“Mt. Whitney and Lone Pine Peak”
Alabama Hills, California
Boulders of the Alabama Hills frame Lone Pine Peak on the left and Mt. Whitney on the right. From this position, Lone Pine Peak (elev. 12,949 ft) looks significantly higher than Mt. Whitney (elev. 14,505 ft) in the background. It is just a matter of perspective.
“Mt. Whitney”
Eastern Sierras, California
The Mt. Whitney hike starts here in the Alabama Hills west of Lone Pine, CA. I reflect back to my younger days knowing that I could have made it to the top. Those years are long gone. Now I look up and just dream of what it would be like to be at the top looking down over the surrounding Sierras.
“Mt. Langley & Mt. Whitney”
Eastern Sierras, California
I woke up, put on my clothes, stepped outside, looked across the road, and saw this stunning sight. It was just outside the Best Western Hotel in Lone Pine, CA. On my first look, the sun was starting to shine on the tips of Mt. Langley in the foreground and Mt. Whitney in the background. I grabbed my camera, ran across the road, and waited for the sunlight to cover the mountains and the tip of the Alabama Hills. It just took a few moments for the light to caress the top of the Alabama Hills. What a wonderful way to start a new day!
“Mt. Whitney”
Eastern Sierras, California
There it stands, Mt. Whitney issuing a challenge to able-bodied hikers to come up and climb me. This image is from a campground and a trail head for the climb. I can’t imagine myself ever attempting the climb. Kathy, this image is dedicated to you. I can remember you coming back from your trek to the top and saying it was tough, but not too bad. I wish you many more climbs in the future!
“Lone Oak & Mt. Whitney”
Alabama Hills, California
Today, I thought I would post something a little different than an image from our Heatherwood garden. I haven’t been out of our immediate area photographing in nature much since last June in the Palouse. It feels good to take a little break from our garden.
The Alabama Hills have always attracted me since watching all those old cowboy movies when I was a kid. The unique landscape with its rolling hills, intriguing rock formations, box canyons, and rugged Eastern Sierras have provided, and still do provide, a great background for action movies. They are a wonderful place to explore.
This live oak in its yellow fall color provides a great foreground for Mt. Whitney in the background. I remember how disappointed I was the first time I saw Mt. Whitney. I was expecting a towering peak standing out above the surrounding hills. It was no Mt. Rainier! But the fact remains that it is still the highest peak in the continental US.
“Peering Through to Mt. Whitney”
Mt. Whitney is the small peak protruding up in the right side of the opening. The near peak in the left side of the opening dwarfs the more distant Mt. Whitney.