Tag Archives: peak

Vernal and Nevada Falls, Alpenglow on Mt. Clark

Vernal and Nevada Falls, Alpenglow on Mt. Clark
Vernal and Nevada Falls, Alpenglow on Mt. Clark. Yosemite National Park, California. May 16, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

In mid-May made a quick one-day run up to Yosemite and back to get reacquainted with the waterfalls – at that time in full spring flow – and see the Valley coming back to life again after winter. In the evening I found myself at Glacier Point watching another stunning Sierra Crest sunset. This photograph was made as the very last light touched the top of Mt. Clark.

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Morning, Death Valley Dunes and Funeral Mountains

Morning, Death Valley Dunes and Funeral Mountains

Morning, Death Valley Dunes and Funeral Mountains. Death Valley National Park, California. April 4, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Photograph of curving Death Valley Dunes in morning light with the Funeral Mountains in the background.

Perhaps closer to the classic “dune photographs” from this area, shot along the top of one of the highest dunes with the line of the dune summit leading toward the Funeral Mountains along the east side of Death Valley. I hadn’t actually intended to shoot a scene like this one, but I ended up on top of a rise in the dunes after shooting the area behind them… and one feels almost obligated to photograph a scene like this one when visiting Death Valley. :-)

keywords: death valley, national park, sand, dunes, ripples, waves, curves, desert, funeral, mountains, sky, clouds, hills, stovepipe wells, california, usa, peak, footprints, steps, morning, light, stock, scenic, travel, landscape

Light Beams Over the Panamint Mountains

Light Beams Over the Panamint Mountains

Light Beams Over the Panamint Mountains. Death Valley National Park, California. April 2, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Light beams over the east face of the Panamint Mountains above Death Valley. Viewed from the east side of the Valley near Badwater.

I’ve been very lucky to encounter this phenomenon more than once when I’ve been in Death Valley. Although I know that most of the time it can be perfectly (too perfectly) clear there, I’ve seen clouds build over the Panamints in the afternoon during my April visits and then thin just enough late in the day to let these light beams shine through and illuminate the lower reaches of the Panamint Range.

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Stovepipe Dunes and Funeral Mountains

Stovepipe Dunes and Funeral Mountains

Stovepipe Dunes and Funeral Mountains. Death Valley National Park, California. April 4, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Morning on the Stovepipe Dunes with the Funeral Range in the distance. Death Valley National Park.

This is probably a more “typical” Death Valley Dunes (a.k.a. “Stovepipe Dunes”) photograph, though I got here by a slightly different route than others might follow. The dunes are easily visible from the roadway east of Stovepipe Wells. Many people drive to a spot next to the dunes and start walking straight towards the highest point. Having “been there, done that” before, I now know that this is a long slog through deep sand – so this time I started my walk much closer to Stovepipe Wells and went around the west end of the dunes to get to the back side of the formation. I entered the dunes from the north to get this shot, and I have to say that access was a lot easier this way.

keywords: morning, stovepipe, dunes, wells, funeral, mountains, ridge, sand, desert, peak, ridge, plants, flowers, ripples, shadows, california, usa, scenic, landscape, nature, stock, flowers, roots