Sierra Sojourn

Heavy...and welcome...snows in the Sierra delayed the summer season this year.  The Tioga Pass road, usually open by Memorial Day, didn't open until near the end of June.  But by late July all the Sierra highways were finally clear of snow, though there was a lot more water and a lot more greenery than usual.  Here, near Olmstead Point on the Tioga Road, building cumulus added to the picture.

Love the vast expanses of granite in the High Sierra!

Easy to see why John Muir called the Sierra "The range of light".

Tenaya Lake, a favorite spot of mine for 40 years.  In early June 1977, heading home after completing my four years in the Navy, I camped here for several days, right by the water.  I would explore the mountains by day and revel in the tranquility and beauty here during the evening.  The campground is long gone, but it's still a fine picnic spot, and wading in the water on a warm day is most pleasant.

There was still a lot of snow on the high peaks considering it was late July, and the meadows were lush.

Stark terrain at timberline just east of Tioga Pass.

I traveled to Mammoth Lakes, where I rented a cozy cabin on one of the lakes above town...at 8500 feet elevation.  This was the view in the morning.  Blow up the pic and you can see a waterfall descending from Lake Mary, which provided a nice backdrop of rushing water all night long.

TJ Lake, at 9300 feet, above Mammoth Lakes.  Coming from sea level, and being fat and 65, it was an embarassingly tough trek...only a mile with 400 feet elevation gain, but...but it was worth it.

Another shot of TJ Lake.

And here's The Mammoth, at the ski area.  A fine life size replica.  The Lizards were excited to meet him!  The ski area stayed open til the 4th of July, three weeks earlier.  There were still old moguls on some of the higher slopes.  The founder of the ski area, Dave McCoy, is 101 and still rolling!  He's stopped skiing, though...quit at 93.  A life well lived, I reckon.  

The Minarets, west of Mammoth Mountain, cut a foreboding but majestic figure on the horizon.