We got up early for sunrise, looking west at the Sierras and also east to the Great Basin. We had a long walk in the younger bristlecone pine trees and we stayed outside in the dark to photograph the Milky Way over the Sierras. We were high enough in the White Mountains that we could see the light pollution of southern California spilling over the Sierras and my milky way disappeared into some low clouds. Still beautiful.
We traveled to the White Mountains where we camped at 8500′ with the most impossibly blue skies imaginable. Our main goal in the White Mountains was to see the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest where there are trees more than 4000 years old! These pines grow out of rock, ground up white rock of the White Mountains. The key ingredient seems to be Dolomite. We wondered, if we were able to grow a seedling, could we grow the tree in our own yards? Probably not, is my guess but it might be worth a try. Many of the trees had exposed wood, without bark and yet they were still alive. I was fascinated by the beautiful wood grain. These trees are growing at 12,000′ in a very stark landscape.
We did some night sky photography on last month’s road trip. These are from two nights at our first campsite. I love how the sky changes as I stand outside in the dark.
Sometimes we were overwhelmed by the sheer number of people out looking at fall colors, stopping in the middle of the road, walking without noticing cars coming and going. It seemed like every pretty place with aspens had people everywhere like ants at an anthill. One evening we found a nice, quiet place to walk in aspens along a creek just as the sun went down.
The girls and I and our friends enjoyed hiking in the high mountains of the eastern Sierra. I was challenged to breathe at 10,000 feet but all the effort was worth it. The scenery was outstanding and the skies so blue. We learned that is some places, lodgepole pine is a distinguished open-grown tree that can reach great heights, unlike here in the Cascades or the Rockies. The girls were grateful for lakes and streams. Willow ran ahead with her sister Juniper while Sky stuck right behind me, never asking to go any faster. Gus enjoyed all of it except the youthful exuberance of Willow and Juniper.
My Everyday Photos 