Lundy Lake an Autumn Retreat

 Mountains, a clear lake with an iconic tree and sunny aspens!

What better way to spend a warm autumn day than at a quiet lake near the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains?  Lundy Lake was my photo destination for this Indian summer day.  The 7858 feet (2395 m) elevation lake is located in Mono County near Lee Vinning California.

I was hoping to catch some color changes in the aspens up in the higher elevations but this autumn of 2017 the weather has been so mild for the central areas of California and Nevada. 

Arriving at the 100-acre lake, I was excited to see that the trees were accented in various hues of color.

Lundy Lake which was formerly know as Mill Creek lies in Lundy Canyon near the towering edges of Yosemite National Park.

With its clear water, the lake is a popular spot for trout fishing. 

Rather not go fishing, then how about a picnic by the calm water in shade of a tree surrounded by the serenity of nature? 

The trunk of a bare cottonwood tree stands in the shallow water near the shore and has become a symbolic icon to the natural beauty of Lundy Lake. 

 

Driving on past the lake and the dirt road is lined with aspens, some are still green and many are turning brilliant shades of yellow. 

Further along, the serenity of autumn envelopes the scene as the colorful aspens shroud the landscape. 

As daylight winds down shadows grown long, time has come to make my departure from this autumn retreat.  

What an inspiring photo-adventure this trip has been.  Standing on the shore and looking across the deep blue water of this pristine lake, I am alone in the moment feeling the solitude of nature.  There’s just something about the season of autumn that stirs my soul but brings such a feeling of peacefulness too.  

Photography places me in the moment where I can share that moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the viewer on a spiritual level. 

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What an exciting and interesting photo-adventure this day has been.  I love it when I am drawn to an area and not knowing what to expect I get treated to new experiences. 

Sign up and follow my blog to see where my next photo-adventure will be!

Photography places me in the moment where I can share that moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the viewer on a spiritual level.

 "Reflecting Nature's Artistry" 

Many of these images are available on my website:

 http://www.bonnierannald.com/ 

For custom matted and framed images:
Off The Wall

No images on this blog are within Public Domain or are available for free download. 

 All rights reserved, world-wide and images protected by Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). All photography, graphics, text, design, and content is copyrighted by Bonnie Rannald and should not be copied, down-loaded, transferred and re-created in any way without the express consent, in writing to Bonnie Rannald. For information on Bonnie Rannald licensed, right-managed images, please submit a written request.

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El Nino Winter at the Sierra Nevadas

Frozen Lakes, Snow-flocked Pines and Tufa Towers

With the first storms of 2016 El Nino winter, I was interested to see how much snowpack there was on the Eastern Sierra Nevadas since January of 2014.  I tried to schedule my photo-adventure between storms since my travels took me over the Anchorite Pass and an elevation of 8379 feet.  Leaving early on a sunny but cold Friday, I was relieved that the road from Hawthorne, Nevada to Lee Vinning, California was dry with only a few icy spots. 

Towering above the town of Lee Vinning, the snow covered High Sierras stand out against the deep blue western sky with clouds forming from the warming sun. 

Standing tall on the horizon, Eagle Peak is the highest point on the Buckeye Ridge with an elevation of 11845 feet (3610 m), located just southwest of Bridgeport, California.  

To the south and just before the quaint town of Lee Vinning, winter accents the shores of Mono Lake.  The dark area on the background to the right is Paoha Island, a volcanic island formed by lakebed sediments deposited above volcanic domes. 

Mono Lake's Tufa Towers, unusual limestone formations that result from a chemical reaction when calcium in underwater springs mixes with carbonates in the lake water.  Some of the Tufa Towers may grow to a height of 30 feet (9.144m).  

 Aspens still showing leaves with fall colors line the beginning of Tioga Pass.  This scenic drive through the eastern entry point of Yosemite Park is closed during the snow season due to the high elevation, "S" curves and sheer drop-offs.   

Just ahead, Mt. Gibbs and the parent peak, Mt. Dana dominate the afternoon sky with a majestic preview of the eastern part of Yosemite.  Mt. Dana's active glacier, the Dana Glacier that flows near the mountain's top at 13,053 feet (3978.55 m) is hardly visible with the snow cover and afternoon shade.

Rugged terrain and steep chutes make for some of the wildest ski descents in the Sierra.  

As the afternoon approaches, I make a last detour over to Lundy Lake.  At 7858 feet (2395 m) elevation, Lundy Lake is the gateway to the Hoover Wilderness Area in the High Sierras.  

Today the popular fishing lake with 2.4 miles of shoreline and 100 surface acres lies covered with snow. The rainbow, brown, and brook trout will be there for another trip  

Driving back along the Lundy Lake road the snow flocked pines create a picturesque view.  What a memorable ending to a day of winter photo-exploring.  Follow my blog and check back often to see where my next adventure begins.

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What an exciting and interesting photo-adventure this day has been.  I love it when I am drawn to an area and not knowing what to expect I get treated to new experiences. 

Sign up and follow my blog to see where my next photo-adventure will be!

Photography places me in the moment where I can share that moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the viewer on a spiritual level.

 "Reflecting Nature's Artistry" 

Many of these images are available on my website:

 http://www.bonnierannald.com/ 

For custom matted and framed images:
Off The Wall

No images on this blog are within Public Domain or are available for free download. 

 All rights reserved, world-wide and images protected by Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). All photography, graphics, text, design, and content is copyrighted by Bonnie Rannald and should not be copied, down-loaded, transferred and re-created in any way without the express consent, in writing to Bonnie Rannald. For information on Bonnie Rannald licensed, right-managed images, please submit a written request.

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Hiking at Lundy Lake

Lundy Lake, California

Lundy Lake in the fall is a quiet get a way with a breathtaking view of mountainous terrain, golden aspens and tall evergreens. The high altitude, mile long lake stands at 7858 feet, 2395m, and lies around 15 miles north of Lee Vining, California.

The history of Lundy lake goes back to the mining days in the late 1800's where it's principal use was as a sawmill, producing timber for the nearby mining town of Bodie, California. Lundy Lake was named from the sawmill operator, W. J. Lundy.

Aspen trees, Populus tremuloides, better known as Quaking Aspens or Quakies because their leaves flutter with the slightest breeze, accent the landscape in fall colors of yellow and gold.

There are numerous trail heads at Lundy Lake for hiking or just enjoying the alpine view.

What an enjoyable venture to spend out with my camera, walking along brilliant aspen forests on a fall day at Lundy Lake.

For more information on Lundy Lake, please contact the Lee Vining Chamber of Commerce:

http://www.leevining.com/

The images in this blog are for sale and available in various sizes.

For information on purchasing prints please contact me at contact@bonnierannald.com

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What an exciting and interesting photo-adventure this day has been.  I love it when I am drawn to an area and not knowing what to expect I get treated to new experiences. 

Sign up and follow my blog to see where my next photo-adventure will be!

Photography places me in the moment where I can share that moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the viewer on a spiritual level.

 "Reflecting Nature's Artistry" 

Many of these images are available on my website:

 http://www.bonnierannald.com/ 

For custom matted and framed images:
Off The Wall

No images on this blog are within Public Domain or are available for free download. 

 All rights reserved, world-wide and images protected by Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). All photography, graphics, text, design, and content is copyrighted by Bonnie Rannald and should not be copied, down-loaded, transferred and re-created in any way without the express consent, in writing to Bonnie Rannald. For information on Bonnie Rannald licensed, right-managed images, please submit a written request.

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