High Sierra Topix

I have a quick question. Does anyone know if Sierra glacial lakes go through a pattern with their color turning more, or less aqua as the snow melts?

Specifically, if I were to go to say, second lake near Big Pine, would there be an ideal part of the season to go if you wanted to see the lake at its peak aqua color?

This has some info that will help: http://www.glacierchange.org/2012/03/wh ... a-glacier/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

maverick wrote:This has some info that will help: http://www.glacierchange.org/2012/03/wh ... a-glacier/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I read through that and unfortunately I don't have a better grasp on the answer to my initial question.

I think I understand it, but I have to say that this is only my best guess: I do know that the color has to do with glacial milk, which is found in the melt water from a glacier, so I would guess that the best time to see a lake at it's prime color is after the spring melt, when the lake would have the most milk near the surface, making it more milky than aqua, and before it all settles to the bottom. I think when the milk has partially (but not totally) settled is the best time to see a lake in all of its aqua glory. I think this would vary a lot every year, depending on the amount of snow, how hot the temps get in the spring, etc. Again, I'm not a scientist of any kind, but I have seen my share of milk-filled lakes and rivers in Alaska and Canada, and their color tends to depend heavily on the time of year and the snowpack from the previous winter.

Have found on my visits to this area that the most pronounced emerald green
can be had from viewing the lakes from the ridge (east of Sam Mack Lake) on
the Palisades Glacier Trail. Varying conditions as in lighting, angles of the
viewer to the lake, and time of day, can make a huge difference obtaining the
optimal emerald color.
http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_flour" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Here's a link to a simplified explanation, much more scientific and authoritative than my poor attempt at explaining this phenomenon. http://formontana.net/cracker.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If you analyze this photo collection or others on-line you will see that the time
of day, cloud cover, angle of view, and the time of year all will greatly influence
the end results. https://www.google.com/search?q=big+pin ... 812#imgrc=_" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Yep. I even see one of my photos on that page! I'm just interested in figuring out how to maximize the potential. My suspicions regarding time of year have been backed up by Fly Guy Dave (go right after the majority of snowmelt). I'm curious if you or anyone else has specific thoughts on time of day, angle of light, etc that are conducive to seeing the color.

Schmalz wrote:
I'm curious if you or anyone else has specific thoughts on time of day, angle of light, etc
that are conducive to seeing the color.

Yes I do, and have done this by trial and error, and using various ideas, scientific and
non-scientific.
Learning and doing the research oneself makes one a better photographer.

While looking for another thread I came across this one. While in Canada this summer one of the info signs at one of the lakes subject to glacial silt indicated that lakes are at their clearest right after ice out, then as temps increase and glaciers increase their rate of melt the water becomes less clear and more cloudy.
One lake I visited, Maligne, was quite clear near the outlet but 13 miles up lake was turquoise. Obviously the actual appearance varies by time of day and weather conditions as well.

Mike