Sierra Nevada's Best Photo Ops?

[sierraman]

I must admit I'm partially biased, living in CA and spending many a long

weekend in various parts of the Sierra Nevada, but I have read the occasional

travel photographer's book or essay stating that the best of the Sierra Nevada

is the equal of any other mountain destination in the world, when taking into

account raw natural alpine scenery, biodiversity, and unbeatable mountain

weather. John Muir, Ansel Adams, Reinhold Messner, and David Muench, just to

name a few, have all made some sort of testimonial to this statement. Granted

any opinion is always subjective, but nevertheless do you agree? And if so,

please share your comments.

 

Specifically, besides the obvious Yosemite Valley (but not the park as a

whole), please share some of your most spectacular Sierra Nevada experiences,

including easy drive-to or hike-to locations, as well as off-the-beaten-path

ones that most people would never know about. Include links to photos as well,

if desired.

[joe_degennaro]

Hi don't have any photos. it was one of those missed ops because of a number of things, but in the town of Lone Pine, CA off of 395, i believe..facing the mountain range in feb. or march while there is still snow on the peaks, looking to your right (NORTH) on a clear day will give you miles and miles of snow capped peaks for as far as you can see. There is a "Viewing" spot in the town which is like a small gazebo. I will return there to get that shot even though I now live on the East Coast. Usually the Chamber of Commerce will let you know if the peaks are still snow capped. Joe DeGennaro...p.s. if you get a shot please post it to 1) give me incentive to go, and 2) remind me that I should have waited to take take the shot....

[Mary Doo]

The Alabama Hills are beautiful with Mount Whitney in alpen

glow in morning light, as are Death Valley and Mono Lake, etc.

 I scrounged together a few old images, not arranged or collected in any particular order, rhyme or reason: <br>

<br>

<a href="http://www.MaryDooPhoto.com/DeathValley">http://www.MaryDooPhoto.com/DeathValley/</a><br>

<a

href="http://www.MaryDooPhoto.com/AlabamaHills/pages/AHills001.htm">http://www.MaryDooPhoto.com/AlabamaHills/pages/AHills001.htm</a><br>

<a

href="http://www.MaryDooPhoto.com/AlabamaHills/pages/AHills005.htm">http://www.MaryDooPhoto.com/AlabamaHills/pages/AHills005.htm</a><br>

<a href="http://www.marydoophoto.com/images/SierraArch.jpg">http://www.marydoophoto.com/images/SierraArch.jpg</a><br>

<a href="http://www.marydoophoto.com/images/BR_DarwinFalls.jpg">http://www.marydoophoto.com/images/BR_DarwinFalls.jpg</a><br>

<a href="http://www.marydoophoto.com/images/BR_MonoDusk2.jpg">http://www.marydoophoto.com/images/BR_MonoDusk2.jpg</a><br>

<br>

Mary

[anish]

I haven't travelled to many other ranges, but I assure you that there is enough beauty in the Sierra to keep any photographer happily shooting for his or her entire life. It's difficult to single out any particular locations as there are wonderful opportunities to be found almost anywhere. Living in So. Cal, I most frequently visit the east side of the range, where I've travelled quite a bit along the stretch between Lone Pine and Yosemmite. There are great places to photograph all along this stretch. Many are easily accessible, such as the Alabama Hills, the areas surrounding the various Bishop Creek trailheads, Lake Crowley and Mono Lake and the numerous aspen groves along 395 between Bishop and Yosemite, just to name a few. And if you like to hike, the opportunities are literally unlimited. Rather than give too many specifics, I would just encourage you to grab your camera, head out there, and just explore. For some ideas, I have a couple of Sierra Nevada portfolios in my gallery here:

www.photo.net/photos/anish

 

Enjoy...

Anish

[craig_gillette]

Last fall we, unfortunately, had to drive back to the Los Angeles area after enjoying the fall colors of the eastern Sierra just as the season's first snowstorm had dusted all the high country the night before, somehow domestic tranquility and a need to get home overcame what might have otherwise been a another full day of shooting. But the four days before that had been stunning.

 

If I had to nutshell it - diversity and proximity. While perhaps not the highest, coldest, most rugged, etc., the Sierra is extremely diverse, from west to east, south to north. Four seasons! Historic mining influences, logging, and the building of the transcontinental railroad across Donner Pass. The Donner Party! The sequoia groves, Mt. Whitney. Proximity? The west side of the Great Basin, more history, mining, Bodie, Mono Lake, silver mining in Nevada, Owens Valley, the White Mountains. Los Angeles, San Francisco. It's close enough to the biggest population centers of the state to be convenient.

 

Not great, just mine ;)

 

http://www.pbase.com/gillettecraig/apr03yosemite

 

http://www.pbase.com/gillettecraig/eastsierra05

 

http://www.pbase.com/gillettecraig/sierra2006

[dave chew]

Another nice loop hike is behind Mammoth Lakes. Start at Agnew Meadows and hike the "high trail." Great views of the Minarets on the way, even if you don't make the entire loop to Thousand Island Lake, Garnet Lake and Shadow Lake. Also nice wildflowers in the meadows around and above Agnew meadows.

 

Here's Thousand Island Lake:

 

http://www.photo.net/photo/4107513

 

As Anish says, you really can't go wrong at any of the trailheads. However, some of them like Baxter Pass and Shepherd's Pass are more strenuous than others.

[Carl Stone]

The gold country offers some great photo ops. There's the old mines, the Well Fargo

buildings, as well as great scenery. In fact, there's enough in that area alone to keep me

shooting for a very long time. You might try visiting Columbia. Yes, it's a tourist trap, but

there are still photo ops. Then take Hwy 49 to Angles Camp, and beyond if you have the

time. This is lower elevation stuff, known as the "foothills", but great shooting opportunities

anyway.

[phyrpowr]

All I can add is: if someone said pick one US highway you had to live on, my choice would be an actual coin toss between the PAC and US 395

[lharrellfotoware]

There are gems everywhere throughout the Sierra. One place that stands out this time of year is Hope Valley, with all its abundance of aspens. Combine that with the alpine mountaintops of Freel, Roundtop and Raymond Peaks, the photo ops are easy to come by.

 

The Sierra Buttes area is easy to get to. Monitor Pass always has sweeping vistas, as long as it remains open. Horsetail Falls always seems to have plenty of water and is a short hike up from Highway 50. Iron Mountain road out of Pollock Pines area has some great ridgetop views of Desolation Wilderness. Twin Lakes!!! South Lake!!!! The list of places are nearly endless.<div></div>

[Carl Stone]

I'm also a fan of the Feather River canyon.

[thomasbeaman]

Lake Tahoe is one of my favorite places to shoot. The east shore is an amazing spot in the morning (especially spring). You can park just past sand harbor and walk in either direction for tons of photo ops. Hope Valley in the fall is amazing. Emerald Bay sunrise is always a wonderful experience.

[dave wyman]

The Palisade Glacier with its views of the surrounding peaks - a hard place to reach, but well worth it for experienced hikers, including the hike to the glacier, via N. Big Pine Creek.<div></div>

[xtfritz]

Dave, I undestand your bias for the Sierra Nevada, having grown up on the eastern side in Nevada most of my younger years, but I have to admit that anywhere there are mountains in the world, each place has it own charm, distinct features and culture that make them satisfying for any photographer. That said, I fell in love with mountains at an early age of just a few years old, visiting the likes of yosemite, toulume meadows, etc on family vacations, but in those days I wasn't a photographer. Having since picked up the hobby, I've only been in Montana, Canadian Rockies near Calgary, and the South American giants of the Andes in Colombia, Brazil, Chile and Bolivia. Southern Chile in my mind beats almost anything from the Sierra Nevada, but we're also talking about one of the most inhospitable places and most inaccessable areas on the planet. Patagonia is infamous for 70km/h windstorms that strip campsites bare and the weather changes every 15 minutes from summer to winter (and thats the 'good' season). But the rewards likewise are unique. I highly recommend this destination to anyone up for a great adventure. Cheers to all.

[lharrellfotoware]

I agree, Christopher, having been in some other very nice mountains. The Sawtooths may not be as long or as tall as the Sierras but, they are truly incredible. The Canadian Rockies are breathtaking. The Cascades, both north and south have their own secret spots, very different, even from each other. I spent 3 months working out of Hamilton, MT and thoroughly enjoyed the ruggedness of those peaks. The mountains around Whistler are spectacular, as well. The Black Hills are more than just hills, too.

[kris_francis]

Dave:

 

Best Sierra photo ops? My recommendation is to spend time anywhere in Kings/Sequoia National Park. The photo opportunities will occur when they occur... you just gotta spend time there.

 

Be sure to wake up before dawn, be active around sunset, and hope for bad weather - these all help for a good picture.