Tag Archives: national park

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada, Photographs: Yosemite

Shoreline, Upper Young Lake

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Shoreline, Upper Young Lake

Shoreline, Upper Young Lake. Yosemite National Park, California. July 29, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Meadows and rocks along the shoreline of upper Young Lake with Sierra Crest peaks reflected the distance, Yosemite National Park.

During the last week of July I backpacked to the Young Lakes area of the Yosemite High Sierra near Tuolumne Meadows to spend the better part of four days visiting and photographing the lakes and other features of this area. I’ve been here many times, but this is the first time that I simply stayed put for several days and visited all three Young Lakes and Roosevelt Lake.

The three Young Lakes are all within about a mile of one another, strung along a creek below the ridge running out the Ragged Peak. Each has a distinct personality, and it isn’t surprising that the upper lake is the most alpine of the three, mostly surrounded by open sub-alpine meadows, a sparse forest of small trees, and open views of the surrounding peaks at or near the crest of the Sierra Nevada range.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: upper, young, lake, shoreline, rock, meadow, grass, tree, forest, mountain, boulder, reflection, meadow, sky, cloud, evening, sunset, sierra, nevada, range, yosemite, national park, landscape, nature, stock, hike, backpack, alpine, california, usa

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada, Photographs: Yosemite

First Light, Mount Gibbs

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First Light, Mount Gibbs

First Light, Mount Gibbs. Yosemite National Park, California. July 11, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

First morning light shines across the face of Mt. Gibbs above Tioga Pass, Yosemite National Park, California.

This photograph was made in the early morning alongside Tioga Meadow, the large meadow just below Tioga Pass inside the eastern boundary of Yosemite National Park, as the first sun crept over the Sierra crest and began to hit the upper slopes of Mt. Gibbs. This is one of my favorite locations along Tioga Pass Road, probably because it is the highest area right at the pass but also because of the extensive rolling meadows containing the skeletons of trees knocked down by avalanches and because of the proximity to much higher peaks, such as Mt. Dana.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: mount, gibbs, morning, dawn, sun, light, mountain, snow, field, red, brown, clouds, sky, blue, forest, trees, meadow, rock, tioga, pass, road, tuolumne, meadows, yosemite, national park, california, usa, ridge, mountains, landscape, sierra nevada, range, scenic, travel, stock

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada, Photographs: Wildlife, Photographs: Yosemite

Mule Deer, Tuolumne Meadows

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Mule Deer, Tuolumne Meadows

Mule Deer, Tuolumne Meadows. Yosemite National Park, California. July 9, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A mule deer grazing in the early evening light at Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park, California.

This California mule deer was conveniently grazing among the new wildflowers in this green meadow right next to the Tuolumne River bridge between the Tuolumne Campground and the Lembert Dome parking lot. How could I resist stopping and grabbing a few shots! When I arrived I first noticed another photographer working very close to the deer in the meadow, so I decided to shoot from the roadside rather than joining the other shooter – I didn’t want to be responsible for scaring the critter off and ruining his opportunity and mine. Eventually he retreated to a spot next to the bridge and the roadway so I slowly worked my way into a position that I thought might place some interesting light from the low sun on the deer. Most of the time the hungry deer kept its snout buried deep in the meadow plants, but every so often it would stand erect and look (and listen!) around, at which point I could squeeze off a few shots.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: deer, mammal, wildlife, animal, nature, fur, ears, graze, evening, tuolumne, meadows, yosemite, national park, california, usa, grass, plants, face, heard, upright, alert, travel, mountains, sierra nevada, range, mule, Odocoileus hemionus

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada, Photographs: Yosemite

Spring Pond, Tuolumne Meadows

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Spring Pond, Tuolumne Meadows

Spring Pond, Tuolumne Meadows. Yosemite National Park, California. July 10, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Late afternoon light on a small runoff pond at the edge of Tuolumne Meadows with impressive clouds in the distance, Yosemite National Park, California.

If you have ever been to Tuolumne Meadows – or at least spent a few moments wandering about there – you probably know this little pond. It is right alongside the road where the John Muir Trail crosses on its way across the Meadows to Parsons Lodge, the old Sierra Club facility on the far side of the meadow by Soda Springs. It is a frequently-photographed feature of the meadow, though often it is used as a foreground for photographs of Lembert Dome. This photograph looks a bit fore towards the north or northwest towards Ragged Peak and the north boundary country of the park.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: tuolumne, meadows, spring, summer, green, golden, grass, pool, pond, water, surface, blue, reflection, sky, clouds, plants, rocks, trees, forest, ridge, mountain, hill, ragged, peak, boulder, landscape, nature, scenic, travel, yosemite, national park, california, usa, high, sierra, nevada, range, lenticular, gray, stock