Patriarch Grove, White Mountains, June snowstorm

2010-06-14 • SEND FEEDBACK |
Related: Inyo National Forest, Patriarch Grove, peak bagging, weather events, White Mountains

For the White Mountains portion of my photo tour to Yosemite and the White Mountains, luck delivered a late spring snowstorm Friday night. At 11,000', the snow was blowing sideways around midnight, making me a bit nervous about road conditions (and keeping me awake), so I headed down to the 10,000' level. I always stay high, rather than down below in Bishop, as it is too glorious a place to waste time descending and re-ascending.

I had the whole place to myself, including a fresh blanket of brilliant white snow on Saturday morning, albeit a challenging situation with with strong winds whipping ice crystals at me until mid morning.

It was possible to drive to Patriarch Grove, but not all the way in, because a large drift cut off the access road about one mile from road’s end. But that was fine, as I prefer the upper slopes of the grove anyway, with the starkly beautiful sentinels.

Self portrait with bristlecone
Leica M9

Photos below in infrared. Learn all about infrared in my Guide to Digital Infrared Photography.

Above Patriarch Grove, White Mountains, morning after a snowstorm
Canon 5D Mark II-IR + Zeiss 25mm f/2.8 IR-Distagon

Above Patriarch Grove, White Mountains, morning after a snowstorm
Canon 5D Mark II-IR + Zeiss 25mm f/2.8 IR-Distagon

Ancient Bristlecone Pine after fresh snowfall
Canon 5D Mark II-IR + Zeiss 25mm f/2.8 IR-Distagon

Patriarch Grove Sentinel
Canon 5D Mark II-IR + Zeiss 25mm f/2.8 IR-Distagon

This equipment is down near Schulman Grove— no stinkin’ cell phone service, these are high speed data links I believe. White Mountain Peak and Patriarch Grove are in the distance at right.

Communications equipment high in the White Mountains
Canon 5D Mark II-IR + Zeiss 25mm f/2.8 IR-Distagon