High Sierra Topix

Last week on my seventh backpack this summer, I was up at Vee Lake. I've been up there a few times over the years. In that high basin even in the mornings breezes often disturb lake surfaces so calm reflections are not common. And when the surface does become calm as this day, the many little golden trout often make their own waves. Wahhhh! Here with Seven Gables reflecting above the turfy shore one of those pesky trout sucked down a gnat as I actuated the shutter release to expose this 4x5 sheet of Provia 100F through my 150mm Nikkor lens. On the turfy shore magenta hued Lemmon's paintbrush were one of the last wildflowers to peak in our high country.

...David

Awesome! My best memories backpacking are from that area. Did you climb Seven Gables? Catch any of those monster 13"+ brookies in Marie Lake?

thanks for reviving my memories.

Hey, even with the trout waves that's gorgeous! I hope to get into that area in September, so I hope it's still that clear then!
cgundersen

mountaineer wrote:...Did you climb Seven Gables? Catch any of those monster 13"+ brookies in Marie Lake?

thanks for reviving my memories.

A group of guys camped a few hundred yards from me did climb SG via the standard scree chute between the peaks. I was atop the north peak a couple dozen years ago. Didn't get close to ML. I pared 20 pounds of gear off my pack down to minimalist quick 5-day in and out thus only visited the East Fork. We visited the basin a couple times during the last decade spending a half dozen days. However as most know it tends to be a breezy area during mornings so getting good reflection images can be frustrating even when base camping. I finally lucked out and my one morning I gambled the effort on turned out to have just slight breezes and I made the most of it exposing several shots.

My next trip up Bear Creek in a summer or three is likely to be a 9-day laid back base camping adventure into the South and Marie Forks with a group of fishermen relatives and friends. ...David

Thanks Dave. Win some, lose some.

Nice colors SSSdave. I was actually in the same area a week prior to your trip. I will be posting some of the pictures of the trip in the next few days.

Looks like you just missed the storm that provided some extraordinary afternoon clouds, and hail for us.

Oh man, you're apologizing for trout dimples in your pic? Ha ha! BRING IT ON!!! Gorgeous shot. I have solo camped at Vee Lake and it is something I'll never forget... an amazing experience. The way Seven Gables seems to rise from the lake into the sky, and the various changes in color and shadow play as the sun sets, is an experience that every High Sierra hiker should have.

Great shot Dave. Brings back some sweet memories. I agree with Buck, the rising fish completes the picture!

Beautiful shot Dave - I've never been to Vee Lake. Maybe next year I'll be able to get out there.