Sunday, June 30, 2013

Free Basin

Ah, the East side of Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada.

Mono Lake, Lee Vining, the White Mountains and the Great Basin.

Huge skies, crazy stars, sunrises and sunsets, wind-and-volcano-torn terrains, and a flora and fauna that's full of "what the heck is that?" species for us cismontane-types.

Bliss.

And, just when a recent Mojave trip had both lowered my expectations for great blooms near Mono this poor rain year, while also showing me that deserts are still incredible and full of amazing sights no matter, I drove over to the survey area for the first time in 2013 and found - surprise, surprise - some sweeps of annuals. And profuse blooms of some perennials. And overall, a season starting much better than last.

Here are some scenes, skies and sweeps from my recent trip. What do you think? Looks pretty nice for a deserty Great Basin floristic province, huh?

I'm looking forward to seeing how the rest of the season unfolds.

snow line

the whites

just add twang

volcanic scruff

the rock line

rocky yum

swirly cloud

clouds

wash

rain

skies

pretty pumice slopes

bicolor

congesta

pumice hillside

plagio sweeps

monkey pox at mono craters

More from this trip soon.

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8 comments:

  1. Wonderful photos of a wonderful area! ... one of my favorites. Thanks for the virtual visit :)

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  2. As the birders say, you crushed those Congesta.

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  3. Yes indeed, crippling views. Thanks for these!

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  4. That is such a beautiful ecosystem!

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  5. Also you win the internet today for the title to this post.

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  6. Incredible pics. Having lived in the midwest or eastern US for my entire life, these pictures depict scenes so foreign that they might as well be from a Ray Bradbury story. Very beautiful!

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  7. Mmmmmm......sagescapes.....

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  8. Absolutely gorgeous pics -- thanks for sharing!

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