Alpine Tarn, Ridge. John Muir Wilderness, California. August 28, 2017. © Copyright 2017 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.
A Sierra crest ridge reflected by the surface of a small alpine tarn in early evening light
This photograph came near the end of a special day on our weeklong (and then some) backcountry photography visit to the John Muir Wilderness area. From our campsite in the trees on a moraine near a lower-elevation lake we took off in various groups to explore higher country. Above us was a large alpine basin that rose gradually to the head of the canyon at just above 12,000′ of elevation, with higher peaks on all sides. As we walked we left the forest behind and entered the landscape of rock and sparse trees. Some headed toward a higher lake; I struck off by myself to arrive at the top of a gentle ridge of glaciated granite slabs, from which I could see further up there valley and down into some rock-bound lakes.
Eventually it was time to leave since the sun was dropping behind peaks to the west. I worked my way back down the slabs, eventually spotting Patty coming across from a different portion of the ridge. We joined forces and continued our descent to the creek at the bottom of the valley, making a small tarn our target destination. I had the idea that I might get there just in time to make a few photographs before the shadows reached the lake. As it turned out, I cut the timing a bit close, and almost as soon as we arrived the first shadows approached the left side of the lake. I had to work quickly, so I found a composition that included the jagged rocks half-submerged along the shoreline, the lake itself, and the reflection of the 12,000′-plus ridge still in full sun.
G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books and Amazon.
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Thanks, Chloe — Sorry you didn’t make it to the Sierra this summer, but glad to hear that I could take you there with photographs. (If you are able, there is still time to get over there for fall color in the next month or so!)
Dan
Yes, and that’s a great post you just put up on Fall Color. So glad you don’t say “go here, here and here, and X marks the spot”.
Glad you enjoyed that post. The decision to be more discreet about identifying very specific places is one I made a few years back when a friend gave me evidence of how many people I was reaching. That was a sobering moment!
Dan
Really enjoying your Sierra photos this year – for the first time in a decade I wasn’t able to make my annual summer trip to the East Side so your photographs are serving as my ‘fix’…