Tag Archives: snow

Photographs: Death Valley, Photographs: Structures and Objects

Building Detail, Bodie

Leave a comment
Building Detail, Bodie
Building Detail, Bodie
“Building Detail, Bodie” — An old building in the Bodie ghost town.

Yes, there really is snow falling in this photo. You might be able to see it a bit if you click on the thumbnail to see the somewhat larger size. I was caught – somewhat pleasantly – by surprise when I encountered this rather cold weather at the end of May in 2006.

Update 2025: Bodie is a large ghost town east of the Sierra Nevada that is a California State park. The place is maintained in state of arrested decay — not restored to be like new, but not allowed to decay and disappear like typical ghost towns. It is located in pretty tough country — the sagebrush desert of the western edge of Basin and Range territory. It can be very hot and dry out here in the summer, but it is also one of the coldest places in the West in the winter. On this visit I caught a surprise late-season light snowfall.

Leave a comment or question using the form. (Click the title to see the full article and to comment if you are viewing it on the home page.)

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” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email


All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.

Photographs: Death Valley

Light Beams Over the Panamint Mountains

Leave a comment

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.

keywords: panamint, mountains, range, death valley, national park, salt, flats, god light, clouds, sky, sun, shafts, ridge,wash, arroyo, plays, badwater, telescope, peak, snow, scenic, travel, stock, landscape, california, usa

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

From Pacheco to the Sierra, Spring

1 Comment

From Pacheco to the Sierra, Spring
From Pacheco to the Sierra, Spring. Pacheco State Park, California. March 16, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Black and white spring view from the grass and flower covered hills of the Pacheco Pass area across the Central Valley to the snow-covered Sierra Nevada. (I posted a color version of this photograph a few days ago, but I’m pretty sure I prefer this one in black and white.) Yes, the long focal length compresses the distance between the west side of the Valley, where I was as I shot this, and the east side where the Sierras rise.

I always think of John Muir when I pass though this area. As I recall, when he first headed to the Sierra he went through Pacheco Pass and his description remarks on the carpet of flowers extending into and across the great valley.

keywords: pacheco, state park, california, usa, pass, oaks, trees, grass, hills, mountains, flowers, spring, central, san joaquin, valley, shadows, green, sierra, nevada, snow, covered, peaks, distance, landscape, scenic, travel, pass, stock, black and white

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

From Pacheco to the Sierra, Spring

1 Comment

From Pacheco to the Sierra, Spring
From Pacheco to the Sierra, Spring. Pacheco State Park, California. March 16, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Spring view from the grass and flower covered hills of the Pacheco Pass area across the Central Valley to the snow-covered Sierra Nevada. John Muir travelled across this pass to visit Yosemite in the 1800s and remarked on the amazing wildflower displays.

keywords: pacheco, state park, california, usa, pass, oaks, trees, grass, hills, mountains, flowers, spring, central, san joaquin, valley, shadows, green, sierra, nevada, snow, covered, peaks, distance, landscape, scenic, travel, pass, stock