,000 years, think of
what a giant sequoia has seen.
289
00:19:33,373 --> 00:19:37,141
How many times did Native
Americans sit at the base,
290
00:19:37,177 --> 00:19:41,846
have lunch, look up, and marvel
at the crown of the sequoia?
291
00:19:41,881 --> 00:19:43,447
And now we're doing it again
today.
292
00:19:43,483 --> 00:19:46,050
It's humans just
living their lives
293
00:19:46,085 --> 00:19:47,919
under these trees for millennia.
294
00:19:47,954 --> 00:19:50,955
♪♪
295
00:20:19,185 --> 00:20:22,620
[ Birds chirping ]
296
00:20:22,655 --> 00:20:24,889
KLINE: These ancient groves
provide a home
297
00:20:24,924 --> 00:20:27,325
for a diversity of wildlife...
298
00:20:29,629 --> 00:20:34,098
...that often goes unnoticed.
299
00:20:34,133 --> 00:20:35,800
A family of
yellow-bellied marmots
300
00:20:35,835 --> 00:20:37,802
has taken up residence
at the base
301
00:20:37,837 --> 00:20:41,205
of this giant sequoia.
302
00:20:41,241 --> 00:20:43,541
These little guys
are spring pups,
303
00:20:43,576 --> 00:20:46,744
and they're just beginning
to explore their world.
304
00:20:49,415 --> 00:20:53,417
Cautiously at first.
305
00:20:53,453 --> 00:20:55,253
They are part of
an extended family
306
00:20:55,288 --> 00:20:59,223
of a dozen individuals
or maybe more.
307
00:20:59,259 --> 00:21:01,492
And right now,
they're sticking close
308
00:21:01,527 --> 00:21:03,561
to their brothers and sisters.
309
00:21:06,532 --> 00:21:08,966
While some adults
are keeping a watchful eye,
310
00:21:09,002 --> 00:21:11,335
the rest are
fattening up for winter.
311
00:21:13,806 --> 00:21:17,241
During the summer,
marmots eat at a frenzied pace.
312
00:21:17,277 --> 00:21:22,013
[ Birds chirping ]
313
00:21:22,048 --> 00:21:24,882
They can spend nine months
of the year hibernating,
314
00:21:24,917 --> 00:21:27,585
so storing up enough fat
is vital.
315
00:21:31,958 --> 00:21:34,158
And some marmots will have
doubled their body weight
316
00:21:34,193 --> 00:21:36,694
by the end of summer.
317
00:21:40,099 --> 00:21:42,700
The little ones don't seem
to have the same urgency
318
00:21:42,735 --> 00:21:45,403
to fill up as their parents do,
319
00:21:45,438 --> 00:21:48,172
but they'll need
to learn quick.
320
00:21:48,207 --> 00:21:50,174
Without enough fat reserves,
321
00:21:50,209 --> 00:21:53,144
they won't make it
through the winter.
322
00:21:53,179 --> 00:21:56,213
Before they really get started,
323
00:21:56,249 --> 00:21:58,316
their mealtime is cut short.
324
00:21:58,351 --> 00:22:00,951
Something is coming.
325
00:22:03,456 --> 00:22:06,390
It's a black bear.
326
00:22:06,426 --> 00:22:08,626
[ Bear growls ]
327
00:22:11,197 --> 00:22:14,365
A marmot sounds the alarm
to alert the colony.
328
00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:17,401
[ Marmot chirping ]
329
00:22:19,972 --> 00:22:24,308
But the bear pays little
attention to the marmots.
330
00:22:28,815 --> 00:22:30,781
Fattening up on these
fresh fir shoots
331
00:22:30,817 --> 00:22:33,984
is a far easier way to prepare
for the coming winter.
332
00:22:42,362 --> 00:22:44,795
Here wildlife can live
out their lives
333
00:22:44,831 --> 00:22:46,731
relatively undisturbed.
334
00:22:50,103 --> 00:22:51,902
And this is no accident.
335
00:22:51,938 --> 00:22:53,504
Yosemite, along with Sequoia
336
00:22:53,539 --> 00:22:55,740
and Kings Canyon National Parks,
337
00:22:55,775 --> 00:22:58,776
are the Sierra's
greatest sanctuaries...
338
00:23:04,650 --> 00:23:06,884
...protecting critical habitat
339
00:23:06,919 --> 00:23:11,255
and restoring species
once thought lost.
340
00:23:11,290 --> 00:23:15,126
Peregrine falcons, long absent
from these mountains,
341
00:23:15,161 --> 00:23:17,795
have returned home
to nest once again
342
00:23:17,830 --> 00:23:19,730
on the cliffsides of the Sierra.
343
00:23:19,766 --> 00:23:22,133
[ Falcons keening ]
344
00:23:22,168 --> 00:23:25,169
♪♪
345
00:23:27,273 --> 00:23:30,074
And they are not alone.
346
00:23:30,109 --> 00:23:32,243
One of the Sierra's
greatest icons
347
00:23:32,278 --> 00:23:34,678
is staging its return.
348
00:23:34,714 --> 00:23:37,715
♪♪
349
00:23:42,522 --> 00:23:45,523
[ Device beeping ]
350
00:23:50,630 --> 00:23:53,631
No animal embodies
the wildness of this range
351
00:23:53,666 --> 00:23:57,101
more than the Sierra Nevada
bighorn sheep.
352
00:23:59,138 --> 00:24:00,738
John Muir called them
353
00:24:00,773 --> 00:24:04,909
"the bravest of all
Sierra Mountaineers."
354
00:24:04,944 --> 00:24:08,612
FEW: People talk about them
being icons of wilderness.
355
00:24:08,648 --> 00:24:11,382
They're tough.
356
00:24:11,417 --> 00:24:13,918
They sit out lightning storms
357
00:24:13,953 --> 00:24:16,620
on alpine ridges.
358
00:24:16,656 --> 00:24:20,257
Yosemite is full of steep,
craggy, rocky landscapes,
359
00:24:20,293 --> 00:24:24,662
and that's exactly
where bighorn sheep thrive.
360
00:24:24,697 --> 00:24:25,830
KLINE: This makes the job of
361
00:24:25,865 --> 00:24:28,532
the Sierra Bighorn Sheep
Recovery Program
362
00:24:28,568 --> 00:24:30,734
a constant challenge.
363
00:24:30,770 --> 00:24:33,704
Today, Alex Few
and Tom Stephenson
364
00:24:33,739 --> 00:24:35,172
are in the Eastern Sierra,
365
00:24:35,208 --> 00:24:36,674
trying to determine just
366
00:24:36,709 --> 00:24:40,845
how many sheep
are in this vast range.
367
00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:43,781
FEW: There were once
about 10,000 Sierra bighorn,
368
00:24:43,816 --> 00:24:46,517
and they're one distinct
subspecies of bighorn
369
00:24:46,552 --> 00:24:50,221
of three found in North America.
370
00:24:50,256 --> 00:24:52,490
KLINE: Bighorns rely on
the strength
371
00:24:52,525 --> 00:24:55,092
of the herd to survive.
372
00:24:55,127 --> 00:24:57,294
From the time they're born,
373
00:24:57,330 --> 00:24:59,296
they have less than 48 hours
374
00:24:59,332 --> 00:25:01,665
to keep up with mom
and the rest of the herd
375
00:25:01,701 --> 00:25:06,270
across these jagged cliffs.
376
00:25:06,305 --> 00:25:10,374
[ Wind howling ]
377
00:25:10,409 --> 00:25:13,978
Life in these mountains
can be a test of extremes.
378
00:25:14,013 --> 00:25:16,847
[ Thunder rumbling ]
379
00:25:16,883 --> 00:25:19,283
Flash floods
and lightning storms one day
380
00:25:19,318 --> 00:25:20,851
can be followed by months
381
00:25:20,887 --> 00:25:24,288
or even years
of bone-dry conditions.
382
00:25:29,195 --> 00:25:30,628
Yet the Sierra bighorns
383
00:25:30,663 --> 00:25:33,297
were undaunted
by these extremes.
384
00:25:35,935 --> 00:25:40,371
That would all change
with a single event.
385
00:25:43,376 --> 00:25:46,110
The discovery of gold
in the mid-1800's
386
00:25:46,145 --> 00:25:48,412
put the Sierra Nevada
on the map.
387
00:25:48,447 --> 00:25:51,015
And thousands of settlers
began to move west.
388
00:25:51,050 --> 00:25:53,651
[ Sheep bleating ]
389
00:25:53,686 --> 00:25:56,554
With them came millions
of domestic sheep.
390
00:25:58,925 --> 00:26:03,060
But these sheep would prove
to be the bighorns' Kryptonite.
391
00:26:03,095 --> 00:26:05,896
With no resistance
to the diseases they carried,
392
00:26:05,932 --> 00:26:08,732
bighorn populations
would plummet,
393
00:26:08,768 --> 00:26:12,603
disappearing entirely
from Yosemite's high country.
394
00:26:13,873 --> 00:26:15,272
By the 1990s,
395
00:26:15,308 --> 00:26:18,976
only 100 bighorns were
scattered across the Sierra.
396
00:26:20,513 --> 00:26:22,479
TOM: There became
a tremendous amount
397
00:26:22,515 --> 00:26:24,682
of concern about the potential
398
00:26:24,717 --> 00:26:26,650
for the population
to go extinct,
399
00:26:26,686 --> 00:26:29,987
and recovery efforts
were undertaken.
400
00:26:30,022 --> 00:26:31,255
KLINE: Their goal --
401
00:26:31,290 --> 00:26:34,425
to restore Sierra bighorns
to their former range.
402
00:26:37,296 --> 00:26:40,631
FEW: Bighorn sheep are really
slow to colonize new habitat,
403
00:26:40,666 --> 00:26:44,201
so we have to help them
get there.
404
00:26:44,236 --> 00:26:47,805
KLINE: Bighorns are placed
in large metal transport crates
405
00:26:47,840 --> 00:26:51,609
and flown into the heart
of Yosemite's high country.
406
00:26:51,644 --> 00:26:53,177
As simple as it seems,
407
00:26:53,212 --> 00:26:55,412
this moment is the culmination
408
00:26:55,448 --> 00:26:59,116
of years of preparation
for Alex and her crew.
409
00:27:04,857 --> 00:27:07,458
While some are eager
for their new freedom,
410
00:27:10,296 --> 00:27:12,763
others are more hesitant.
411
00:27:16,168 --> 00:27:18,602
FEW: When we opened the gate,
412
00:27:18,638 --> 00:27:24,441
I felt this overwhelming
sense of pride and hope.
413
00:27:25,678 --> 00:27:27,277
KLINE: Thanks to these
recovery efforts,
414
00:27:27,313 --> 00:27:31,915
there are now 600 sheep
in the Sierra Nevada.
415
00:27:31,951 --> 00:27:33,584
For the first time in a century,
416
00:27:33,619 --> 00:27:35,919
bighorns have reclaimed
their rightful place
417
00:27:35,955 --> 00:27:37,788
in Yosemite's high country.
418
00:27:40,459 --> 00:27:42,292
This is just one more step
419
00:27:42,328 --> 00:27:44,128
in returning
Yosemite's wilderness
420
00:27:44,163 --> 00:27:47,031
to the wild things
that once called it home.
421
00:27:47,066 --> 00:27:50,067
♪♪
422
00:28:08,320 --> 00:28:10,020
As the drought stretches
through summer
423
00:28:10,056 --> 00:28:12,489
with no relief in sight,
424
00:28:12,525 --> 00:28:14,758
these continued arid days
425
00:28:14,794 --> 00:28:18,095
are threatening
another icon of the Sierra.
426
00:28:25,905 --> 00:28:27,971
NATE: What has really
pushed this drought
427
00:28:28,007 --> 00:28:29,740
into new terrain for severity
428
00:28:29,775 --> 00:28:33,544
is the increased temperature.
429
00:28:33,579 --> 00:28:36,580
KLINE: Temperatures rising
from climate change
430
00:28:36,615 --> 00:28:39,483
have amplified
the drought's effects.
431
00:28:39,518 --> 00:28:42,886
NATE:
It increases the evaporative
power of the atmosphere.
432
00:28:42,922 --> 00:28:45,923
So the atmosphere is pulling
more water out of the plants
433
00:28:45,958 --> 00:28:48,926
than it would normally.
434
00:28:48,961 --> 00:28:51,528
With that, we are seeing
things happen in giant sequoias
435
00:28:51,564 --> 00:28:54,698
that have never been
reported before.
436
00:28:54,734 --> 00:28:56,433
KLINE:
Sequoias are losing foliage
437
00:28:56,469 --> 00:28:58,602
at an unprecedented rate,
438
00:28:58,637 --> 00:29:03,240
in some cases
more than half the tree.
439
00:29:03,275 --> 00:29:05,476
In order to better
understand the impact,
440
00:29:05,511 --> 00:29:08,245
researcher Anthony Ambrose
and his team
441
00:29:08,280 --> 00:29:11,749
need to look high up
in the canopy of these giants.
442
00:29:11,784 --> 00:29:14,785
♪♪
443
00:29:35,307 --> 00:29:36,740
AMBROSE: We're going to collect
some leaf samples
444
00:29:36,776 --> 00:29:40,611
from the top of the tree
and the base of the crown
445
00:29:40,646 --> 00:29:42,913
to measure the water
status of the tree
446
00:29:42,948 --> 00:29:47,084
and to get a better idea
of how stressed they are.
447
00:29:50,055 --> 00:29:52,022
KLINE: The tree acts
as a timeline
448
00:29:52,057 --> 00:29:54,024
stretching back
thousands of years,
449
00:29:54,059 --> 00:29:55,292
and the further up you go,
450
00:29:55,327 --> 00:29:59,062
the closer you get
to the effects of today.
451
00:29:59,098 --> 00:30:02,599
The team continuously monitors
these sequoias to determine
452
00:30:02,635 --> 00:30:05,903
how they are faring
as their most crucial resource,
453
00:30:05,938 --> 00:30:09,773
water, is in diminishing supply.
454
00:30:09,809 --> 00:30:11,875
AMBROSE: These trees
we've measured use
455
00:30:11,911 --> 00:30:14,311
between 500 and 800 gallons
of water
456
00:30:14,346 --> 00:30:16,780
a single day
in the summertime.
457
00:30:16,816 --> 00:30:19,616
Which is just
a phenomenal amount of water.
458
00:30:19,652 --> 00:30:21,251
That all gets supplied
459
00:30:21,287 --> 00:30:23,754
by the snowmelt here
in the Sierra Nevada.
460
00:30:23,789 --> 00:30:25,222
The snowpack is a really,
461
00:30:25,257 --> 00:30:29,693
really important water source
for the giant sequoia forest.
462
00:30:35,000 --> 00:30:38,101
We put the leaf end
in this chamber here
463
00:30:38,137 --> 00:30:39,403
and pressurize it slowly,
464
00:30:39,438 --> 00:30:43,140
and as soon as the water
comes up onto the surface,
465
00:30:43,175 --> 00:30:46,677
we record how much pressure it
took to push the water out.
466
00:30:46,712 --> 00:30:48,145
Negative 1.9.
467
00:30:48,180 --> 00:30:49,813
So the measurements that
we've been getting so far
468
00:30:49,849 --> 00:30:53,417
over the last couple weeks
is indicating
469
00:30:53,452 --> 00:30:57,955
that they are definitely
at stress levels greater
470
00:30:57,990 --> 00:31:02,793
then we've ever measured
in giant sequoias before.
471
00:31:02,828 --> 00:31:04,828
This is the first time
that I've ever been
472
00:31:04,864 --> 00:31:06,296
climbing in these trees
473
00:31:06,332 --> 00:31:10,801
and actually observed anything
that's noticeable stress.
474
00:31:10,836 --> 00:31:14,771
So it is kind of upsetting
in a way.
475
00:31:14,807 --> 00:31:16,840
But I take some comfort
in the fact,
476
00:31:16,876 --> 00:31:19,076
knowing that these are
really tough trees.
477
00:31:19,111 --> 00:31:22,012
They're really resilient,
and they've dealt with
478
00:31:22,047 --> 00:31:23,313
droughts and fires
479
00:31:23,349 --> 00:31:27,551
and other really
extreme conditions in the past.
480
00:31:27,586 --> 00:31:30,821
With temperatures
continuing to increase,
481
00:31:30,856 --> 00:31:33,624
they may reach
some tipping point.
482
00:31:33,659 --> 00:31:36,560
And that's what
we're trying to learn.
483
00:31:36,595 --> 00:31:39,596
At what point is it too much
for them to recover?
484
00:31:45,771 --> 00:31:47,304
KLINE:
As summer comes to a close,
485
00:31:47,339 --> 00:31:50,140
cool autumn breezes bring relief
486
00:31:50,175 --> 00:31:52,643
to a parched Yosemite Valley.
487
00:32:00,586 --> 00:32:03,921
In the high country,
it's the beginning of the rut --
488
00:32:03,956 --> 00:32:06,590
mating season for bighorn sheep.
489
00:32:09,995 --> 00:32:13,830
These young rams are assessing
each other's strengths
490
00:32:13,866 --> 00:32:16,400
and weaknesses.
491
00:32:24,710 --> 00:32:28,645
Male bighorn sheep live in
a highly competitive world.
492
00:32:33,786 --> 00:32:38,522
These competitions are a way
of establishing dominance.
493
00:32:38,557 --> 00:32:43,126
Their ranking may ultimately
determine who gets to breed.
494
00:32:45,497 --> 00:32:48,632
It's an enormous
expenditure of energy,
495
00:32:48,667 --> 00:32:50,300
but it's the price of admission
496
00:32:50,336 --> 00:32:52,769
if this young ram hopes to mate.
497
00:32:59,211 --> 00:33:00,911
In the Eastern Sierra,
498
00:33:00,946 --> 00:33:06,049
fall colors unfold
with a dusting of snow --
499
00:33:06,085 --> 00:33:09,553
a promising sign
in an otherwise dry autumn.
500
00:33:16,662 --> 00:33:19,730
Water has become an
increasingly scarce commodity.
501
00:33:19,765 --> 00:33:22,733
[ Birds chirping ]
502
00:33:25,804 --> 00:33:30,273
And places where water persists
are now critically important.
503
00:33:43,789 --> 00:33:45,789
Despite autumn's light snowfall,
504
00:33:45,824 --> 00:33:47,190
bone-dry conditions
505
00:33:47,226 --> 00:33:49,493
continue to plague the Sierra.
506
00:33:49,528 --> 00:33:51,528
[ Woodpecker tapping ]
507
00:33:59,271 --> 00:34:02,739
But now, as winter approaches,
a storm front is building.
508
00:34:02,775 --> 00:34:06,676
[ Thunder rumbles ]
509
00:34:06,712 --> 00:34:09,813
Cool wind sweeps across
the valley,
510
00:34:09,848 --> 00:34:13,150
extinguishing the heat.
511
00:34:13,185 --> 00:34:15,485
And for the first time
in far too long,
512
00:34:15,521 --> 00:34:18,755
the air is heavy with moisture.
513
00:34:25,397 --> 00:34:27,397
[ Thunder rumbling ]
514
00:34:34,406 --> 00:34:37,407
♪♪
515
00:34:39,478 --> 00:34:42,646
As temperatures drop, the chill
in the high country gives way
516
00:34:42,681 --> 00:34:45,715
to the first big snow
of the season.
517
00:34:45,751 --> 00:34:48,752
♪♪
518
00:34:59,398 --> 00:35:02,666
After a long hiatus,
519
00:35:02,701 --> 00:35:05,435
winter has returned to Yosemite.
520
00:35:13,245 --> 00:35:16,246
Waterfalls collect icicles
along their edges.
521
00:35:18,450 --> 00:35:22,519
And streams become a thick
slurry of snow and ice.
522
00:35:26,358 --> 00:35:29,226
Lakes freeze under
a blanket of fresh snow.
523
00:35:29,261 --> 00:35:33,029
[ Coyote yipping ]
524
00:35:33,065 --> 00:35:36,833
Life in the valley seems to
pause as winter takes hold.
525
00:35:36,869 --> 00:35:39,870
♪♪
526
00:35:56,155 --> 00:35:59,289
Yosemite takes on
a fairy-tale quality
527
00:35:59,324 --> 00:36:02,893
that seems both
benevolent and menacing.
528
00:36:02,928 --> 00:36:05,929
♪♪
529
00:36:12,504 --> 00:36:15,438
Animals waste no time
preparing for a winter
530
00:36:15,474 --> 00:36:17,741
that is suddenly upon them.
531
00:36:17,776 --> 00:36:20,644
Deer forage for
what little remains.
532
00:36:24,616 --> 00:36:27,317
And squirrels harvest
the last of the pine nuts
533
00:36:27,352 --> 00:36:30,420
before they are buried
by the quickly falling snow.
534
00:36:30,455 --> 00:36:32,455
[ Coyotes yipping ]
535
00:36:41,099 --> 00:36:44,100
A pair of coyotes tiptoes
through fresh snowdrifts,
536
00:36:44,136 --> 00:36:46,102
searching for voles.
537
00:36:56,481 --> 00:36:59,649
It takes skill to catch
something you can't see.
538
00:37:08,727 --> 00:37:12,395
And patience not to let
your food know you're coming.
539
00:37:18,770 --> 00:37:20,770
[ Snow crunches ]
540
00:37:25,677 --> 00:37:27,677
[ Vole chirping ]
541
00:37:35,554 --> 00:37:37,554
[ Vole chirping ]
542
00:37:49,868 --> 00:37:53,770
But if you stick with it,
543
00:37:53,805 --> 00:37:57,440
the reward is well worth it.
544
00:37:57,476 --> 00:38:00,310
'Cause at the end of the day,
in Yosemite Valley,
545
00:38:00,345 --> 00:38:02,779
it's every coyote for himself.
546
00:38:16,261 --> 00:38:18,662
A pika takes advantage
of a break in the snowfall
547
00:38:18,697 --> 00:38:22,699
to gather up
a few remaining twigs.
548
00:38:22,734 --> 00:38:25,168
He joins the ranks
of the few brave enough
549
00:38:25,203 --> 00:38:29,372
to endure winter
in the high country.
550
00:38:29,408 --> 00:38:31,007
Hopefully, his hay piles
551
00:38:31,043 --> 00:38:34,611
will be enough to see him
through the frigid months ahead.
552
00:38:34,646 --> 00:38:37,647
♪♪
553
00:38:40,552 --> 00:38:42,619
For the Sierra Nevada,
this year's snowfall
554
00:38:42,654 --> 00:38:45,722
may be a tiny drop
in the bucket.
555
00:38:45,757 --> 00:38:47,390
But its impact on those working
556
00:38:47,426 --> 00:38:51,895
to protect these groves
cannot be overstated.
557
00:38:51,930 --> 00:38:53,029
NATE: It's been pretty dry,
558
00:38:53,065 --> 00:38:55,565
and the trees have looked
pretty stressed,
559
00:38:55,600 --> 00:38:58,668
and I'm looking forward
to leaving that behind.
560
00:38:58,704 --> 00:39:01,571
It just feels
full of life here again.
561
00:39:01,606 --> 00:39:04,607
♪♪
562
00:39:10,716 --> 00:39:12,115
AMBROSE: It's been several years
563
00:39:12,150 --> 00:39:14,117
since we've had a good
snowpack here in the Sierras,
564
00:39:14,152 --> 00:39:17,387
and it's just so beautiful.
565
00:39:17,422 --> 00:39:20,657
And the trees are gonna be
loving this, for sure.
566
00:39:20,692 --> 00:39:23,993
KLINE: The research team
returns to the Giant Forest,
567
00:39:24,029 --> 00:39:28,631
a forest that continues
to surprise them.
568
00:39:28,667 --> 00:39:31,468
NATE: I've gotten what for me
seems like an epiphany.
569
00:39:31,503 --> 00:39:34,204
We've always known that
sequoia groves are wetter spots
570
00:39:34,239 --> 00:39:36,806
on the landscape
than the rest of the forest.
571
00:39:36,842 --> 00:39:40,009
It also seems to me now
that even during droughts,
572
00:39:40,045 --> 00:39:42,312
they have a more
reliable water supply.
573
00:39:42,347 --> 00:39:44,314
So not only do they have more,
574
00:39:44,349 --> 00:39:47,250
it just stays more even
through time.
575
00:39:47,285 --> 00:39:49,753
And that really drives home
576
00:39:49,788 --> 00:39:54,124
what a magical spot
sequoias grow in.
577
00:39:54,159 --> 00:39:57,560
KLINE: Outside these groves,
firs, pines, and cedars
578
00:39:57,596 --> 00:40:01,030
have been dying
in numbers never seen before.
579
00:40:01,066 --> 00:40:05,268
But the trees within these
groves are thriving.
580
00:40:05,303 --> 00:40:07,270
AMBROSE: Now that we have
kind of a baseline
581
00:40:07,305 --> 00:40:08,705
during the severe drought,
582
00:40:08,740 --> 00:40:10,206
we'd like to continue that
into the future
583
00:40:10,242 --> 00:40:12,809
and monitor how they respond
584
00:40:12,844 --> 00:40:15,812
to changing climatic conditions
over time.
585
00:40:15,847 --> 00:40:17,046
Looks good.
586
00:40:17,082 --> 00:40:22,285
Okay, the height here
is 4.30 meters.
587
00:40:22,320 --> 00:40:23,853
KLINE:
The health of these giants
588
00:40:23,889 --> 00:40:26,222
indicates
a hidden supply of water,
589
00:40:26,258 --> 00:40:28,725
somewhere below the surface.
590
00:40:28,760 --> 00:40:32,195
And as temperatures continue
to rise in the coming years,
591
00:40:32,230 --> 00:40:36,900
countless species may endure
in the shadow of these giants.
592
00:40:36,935 --> 00:40:39,936
♪♪
593
00:40:46,645 --> 00:40:50,146
As night falls on Yosemite,
594
00:40:50,182 --> 00:40:53,450
the moon bathes the valley
in an unearthly light.
595
00:40:53,485 --> 00:40:55,485
[ Coyote yipping ]
596
00:41:00,959 --> 00:41:04,427
Frigid winds chase away
the remaining visitors.
597
00:41:06,765 --> 00:41:08,765
[ Coyote yips ]
598
00:41:15,874 --> 00:41:17,607
With each passing storm,
599
00:41:17,642 --> 00:41:20,543
winter pulses like
a beating heart.
600
00:41:20,579 --> 00:41:23,580
♪♪
601
00:41:28,453 --> 00:41:29,752
[ Coyote yips ]
602
00:41:29,788 --> 00:41:32,956
Snow gathers
and melts away again.
603
00:41:41,600 --> 00:41:44,767
Rivers rise and carry water
down into the valley.
604
00:41:48,173 --> 00:41:51,241
There are few wild rivers
left in the Sierra Nevada,
605
00:41:51,276 --> 00:41:55,144
but there are still wild
stretches of river to run.
606
00:41:59,918 --> 00:42:03,520
Kayakers are drawn to this
stretch of Cherry Creek,
607
00:42:03,555 --> 00:42:07,724
not simply to test their grit,
608
00:42:07,759 --> 00:42:11,694
but to connect with nature
in its purest liquid form.
609
00:42:11,730 --> 00:42:14,731
♪♪
610
00:42:47,198 --> 00:42:52,435
While snowmelt has reignited
these wild rivers,
611
00:42:52,470 --> 00:42:54,170
at their source,
612
00:42:54,205 --> 00:42:57,840
high up in the peaks
of the Sierra,
613
00:42:57,876 --> 00:42:59,909
John Dittli and Todd Calfee
614
00:42:59,945 --> 00:43:02,745
are trying to determine
what effect this year's snowfall
615
00:43:02,781 --> 00:43:04,547
has had on the region.
616
00:43:07,586 --> 00:43:09,686
They're on a snow survey
expedition
617
00:43:09,721 --> 00:43:13,690
for the California Cooperative
Snow Survey Program.
618
00:43:13,725 --> 00:43:16,893
It's one of the longest
continuous records of snowfall
619
00:43:16,928 --> 00:43:20,029
in the United States.
620
00:43:20,065 --> 00:43:25,668
DITTLI: Last year, it was
the driest year on record.
621
00:43:25,704 --> 00:43:28,571
We did a 12-day snow survey.
622
00:43:28,607 --> 00:43:30,873
There was almost no snow
to even measure.
623
00:43:30,909 --> 00:43:34,344
Home sweet home!
624
00:43:34,379 --> 00:43:35,578
CALFEE: All right.
625
00:43:35,614 --> 00:43:36,913
DITTLI: This could very well
626
00:43:36,948 --> 00:43:42,652
be a prolonged dry period
of 30 years, of 100 years.
627
00:43:42,687 --> 00:43:47,256
It's happened before,
and it's gonna happen again.
628
00:43:49,427 --> 00:43:50,760
KLINE: The current
drought may be
629
00:43:50,795 --> 00:43:53,696
simply a preview
of the future --
630
00:43:53,732 --> 00:43:58,601
a hotter, drier California.
631
00:43:58,637 --> 00:44:00,803
DITTLI: 69% of average.
632
00:44:00,839 --> 00:44:02,338
CALFEE: Oh, yeah, not good,
633
00:44:02,374 --> 00:44:04,273
but it's better than it has been
the last few years.
634
00:44:04,309 --> 00:44:06,909
DITTLI: It's going to be more
and more important to know
635
00:44:06,945 --> 00:44:10,880
exactly how much water
is in the Sierra Nevada.
636
00:44:10,915 --> 00:44:13,516
It's California's
biggest reservoir.
637
00:44:16,421 --> 00:44:22,325
We drive a tube into the snow,
pull that up, and weigh it.
638
00:44:22,360 --> 00:44:24,927
And when we weigh that,
we're actually weighing
639
00:44:24,963 --> 00:44:27,497
the amount of water
in the snowpack.
640
00:44:30,301 --> 00:44:34,837
55, 48, 56.
641
00:44:37,609 --> 00:44:39,776
KLINE: While an improvement
over recent years,
642
00:44:39,811 --> 00:44:43,880
the water content
is still far below normal.
643
00:44:43,915 --> 00:44:45,014
DITTLI: I'm fortunate enough,
644
00:44:45,050 --> 00:44:46,282
I guess, to have lived
in the Sierra now,
645
00:44:46,317 --> 00:44:49,152
to be here for the heaviest
winter on record
646
00:44:49,187 --> 00:44:52,889
and the lightest winter
on record.
647
00:44:52,924 --> 00:44:54,924
It makes you really realize that
648
00:44:54,959 --> 00:44:58,761
there really is
no such thing as normal.
649
00:44:58,797 --> 00:45:01,497
KLINE: Season by season,
650
00:45:01,533 --> 00:45:03,466
these dramatic shifts in weather
651
00:45:03,501 --> 00:45:06,102
will become the new normal.
652
00:45:06,137 --> 00:45:07,537
But over the long term,
653
00:45:07,572 --> 00:45:12,108
snowpack will continue
to decline.
654
00:45:12,143 --> 00:45:16,212
Even now, snow cover varies
greatly across the range.
655
00:45:16,247 --> 00:45:19,248
♪♪
656
00:45:22,253 --> 00:45:24,087
Some talus fields
have received little
657
00:45:24,122 --> 00:45:25,588
or no snow at all --
658
00:45:25,623 --> 00:45:28,825
crucial insulation
for the pika's tiny home.
659
00:45:31,663 --> 00:45:33,096
Yet these rocky slopes
660
00:45:33,131 --> 00:45:35,398
may have insulating
properties of their own.
661
00:45:35,433 --> 00:45:40,036
[ Pika chirping ]
662
00:45:40,071 --> 00:45:42,538
Persistent ice beneath
the talus fields
663
00:45:42,574 --> 00:45:44,574
keeps the pika cool in summer,
664
00:45:44,609 --> 00:45:47,677
while the sun warms
the stones in winter,
665
00:45:47,712 --> 00:45:49,445
helping to keep the pika's home
666
00:45:49,481 --> 00:45:53,149
at a steady temperature
even as the climate warms.
667
00:45:56,921 --> 00:45:59,889
From their humble origins
10,000 feet up,
668
00:45:59,924 --> 00:46:04,894
these small flakes of snow
have far-reaching influence.
669
00:46:04,929 --> 00:46:08,865
Snowmelt feeds wetlands
more than 70 miles away.
670
00:46:12,337 --> 00:46:13,936
Marshes flood,
671
00:46:13,972 --> 00:46:17,373
welcoming tens of thousands
of migratory visitors.
672
00:46:21,246 --> 00:46:24,480
Sand hill cranes and snow geese
overwinter here,
673
00:46:24,516 --> 00:46:26,482
before beginning
their long journey north.
674
00:46:26,518 --> 00:46:30,386
[ Birds squawking ]
675
00:46:30,421 --> 00:46:32,922
Wetlands like these once
covered vast areas
676
00:46:32,957 --> 00:46:35,725
of California's Central Valley.
677
00:46:35,760 --> 00:46:38,261
But today only small
pockets remain,
678
00:46:38,296 --> 00:46:40,530
and these have become
critical habitats.
679
00:46:40,565 --> 00:46:44,934
[ Birds squawking ]
680
00:46:44,969 --> 00:46:46,736
At dawn, one of California's
681
00:46:46,771 --> 00:46:49,138
greatest spectacles unfolds
682
00:46:49,174 --> 00:46:52,575
as snow geese take to the sky
in the thousands.
683
00:46:52,610 --> 00:46:54,577
[ Geese honking ]
684
00:46:54,612 --> 00:46:57,613
♪♪
685
00:47:37,121 --> 00:47:39,522
Days in Yosemite
are warming,
686
00:47:39,557 --> 00:47:42,024
but before it disappears
for the season,
687
00:47:42,060 --> 00:47:45,528
winter is about to take
one last curtain call.
688
00:47:48,733 --> 00:47:50,600
Crowds of photographers
are beginning
689
00:47:50,635 --> 00:47:53,569
to gather along the banks
of the Merced River.
690
00:47:56,374 --> 00:47:57,974
Each of them is
hoping to capture
691
00:47:58,009 --> 00:48:00,543
a single frame of magic.
692
00:48:00,578 --> 00:48:03,713
MAN: I got here around 5:30
in the morning, had breakfast,
693
00:48:03,748 --> 00:48:06,616
and I've been here
since 8:30 in the morning.
694
00:48:07,151 --> 00:48:08,818
So... [ Laughs ]
695
00:48:08,853 --> 00:48:11,454
It's been a long day. [ Laughs ]
696
00:48:11,489 --> 00:48:12,822
MAN #2: It only
happens once a year,
697
00:48:12,857 --> 00:48:16,492
but with the drought,
it hasn't happened up here
698
00:48:16,527 --> 00:48:19,195
with this intensity
for five years.
699
00:48:19,230 --> 00:48:20,596
MAN #3: I tried last year,
700
00:48:20,632 --> 00:48:21,931
but there wasn't enough water
to light up the falls,
701
00:48:21,966 --> 00:48:23,466
so trying again this year.
702
00:48:23,501 --> 00:48:26,936
WOMAN: This is our
second time -- third --
703
00:48:26,971 --> 00:48:28,771
and this is the first time
704
00:48:28,806 --> 00:48:30,473
we're actually probably
going to get the shot.
705
00:48:30,508 --> 00:48:33,009
MAN #4: This is my sixth attempt
to get this picture.
706
00:48:33,044 --> 00:48:35,745
WOMAN: And so it's sort of like
the photographers' chase.
707
00:48:35,780 --> 00:48:37,179
It's something
we all talk about --
708
00:48:37,215 --> 00:48:38,814
chasing after the shot.
709
00:48:38,850 --> 00:48:40,249
MAN #5: There are so many things
710
00:48:40,285 --> 00:48:41,918
that can happen
to make it not work,
711
00:48:41,953 --> 00:48:44,253
like it doesn't rain
or it's cloudy,
712
00:48:44,289 --> 00:48:47,323
so to have it be just rained,
713
00:48:47,358 --> 00:48:50,359
just snowed,
it's fairly clear skies.
714
00:48:50,395 --> 00:48:52,595
This is the kind of thing
715
00:48:52,630 --> 00:48:54,664
you just can't pass up
as a photographer.
716
00:48:54,699 --> 00:48:56,432
If you're close enough
that you can get here,
717
00:48:56,467 --> 00:48:57,967
you just have to go.
718
00:48:58,002 --> 00:49:01,570
KLINE: The phenomenon happens
just as the sun begins to set.
719
00:49:05,310 --> 00:49:07,743
WOMAN #2: The sun makes
the water glow
720
00:49:07,779 --> 00:49:11,380
like a ribbon of
red-orange fire.
721
00:49:11,416 --> 00:49:14,483
KLINE: The effect only
lasts about 10 minutes,
722
00:49:14,519 --> 00:49:18,454
and as the sun begins
to illuminate Horsetail Fall,
723
00:49:18,489 --> 00:49:19,722
cameras are at the ready.
724
00:49:19,757 --> 00:49:21,724
[ Camera shutters clicking ]
725
00:49:21,759 --> 00:49:24,760
♪♪
726
00:49:52,323 --> 00:49:55,324
♪♪
727
00:50:29,427 --> 00:50:31,560
[ Cheering, whooping ]
728
00:50:31,596 --> 00:50:34,196
[ Applause ]
729
00:50:44,175 --> 00:50:45,374
MAN #4: I think Yosemite Valley
730
00:50:45,410 --> 00:50:47,043
looks like God took his finger
731
00:50:47,078 --> 00:50:50,846
and carved out a little path
so we could have a good time.
732
00:50:50,882 --> 00:50:52,982
And in my opinion,
you don't have to be
733
00:50:53,017 --> 00:50:55,351
a particularly religious person
734
00:50:55,386 --> 00:50:58,220
to feel inspired here.
735
00:50:58,256 --> 00:51:00,122
It's just an amazing place.
736
00:51:00,158 --> 00:51:03,159
♪♪
737
00:51:09,967 --> 00:51:13,536
KLINE: Another season
in Yosemite has come to pass.
738
00:51:15,740 --> 00:51:19,408
The forests are reborn
with new and wondrous life.
739
00:51:23,147 --> 00:51:26,749
Fluorescent red snow plants
erupt from the ground
740
00:51:26,784 --> 00:51:28,617
and spring begins again.
741
00:51:40,631 --> 00:51:43,032
From forests of giants...
742
00:51:46,170 --> 00:51:48,003
...to the tiniest
of creatures...
743
00:51:48,039 --> 00:51:49,705
[ Pike chirps ]
744
00:51:49,740 --> 00:51:55,478
...all of them bound together
by a single source of life.
745
00:51:55,513 --> 00:51:57,947
It's the power of water
that is the heart
746
00:51:57,982 --> 00:52:02,017
and soul of this most
magical range of light.
747
00:52:02,053 --> 00:52:05,020
♪♪
748
00:52:18,269 --> 00:52:21,270
♪♪
749
00:52:28,279 --> 00:52:31,280
♪♪
750
00:52:38,289 --> 00:52:41,090
♪♪
751
00:52:41,125 --> 00:52:44,360
To learn more about what you've
seen on this "Nature" program,
752
00:52:44,395 --> 00:52:47,296
visit pbs.org.
753
00:52:50,201 --> 00:52:53,602
♪♪
754
00:52:53,638 --> 00:52:55,971
♪♪
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