Two days in the Eastern Sierra (30 jpgs)

Last week, I left on a little trip down the backside of the Sierra, with the intent of hiking the Mount Whitney Trail. First, though, I had to stop oer at a number of great little areas along the way to check out the coming of fall.

Having never been to the Whitney Region of the Sierra, I quickly found myself overwhelmed by the incredible natural beauty of the area, and the day became more about photography than hiking. I can certainly now see why it is such a popular trail, even discounting the appeal of the summit. Furthermore, I can also see why folks often take two days or more on their journey to this region, as there is so much beauty to soak up. I don't believe that any picture can really simulate such an experience, but hopefully these should give you a taste.


Day 1, From Yosemite to Whitney Portal

Morning in Tuloumne Meadows:






Coming down Tioga Road:




Vacation cottage at June Lake:




Convict Lake and Laurel Mountain:






Aspen signal the end of summer:






Lone Pine Peak towers:




And Mount Whitney beams:




Waterfalls at Whitney Portal, despite the drought:






Nightfall approaches this Sierra outpost:









Day 2, Morning on the Mount Whitney Trail

 

Thanks for the comments. I know a couple aren't as sharp as I'd have liked, but still nice anyway. I need to get a good tripod already, though that would turn such a trip into even more of a photo trip and less of a hiking trip.

Also, I just got a new monitor (NEC 20WMGX2), and am using calibrated settings and an ICC profile from another user. So I'm not 100% sure of what has come out here, if you notice anything that seems off, especially color-wise, I'd appreciate it if you let me know.

Any other comments/critiques are welcome as well. I included a few of the shots more for story-telling purposes than outright beauty.