High Sierra Topix

Went into my favorite area in August. Graveyard Lakes has been my most frequented destination. This time, I did a nearly complete traverse of the ridges and peaks surrounding the basin. Unfortunately, my $450 lens took a dump and none of my pictures from the traverse turned out. However, before it went on the fritz, I was able to get some good reflection shots of the lakes. Here are some of them.





Click on http://www.sierramountainphotography.com/id29.html for the complete page of photos.

You've got some beautiful photos! The sillouettes, and pics of your dad, reflections . . . awesome!

I've been to that area a bunch too. In fact, a trip thru Cascade Valley and over Silver Pass was my first high sierra trip back in the 60's!Grin

The upper lake, have you ever hiked to the east end and looked towards Little Lakes Valley? All those named peaks to the west of it are gorgeous.

How about a story about how you damaged the lens. We photographers of course always worry about that and I am always interested in hearing about how it happens. I've dropped a few in my time though only damaged one fatally. Except it was a $900 lens.

Very nice images, I especially like the meadow shot! I think I'll camp there next summer. It looks like a sweet place to wait for magic lighting! I've been to the Devil's Bathtub a zillion times (it's such a nice, pretty, easy hike to take friends/family on a first backpacking trip), and I've climbed Graveyard Peak (even with my dogs!) and looked down on Graveyard Lakes, but I've never been there yet. I've always wanted to, but with so many destinations on my list I just haven't done it yet. I really would like to take a week+ and spend some time at Graveyard Lakes and then go beyond to Peter Pande Lake and all the lakes in the basins behind Graveyard Lakes.


http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?phot ... 78&size=lg
My dog Heidi on the summit of Graveyard Peak.

what beautiful pictures! I love the meadow.. So many pretty places in the Sierra to go to & not enough time. Buck I love the picture of Heidi!!
Thanks for sharing

hikerduane wrote:The upper lake, have you ever hiked to the east end and looked towards Little Lakes Valley? All those named peaks to the west of it are gorgeous.

Yes, I climbed straight to the summit of the peak above the upper lake. Mt. Tom and Basin Mtn. to the east seem so close you could touch them and the peaks to the west are spectacular.

SSSdave wrote:How about a story about how you damaged the lens. We photographers of course always worry about that and I am always interested in hearing about how it happens. I've dropped a few in my time though only damaged one fatally. Except it was a $900 lens.

Don't know. It was a Sigma 17-35 and the power aperture ring had just gone bad. $150 to fix it.

Buck Forester wrote:Very nice images, I especially like the meadow shot! I think I'll camp there next summer. It looks like a sweet place to wait for magic lighting! I've been to the Devil's Bathtub a zillion times (it's such a nice, pretty, easy hike to take friends/family on a first backpacking trip), and I've climbed Graveyard Peak (even with my dogs!) and looked down on Graveyard Lakes, but I've never been there yet. I've always wanted to, but with so many destinations on my list I just haven't done it yet. I really would like to take a week+ and spend some time at Graveyard Lakes and then go beyond to Peter Pande Lake and all the lakes in the basins behind Graveyard Lakes.

There is a great campsite amongst the trees just to the left of the edge of the picture with plenty of firewood around. Gorgeous place!

You didn't take your dogs to the actual summit of Graveyard did you? Those summit blocks had me a little nervous.

By far, the Graveyard Lakes is my favorite. The best time to go is after Labor Day in September. No skeeters or people. Kind of a bad time for thunderstorms though.