Tag Archives: aspen

Photographs: Fall, Photographs: Fall Color, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Cascade, Autumn Colors

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Cascade, Autumn Colors
Autumn colors along an Eastern Sierra Nevaa, Cascade.

Cascade, Autumn Colors. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Autumn colors along an Eastern Sierra Nevaa, Cascade.

It continues to amaze me that I can miss things that have been right in front of me for years. I’ve photographed in sight of this little feature for literally decades, but this fall was the first time I noticed it. (I had also barely noticed the nearby remnants of an old gold mine.) And it isn’t the only example. On this month’s first visit to the Eastern Sierra to photograph fall colors I “discovered” a lovely little creek… right alongside a roadway where I’ve also photographed for decades.

This creek is probably seasonal, flowing from a small but popular lake. After leaving that lake in the usual way — through the low end of the valley that contains it — it eventually drops over some very steep terrain where it seems to have carved into the rocks. In this particular spot it is accompanied by a large conifer tree and several deciduous plants that produce some lovely fall color.

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, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Photographs: Fall, Photographs: Fall Color, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Aspens in the Canyon

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Aspens in the Canyon
Autumn aspen trees turn golden in a rugged Eastern Sierra Nevada canyon.

Aspens in the Canyon. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Autumn aspen trees turn golden in a rugged Eastern Sierra Nevada canyon.

My memory may be imprecise, but I recall that Colin Fletcher (author of the classic “The Complete Walker”) describes a scene in one of his books where someone believes they have gone as far from the human world as possible, only to spot someone emerging from the inaccessible wild world looking happy and healthy. Some Eastern Sierra canyons might produce a similar experience. Driving Into such canyons and running out of road, it might seem that you have gone as far as you can go — but then someone emerges from that “beyond” and reminds you. (I looked at this canyon for a long time before I finally ascended it on foot years ago.)

This may be my favorite sort of East Side canyon — one that transitions quickly from high desert to alpine peaks. You can visit aspens by vehicle here — as I did this season — but you can also continue up the trail into the heart of the canyon and walk right through the distant grove seen in this photograph… and on among the peaks.

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, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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California Fall Color, Photographs: Fall, Photographs: Fall Color, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Autumn Grove, Evening

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Autumn Grove
Autumn in a quiet evening aspen grove in the Eastern Sierra Nevada.

Autumn Grove. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Autumn in a quiet evening aspen grove in the Eastern Sierra Nevada.

It is easy to focus on the largest and most impressive elements of the Sierra Nevada landscape — I know that I often do. The range is full of rugged peaks, deep valleys, forests draped across miles of terrain, and more. But eventually, if you spend enough time in this landscape, it becomes apparent that there are things to see (and photograph) almost everywhere… and not just in the iconic places. If you asked me where this photograph was made, I could tell you the precise location — but why? There are countless equivalent scenes all over the range!

The photograph illustrates another principle of photographing such subjects: sometimes “bad light” is actually good light. I made the photograph after the sun had set behind the surrounding tall mountains, as the day’s light was quickly fading. But I love photographing trees — especially autumn aspen trees — in this marginal and soft light. The harsh highlights and shadows are gone and gentle light suffuses the scene.

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, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

Photographs: Fall, Photographs: Fall Color, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Valley to Summit

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Valley to Summit
Basin Mountain, as seen from the base of the Sierra Nevada.

Valley to Summit. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.

Basin Mountain, as seen from the base of the Sierra Nevada.

This is a vertical-format view of one of my favorite eastern Sierra mountains, Basin Mountain. It isn’t the tallest in the range or even on this section of the crest, and others have more storied reputations. But I’ve spent quite a bit of time in places where I could see it — both directly beneath its eastern face and passing by on the way to other locations. Although it isn’t very clear from this angle, that eastern face features a striking “basin” that opens toward Owens Valley. I’ve long been intrigued by an obvious trail ascending into that basin, though I’ve never gotten around to taking it.

I made the photograph from the base of the Sierra along the western edge of what we might broadly consider to be part of Owens Valley. (Technically, the exact spot has a different name, but close enough!) The view illustrates some typical features of the “East Side” mountains. They rise from desert-like terrain in many places, and even when it isn’t actually desert it is dry. The foothills rise through what I refer to as “sagebrush country,” often on material deposited by flowing water or old glaciers, and eventually meet the rugged base of the rocky Sierra itself. From there the terrain becomes much more alpine and often much steeper as it rises toward the highest peaks.

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, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Twitter | Flickr | Facebook | Email

Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.