East Side Fall Colors 2013

[Lighthawk]

I admire the TR's of so many fellow Wanderers. It takes time and talent to put together an entertaining story. I truly enjoy following along. My efforts are more about getting the best photos I can and developing online galleries. So forgive me if I don't write as much, but tell the story with pictures instead.

October is a standing date with the 395 corridor to see the fall colors of the East Side. Loose plans coalesced among other cognoscenti; as friends and new folk shared plans to meet . There was even promises of walnut pie and an outdoor slideshow!

Our get-a-way was after work on a Friday. We've got it down to a two hour routine to rally food, clothes, and photo gear. We made good time running the east shore of Tahoe to Carson, then south to Super Burrito in Minden and tank up on cheap gas! Next stop: Head for the springs!
Ahhh! Let the weekend begin.



A setting moon illuminated the rapidly moving clouds.
http://www.lighthawkphoto.com/Trave...24502_nTd5D4#!i=2846280760&k=bBJ2SHc&lb=1&s=A

I think we made it to Ted's Camp around 1230am. With the dark night, I had to jump out and catch a few shots using my new wide (fast 2.8) angle lens.

http://www.lighthawkphoto.com/Trave...24502_nTd5D4#!i=2846282432&k=Lfhx8Gs&lb=1&s=A



The next morning I heard the Ski3pinners marching off on the crunchy snow, but just rolled over in my bunk, too tired to catch predawn. I've only beat them out of the camper one morning, and that's probably going to be the record.

But the siren call of the dawn light motivated me to join the growing chorus of voices, hale and hearty in the crisp dawn air. Okay, okay. I'll grab a cup of coffee and a camera and get out!




The 'pinners were coming down off their moraine walk.



What a great place to reconnect with friends.



It was a popup convocation. If popup is singular, would not plural be : popeye?



After an entertaining, team building exercise, we were off to see the colors of the day.


shot with my Samsung Note 2

Why have I not skied Dunderberg yet???





The view was stunning



Hey gang! Look this way!



Ah yes, the Popeye were on the move. We saw jamborees of jeepers, tourists in rentals, squadrons of UTV's, and oversized RV's with trailers circled up like the Okay Corral, but we were the coolest of the bunch. Well, Callie (the dog) thought so.




more to come . . .

 

[Riverrunner]

One of the things I enjoy about this forum is the TR's and the photography that goes along with them. Some folks on here are darn good at taking photo's. Those night sky photo's are awesome Lighthawk. I have yet to be able to capture anything like that but maybe I don't have fast enough lenses. Nice photo site by the way and completely understand telling a story with photo's.

 

[Lighthawk]

The fall weather was splendid. Warm weather with snow on the peaks and aspens at peak color. Some areas had already turned and the leaves were stripped. Later in the trip we toured lower Rush Creek and Lee Vining Creek and observed the color was still developing. Obviously elevation allows for some adjustment if you come early or late, which is a crapshoot every year.

We explored the upper meadows, chasing color and poking around on short walks. It was just a relaxing day with friends with no strong agenda. Refreshing.

Old corral in the meadows



Shepard's hut



Dreamy color



Summoning childlike joy



I asked them to pose for me.



The Barking Spiders were exploring



Nostalgia runs strong in the 50+ age group



It had been a wonderful day. We returned to camp. I was wandering around our streamside camp looking for photo ops when I heard italian music tinkling through the pines. What tha?
Ah yes, Magellan had created an antipasti feast and was in full regalia. Here is the requisite photo:



Afterwards we dined by the fire and were treated to a stunning slide show by Pvstoy and his wife, Carol. They are both very experienced photographers and shared images from around the globe. What a treat.

more to come . . .

 

[Lighthawk]

One of the things I enjoy about this forum is the TR's and the photography that goes along with them. Some folks on here are darn good at taking photo's. Those night sky photo's are awesome Lighthawk. I have yet to be able to capture anything like that but maybe I don't have fast enough lenses. Nice photo site by the way and completely understand telling a story with photo's.

Thank you Riverrunner. Speed isn't everything for night shots, but it helps if you don't want stars to begin to move. Most of these shots were 30 sec or less.

 

[craig333]

Fantastic trip report as usual. Almost makes me want to get a camera.

 

[highz]

I'd say that new fast lens is a keeper. As always, your photos are awesome. It's impossible to choose a favorite, though the night shots and that dawn shot with the layers of color and shade in the hills made me say "Wow!". I do have a question about your night shot of the Milky Way. I can identify the Summer Triangle, so at a little after midnight you must have been facing west. What is the source of the glow on the western horizon? Is it a glow from the lights of a town? If this was Oct. 12/13 the Moon was setting, but further to the south, and the glow looks to be centered in the west.

 

[pvstoy]

[SIZE=medium]Highz I believe the main source of light pollution is Northward to Bridgeport, Ca. There is some to the South but Lee Vining is not very strong.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Lighthawk thanks for the kind words, you are pretty good yourself. Outdoor slide show turned out great, I won’t hesitate to do more in the future. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]I await for more story, enjoying it…………………………….[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Oh boy.... 1,000 post old today.[/SIZE]

 

[Lighthawk]

Thanks Patrick. Light pollution must be Bridgeport,
or west side like Stockton/Modesto. I was noticing the glow to the east of the Sweetwaters in the shot of the campers and figured that must be Yerington?

 

[pvstoy]

To the East would be Hawthorn Nevada.

 

[Riverrunner]

Thank you Riverrunner. Speed isn't everything for night shots, but it helps if you don't want stars to begin to move. Most of these shots were 30 sec or less.

I guess I need to study up on how to take star gazing photos because none of my attempts at have ever come out like yours. Not even close and I'm shooting canon "L" glass so it must be me.

 

[Lighthawk]

Picking up the thread here . . .

The next morning was a fine, brisk day! Patrick & Carol had to bug out early.
Everyone else turned out for a snowy breakfast!



Like a party where the first one leaves and everyone feels it's time to say goodbye, we all dispersed for various points of the compass. I remarked to Susan, that WTW folk both enjoy company and their solitude too. We decided to spend our day exploring a few more nooks under stormy skies seeking fall color before heading down to Mono Lake to find MarkBC and the Ted's one more time.

Green Creek


Conway Summit


Lower Lundy Canyon






And a new find


next stop, Mono Lake . . .

 

[takesiteasy]

Beautiful fall pictures. I'm enjoying your report. Thanks!

 

[Lighthawk]

We heading down to Mono Lake to find our friends, MarkBC and the Ted's. After camping in the dampish, alpine environment, it was nice to be down on a dry cinder, sandy campsite. On the way there I suggested we try to find the sand tufa, which Patrick & Carol had included in their slideshow. I had seen them before, while hiking along the shoreline, but never really noticed how fantastic they are.














The next morning the Ted's took off. A sore back meant no more bending down to play with the dog and it was better to head home. Bon voyage!



There was an interesting inversion over the lake.





The tree people pried their noses free for a photo op.





It was time to hit the road. We checked out the shore birds on the way out.



American Avocet






And a couple of the old farmsteads along the shore.




On the way home, the Jolly Cone in Bridgeport was doing a brisk business. Nice to travel on a full belly.
Dropbox - Error - Simplify your life


It was a wonderful trip full of colorful scenery and camping with fellow WTW friends.
Thanks for following along.

 

[ski3pin]

It is so much fun for us to read and see others wonderful perspectives on a joint trip. That was so much fun, both being there and seeing it again through your spectacular photography and trip report! Thank you!

 

[takesiteasy]

The shots of the fall color following the drainage are cool. So are the tufa. Thanks for the report!

P.S. for those like me who had never heard of sand tufa before, I found this explanation:
http://science.nationalgeographic.com/wallpaper/science/photos/weathering-erosion-gallery/sand-tufa/

 

[Lighthawk]

Good info, takesiteasy.

I didn't know about them until recently.

 

[Happyjax]

Wow you folks look like you had a great time Love the shots. Can't wait to get to a place like this and get some shots, hopefully as nice as Lighthawks Need a truck and camper first...lol and some fellow campers would also be cool. I'm in the nostalgic group myself

 

[GroovyDad]

Hey Lighthawk, I have to reiterate on how beautiful your photographs are. Where was the first photo on this thread taken? It looks like what I assume is a hot spring, but it doesn't look familiar to me. What's the name of the spring?

 

[Grand Whazoo]

No kidding, fabulous photos and a great looking trip. I tend to think if pop-up is singular then pop-upesses would be plural. Like opus and opuses...or is that opai? Really, that was a great looking TR from every angle.

 

[Lighthawk]

Thanks everyone. It was a bit of nostalgia for me to go back to 2013 and re-read the TR. That was a great trip! We are truly fortunate.