Flowers of the Sierra Nevada. Gallery of Sierra flowers. Mammoth Lakes Weather brought to you by Howard Sheckter. Yosemite webcams | Yosemite Conservancy. Best of California List. Welcome! If you are new here or if you are a seasoned veteran, I am glad you stopped by my blog. Over the years I have been collecting my experiences here, both the good and the bad, to chronicle the great state of California and what it has to offer everyone who visits, as well as all of the people who have never realized something cool was right outside of their backdoor. So this post is a great jumping off point, it is my list of favorite things in California. I apologize in advance for the fact that so much of it is Southern California based but I will get more Northern posts as the blog progresses.
Check back often as I plan to update it regularly as I explore more. You can also check out my guide to California’s National Parks and Monuments for a list of some tips on what to do in California’s amazing National Parks. Best Waterfalls Best Donuts Maple bacon donut from the Nickel Diner Stone brewery and gardens Best Free Attractions Best Museums USS Midway Museum Best Beaches -Josh. Sierra Nevada (U.S.) The Sierra runs 400 miles (640 km) north-to-south, and is approximately 70 miles (110 km) across east-to-west. Notable Sierra features include Lake Tahoe, the largest alpine lake in North America; Mount Whitney at 14,505 ft (4,421 m),[1] the highest point in the contiguous United States; and Yosemite Valley sculpted by glaciers out of 100-million-year-old granite.
The Sierra is home to three national parks, 20 wilderness areas, and two national monuments. These areas include Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon National Parks; and Devils Postpile National Monument. The character of the range is shaped by its geology and ecology. More than 100 million years ago during the Nevadan orogeny, granite formed deep underground. The range started to uplift 4 Ma (million years) ago, and erosion by glaciers exposed the granite and formed the light-colored mountains and cliffs that make up the range. The Sierra Nevada has a significant history. South of Mount Whitney, the range quickly dwindles. Thousand Island Lake.
The lake is named for the many small rocky islands that dot its surface. Theodore Solomons probably established the 'Thousand Island' name, as this appears on his 1896 map. John Muir called it by "Islet Lake. "[2] Geography[edit] Access[edit] Thousand Island Lake is accessible from several hiking routes: Culture[edit] The black and white photographs by Ansel Adams made Thousand Island Lake a famous Sierra landmark.
See also[edit] References[edit] Thousand Island Lake, Ansel Adams Wilderness, California: Photos & Trip Report. » ansel adams wilderness Yeah, basically a monkey with a camera could take beautiful pictures in this place. But enough about my photography techniques. I first saw the Ritter mountain range from afar while skiing at Mammoth Mountain. It's composed of 3 very impressive peaks which dramatically rise over 3,000 feet above their immediate surroundings. From the internets, I decided the mountains looked most impressive from Thousand Island Lake but the shortest route to it was 15 miles, a bit long for a day hike. Or so I thought. I set my sights a little lower and planned for us to hike to Garnet Lake which still has great views of the peaks but is a couple miles closer.
Lucky for me, the trail to Garnet Lake is not marked so we hiked right on by it and then decided we may as well hike on to Thousand Island Lake. » times Started at 7am, got to Thousand Island Lake around 10am, Garnet Lake around 12pm, and finished at 3pm (8 hours total). Things start to get beautiful. Top Left: Wildflowers. Rock Creek Lake - California's Eastern Sierra. National Park Service - Devils Postpile. National Park Service - Sequoia & Kings Canyon. Mono Lake Map. California State Parks - Mono Lake Tufa. The reserve was established to preserve the spectacular "tufa towers," calcium-carbonate spires and knobs formed by interaction of freshwater springs and alkaline lake water. It also protects the lake surface itself as well as the wetlands and other sensitive habitat for the 1 – 2 million birds that feed and rest at Mono Lake each year.
Mono Lake is a majestic body of water covering about 65 square miles. It is an ancient lake, over 1 million years old -- one of the oldest lakes in North America. It has no outlet. Throughout its long existence, salts and minerals have washed into the lake from Eastern Sierra streams. Location/DirectionsHighway 395, 13 miles east of Yosemite National Park, near the town of Lee Vining, California. Winter is a particularly beautiful time at Mono Lake. The road to South Tufa is kept plowed, when staffing permits, allowing year round access except immediately after large storms. Facilities - Activities A swim in Mono Lake is a memorable experience.