Tag Archives: hills

Photographs: Fall, Photographs: Fall Color, Photographs: Nature

Early Fall Aspen Color

October 18, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Early fall color among small, high elevation trees east of the Sierra Nevada

Back in the middle of September, several weeks before I would usually begin photographing autumn aspen color in California’s Sierra Nevada, I visited the range for an end-of-summer trip and with the idea that I might do some pre-autumn reconnaissance in order to try get some idea of what the fall color season might bring at the beginning of October. It was my plan to camp in Tuolumne Meadows, hiking and camping and photographing there, but also ventured out a bit further, especially to the east side of the range.

As expected, it wasn’t really fall color season just yet, however I did encounter much more color than I would have expected — enough, in fact, to do more than just look around. Before the trip was done I made “fall” color photographs in several locations on the east side of the range, but I also ventured further east of the Sierra to some high desert areas and other mountains where I’ve been poking around looking for color in the past few years. I had a hunch about one high ridge where I had explored back roads earlier and from which I knew there could be long views, including those back toward the eastern escarpment of the Sierra. Somewhat to my surprise, I found a lot of aspen color out here. Although much of it was in what might be termed “scrub aspens,” the color was impressive and many of the groves stretched into the distance over high mountain ridges.

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

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

East Side, Morning

September 24, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Early morning light on the hills and peaks of the eastern Sierra Nevada near June Lake

I’ve occasionally written about my “discovery” of the Sierra Nevada east side perhaps two decades ago. Like so many from Northern California, my orientation to the range came from arriving by driving east across the Great Central Valley and then making the long, gradual ascent from the Valley to the summit of the range, a summit whose peaks are often not even visible from that Valley. (But when they are, what a sight!) I thought of the Sierra as being a place of mostly forested mountains, rising gradually, and only topped by the rugged granite peaks at is furthest point. Then a friend, whose orientation was from Southern California and who had approached the range from the South, got me (finally!) to visit the east side of the range.

What a difference! Here the mountains begin in semi-arid high desert sage brush country. They mostly rise abruptly along the eastern escarpment, with rocky ridges and summits exposed to view. The range immediately has an alpine quality that is quite different from the gentle forested slopes of the west side. Yet it, too, is varied. In some places the abrupt and rugged steepness is real — some of the ridges just above Round Valley, for example. But in other locations that “abrupt” escarpment is more subtle, the result of starting at even higher desert elevations (in the 8000′ range in some places) and due to some very large canyons cutting toward the summit of the range. For examples, visit the huge valley that rises above Bishop, or consider these sage and tree covered slopes gradually ascending toward the inevitable granite cliffs in the vicinity of June Lake.

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

Photographs: Italy

Vineyards Below Radda

August 25, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Evening light and shadows on vineyards below Radda in Chianti

We have now visited this small town several times. The first time we passed through on our way to another place, barely giving it a glance. (I know, that is hard to believe.) Then on the return drive we came back through it and noticed the remarkable location atop a mountain ridge, with buildings alongside the narrow road and stretching off in either direction. Then we returned for dinner, arriving early enough to take a bit of time exploring the village, which turned out to be a bit larger than we had imagined.

On this dinner visit we came into town a little before 7:00 PM, and since dinner wasn’t scheduled until 7:30 we had some time to wander. After walking up and down some of the narrow streets — barely wide enough for a single small car in many places and few cars go there — I found a walk along the edge of the ridge overlooking the valley to the west and facing into the beautiful evening light. Far in the distance (and not seen in this photograph) were tree-covered hills stretching off toward very distant mountains. Below were vineyards and olive orchards, with the gentle gold-hour light passing from left to right and beginning to darken the shadows.

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Foothills, Winter Grass

July 26, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Winter grasses and wildflowers come to life among trees and boulders in the Sierra Nevada foothills

Returning from a few days in Yosemite Valley early this year — we were there for the opening of the annual Yosemite Renaissance exhibit — we looped somewhat lazily through Sierra foothill terrain on our way home. Since the plan was to arrive at a Central Valley bird refuge before sunset, we had most of the day to poke around and make photographs.

Late winter in California is the greenest time of year. When people visit the state during summer and remark on the golden brown hills, I always want to say, “You should have been here a few months ago!” This is the impossibly green season, when enough rain has fallen to get the grasses to take root and cover these hills, followed quickly by the appearance of wildflowers.

G Dan Mitchell Photography

Tag Archives: hills

Early Fall Aspen Color

East Side, Morning

Vineyards Below Radda

Foothills, Winter Grass

Photographer and visual opportunist. Daily photos since 2005, plus articles, reviews, news, and ideas.