Late Blooming Wildflowers in Eastern Yosemite

Accents of color along Tioga Pass Drive 

On August 1, 2017 I did a return visit to Tioga Pass in hopes of finding more wildflowers in bloom since my July 23rd. photo-adventure. Tioga Pass serves as the eastern entry to Yosemite National Park and climbs to 9,943 ft./ (3,031 m) elevation. 

With warming temperatures, I noticed many of the wildflowers from my previous visit were starting to bolt.  However, driving up to higher elevations and even more wildflowers like this Showy Milkweed were in full bloom.   The red flowers are Scarlet Penstemon Penstemon murrayanus  which thrive in some of the worst climate areas of the U.S.-- on rocky, gravelly slopes, at from 3000 to 10000’ elevations. 

A dash of blue and a healthy bunch of Brewer’s Lupine caught my eye. This flower, the Lupinus breweri,  is native to California’s mountainous areas.  

Beautiful stands of lilac, the Fireweed or great willow herb, Chamaenerion angustifolium,  accented the gravely slopes.  This wildflower is named for its ability to act as a coloniser on burnt sites after forest fires.  

   

The Longleaf phlox, Phlox longifolia, was growing profusely around the shady areas about mid way on the Tioga Pass road.  

 

A sudden rain storm gave me a break for lunch while I stopped by an area dense with Jeffery Pines. Delicate white flowers of Mariposa Lily, Calochortus, accented the forest floor. 

Almost hidden from sight, deep lavender flowers of Broadleaf Lupine Lupinus latifolius drew me in for a closer look and a click of the shutter.

Arriving up higher, I came to a meadow where a number of wildflowers were thriving in the moist soil.

 Showy pink flowers accenting green foliage, Meadow Penstemon, Penstemon rydbergii,  can be found in damp, grassy meadows of Yosemite National Park.  

A small cluster of deep blue Nuttall’s larkspur, Delphinium nuttallianum, or two lobed larkspur were so close to the ground, they might have gone unnoticed.  

One of the most unusual wildflowers are the Pussytoes, Antennaria,  which can reach up to 20” tall.  They are so named due to their similarity to kitten’s toes.   

A bunch of Yellow Monkey Flowers, Erythranthe guttata, was spread out near the road side.  This flower gets it

is name from appearing like a monkey’s smiling face during part of its growth cycle. 

Time was moving on and the shadows were growing long.  The breeze was blowing harder, so it was time to head back down Tioga Pass.

  

Just as I was leveling out from my drive down, a huge cluster of pink flowers caught my eye across the road.  After turning around and carefully crossing the busy road, I realized that these were Longleaf phlox!  This flower can grow from 4 to 20” and was at least 20” in height.  What an awesome find to end my day along the Tioga Pass. 

   

Follow my blog and check back often to see where my next photo-adventure will take me!

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. 

---

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.

---

Tioga Pass Reveals its Soft Side as Wildflowers Bloom

Fragile beauty thrives in the rocky terrain

Tioga Pass, the paved road leading to the eastern entrance of Yosemite opened late this year due to the huge amount of snow over the 2016-2017 winter.  As soon as possible, I made a day trip to check out the scenery along this picturesque drive.  Tioga Pass winds up through the higher elevations and is so narrow in places that it is not safe for winter driving; therefore the road is closed from the first snowfall until late spring. 

 

I was quite surprised to see so much snow still lingering on the slopes this late in June. 

 

There was so much water coming from the melting snow that it formed a large stream which flowed into a waterfall that poured down through the rugged mountainous canyon.

 

Driving up higher, I began to notice wildflowers growing along the rocky slopes. 

 

On closer inspection and I realized these vivid fuchsia flowers were  Mountain Pride or  Penstemon newberryi  penstemons. 

 

In the gravely areas along the roadside the Showy Milkweed was just beginning to flower.

 

Suddenly a flash of red caught my eye and the Beaked Beardtongue penstemons  Penstemon Rostriflorus were thriving along the rocky bands of the road.  

Additionally a number of Giant Red Paintbrush Castilleja miniata were making a spectacular showing! 

 

Delicate flowers of  the spiny Prickly Poppy accented the rocky terrain.

 

What an awesome photo-adventure this turned out to be.  I came in hopes of just enjoying the rugged scenery along the Tioga Pass and was delighted with a showing of wildflowers.  

Come back often and  join me as I explore the awesome moments of nature.  Follow my blog for updates on my photo-adventures!

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. 

---

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.

---

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.

---

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.

---

Autumn at Siesta Lake

An artist retreat in fall colors

What could be better than spending an warm autumn Saturday at a place called Siesta Lake? 

Located in Yosemite National Park, Siesta Lake is on the east side of Highway 120 (Tioga Pass Road) just before the White Wolf turn-off. 

The small lake is easily overlooked in the summer but during the early autumn it stands out, highlighted in gold and yellow hues against the blue waters.

Lying at 8,000 feet (2438.4 m) elevation, tall pines reach toward the sky and provide a scenic setting for a quiet retreat.  

Sitting for a moment to enjoy the setting and gazing across the lake, I am reminded of Monet's Garden with the lily pads floating in the still water.

A narrow path leads around the lake but in some areas the ground can be boggy so it's best to tread lightly.  

 An interesting log lies across the path, accented against the deep blue hues of water.

As the day winds down and I take my last look across the lake, Ansel Adams words come in my thoughts,  “Yosemite Valley, to me, is always a sunrise, a glitter of green and golden wonder in a vast edifice of stone and space.” 

---

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.

---

From Destruction to Creation, after the Rim Fire

A return trip before winter's closure

A return visit to the northern edge of the Rim fire led me to new discoveries in the pine forest memorial land of charred and dead trees.  This second visit before cold weather closed down the Tioga Pass road was devoted toward spending as much time as possible and allowing nature to lead me with my camera.  

Wildfires can be beneficial to forests by clearing out over-crowded vegetation, thereby creating space for new growth. With all the tiny pines that were thriving in this area, the Rim fire has allowed for a rejuvenation of growth.  Unfortunately this fire was not an act of nature but caused from carelessness which burned 400 sq. miles at a cost of $127 million. 

Hiking deeper into the cemetery of dead trees, I stood at the base of so many monolithic trees that were still towering over the forest floor.

Up high from the green canopy a raven cackled as if to remind me to enter with reverence, for it was not only trees that met their demise in this charred forest. 

Every turn of the camera revealed a different scene with a unique story that immortalized a once thriving life. I was drawn to a young pine that had succumbed to the intense heat, finally resting on its side, with bare branches reaching up.  

Life amongst death as a bramble bush takes residence against the charred trunk of a once majestic pine.  The hollowed base of the tree will likely become someone's den for the winter.

One of the most awesome scenes of survival was this mighty Ponderosa pine that was almost cored from the fire, yet still alive and standing tall.

  The pine's strength and perseverance really touched my emotions. 

Sap oozing  down from this hollowed out recess in the charred pine gave me impressions of being in a cave.

 In a small area I noticed a number of round, blackened balls that I think might have been Black Oak Acorns.  Black Oak Acorns were a food staple of the Yosemite Indians.  

The opportunistic side of nature never ceases to amaze me, some critter has made a home in this hollowed out trunk

An intriguing scene and I wander if the boulder was cracked by the intense heat?

A shape beckons me to take a closer look, the abstract form has humanoid qualities and reminds me somewhat of a Hawaiian Tiki Totem 

In one of the most devastated areas of the fire a huge pine lays stretched out for many meters.

I can only imagine how many years this tree had been growing. 

 

 Over time and like with the Titanic, nature will reclaim what is left of this hull, leaving only a layer of mulch and some charred bark. 

New growth accents the landscape and Lupines are beginning to grow on the forest floor. 

 A destroyer of living matter, the fire leaves in its wake abstract creations, the outline of a heart catches my eye in the upper section of the trunk.

 Intricate shapes accent the landscape,  nature's Biomorphic creations that are charred and appear as if decorated with Pryographic designs. 

  
 
All over this land where the dead have come to rest lies a tribute to so many once thriving lives.  As I begin to retrace my steps and make my departure, I feel blessed that I have been given such an opportunity to experience this touching side of nature. 

 The seasonal change of winter is coming soon and one never knows what changes it might bring to this unique memorial site. Maybe I'll return again after spring's thaw.

---

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.

---