Backpackers, Near Milestone Basin. Sierra Nevada, California. August, 2010. © Copyright 2010 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved
Two backpackers descend through sub-alpine meadows toward the peaks of the Great Western Divide near Milestsone Basin, Sequoia National Park.
My two friends, Caroline and Owen, head through a lovely sub-alpine meadow toward the peaks of the Great Western Divide and the upper Kern River drainage of the Sierra Nevada in early August. (When doing backpacking photography it is always good to be accompanied by friends with colorful gear! My clothing color scheme is not conducive to photography, consisting mostly of colors that match the rocks, grasses, and dirt…)
This is a spectacular and less-visited area of the Sierra, being very high and at least two days from any trailhead – and those trailheads lead over very high Sierra crest passes. We hit it at perhaps the peak of its seasonal beauty – despite the clouds of mosquitoes, everything was tremendously green. Even in the late morning hour – not typically the time for photography – the scene was quite something. Our trail here passed through a succession of small, intimate meadows surrounded by rolling hills and filled with scattered glacial rocks, occasionally passing by small lakes and tarns — perhaps my favorite kind of Sierra terrain!
G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist whose subjects include the Pacific coast, redwood forests, central California oak/grasslands, the Sierra Nevada, California deserts, urban landscapes, night photography, and more.
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Text, photographs, and other media are © Copyright G Dan Mitchell (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.
Thanks, Greg and Dave. This area was wonderful – despite the hordes of mosquitoes – and the beauty of the place was a surprise, the sort of thing that you can’t quite predict from the map.
Dan
Dan, wonderful photo…I wish I was there! In an area that is this beautiful, I would have to take photos whether there was magical light, or not!
I love this shot Dan. Looks like a great place to be (in spite of the mosquitoes). I just finished my first jaunt into the Eastern Sierras and only had a taste. I need to get back out there and just wish it was a bit closer to the Bay Area!