Random Shot 9/4/10 - Happy Labor Day Weekend

From time to time I will post some random pictures that I take when Im bored around the house or wherever I might be. Here is my chocolate Lab...Bodie

Bodie

Star Trails

I bought a new good quality tripod recently and I have been dying to put it to use. Well I had that chance on my trip to Thousand Island Lake at the foot of Banner Peak. I got the chance to take a picture that is one of my all time favorite shots. This is a 20 minute exposure, Part way through the exposure a full moon rose up directly behind the camera and illuminated the peak just enough to get the right detail of the mountain. I couldn't be happier with the way it came out.

Even More Backpacking

So 2 weeks after I was in the John Muir Wilderness in the Sierras, I was back, but in the Ansel Adams Wilderness this time. We hiked up to Thousand Island Lake, about an 8 mile trek from Mammoth Mountain. There wasn't a whole lot to see for the majority of the hike, but once we reached our destination...What a site!

The Mammoth at the Ski Lodge on Mammoth Mountian. The Beginning of our adventure.

Trail Head Group Picture

Hike through Agnew Meadows

Mammoth Mountain from the Trail

Trail through the Trees

Banner Peak with Thousand Island Lake at its foot

We arrived at Thousand Island Lake late Friday, infact we were setting up camp in the dark using our headlamps to see. The wind was absolutely howling. It must have got down to the low 40's that night with a wind chill even colder. We woke up the next morning with the wind still howling, but beautiful clear blue skies. But by 10:00 am , it was a different story.

The skies started looking pretty ugly. So we packed up at headed out.

Camp and Banner Peak Panoramic

Emerald Lake

We took a slightly different route on the way back to the trail head which took us by Emerald Lake, Ruby Lake and Garnet Lake. This route was way more scenic.

Garnet Lake at the bottom of Mount Ritter

Granite Cliffs

Backpacking Galore

Over the last 6 weeks i have gone on 3 backpacking trips. A 3 day trip in the San Gorgonio Wilderness and two 3 day trips in the Eastern Sierras. It was great fun. If you want to get into backpacking and back country hiking I suggest you take the Wilderness Travel Course
offered by the Sierra Club. They teach you all you need to know to live in the back woods for days at a time and more importantly the confidence to do it.
The first trip in the Sierras was to the Big Pine Lakes and the Palisades Glacier. The lakes are an awesome turquoise color due to the glacial silt suspended in them.

Sierra Ridges on HWY 395

I have been up and down HWY 395 millions of times. This was the first time I did it in the evening. The setting sun in Owens valley makes some great sights. I took this at the rest stop south of Olancha at the Coso Junction.

Middle Palisades in the far back

This is taken on the trail up to the lakes. You can see the Middle Palisades on the right in the far back.

Lon Chaney's Cabin Door

Lon Chaney and his son Lon Chaney Jr. are old time actors and when I say old time I mean Lon Chaney Sr. did silent films. Lon Chaney Jr. is known for the old monster movies such as Wolf-Man. This cabin was built by Lon Chaney Sr. as a summer get away cabin and still sits high on the trail today.

The Vibrant 2nd Lake

Upon reaching the lakes on the trail, you are greeted with the most stunning turquoise blue color. It is from the glacial silt that is suspended in the water.

Glacier Blue

Lake and Pine Tress

Afternoon Sun on 2nd Lake

The Top of Temple Crag

First, Second and Third Lakes

On the way up to the Palisade Glacier I was able to snap this picture of First, Second and Third Lakes.

Inclimate Terrain

Here is some of the rocky terrain we had to cross to get to the glacier.

Our final destination

Our final destination at over 12,300 ft elevation. What a site it was!

The Palisade Glacier

The Palisade Glacier is the largest glacier in the Sierras and also the southern most glacier in the United States.

Sierra Tiger Lily

On the hike out I stopped to take a picture of this Sierra Tiger Lily

Mule Pack

The Hike back to the cars I had to climb off the trail to clear out for this Mule Pack to come by. Now that's the way to hike!

HDR Experiment

On our camping trip I experimented with HDR images. A quick explanation of HDR is the image is shot in multiple exposures and then combined to show all the details in the dark and light areas. This was my first real attempt. Look for some more in the future.

Twin Lakes 2010

We headed up to the Eastern Sierras for a week to get away from reality. Here are some of the shots from my trip.

This is our stop in the Ghost Town of Bodie









Our stop in Benton Hot Springs

The Bridgeport Courthouse
Some of the scenery


Our trip to Virginia City

Blacksmith Shoppe
Columbia Schoolhouse
Coulterville General Store
A big tree

Self Portrait

If you are into photography, you should check out DPchallenge.com It has weekly contests, where a subject is given and you take, submit and get judged on your photo of that subject. Last weeks subject was Self-Portrait...well I missed the deadline by a few hours, so here is the photos that I was going to submit for my Self-Portrait.