Dynamic weather this May/June in the Sierra is reminiscent of summers in the North Cascades.  To celebrate memories of the ol' stompin' grounds we headed for one of the few "real" trails here on the Eastside.  The little used trail climbs 4000 feet in 4 miles, through wonderfully steep forests of White Fir and Juniper.  

A steep walled canyon of metamorphics, dusted with fresh Junuary snow.  Black wall of storm engulfed the White Mountains, thundering cascades at our feet.

 Room with a view

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   Traversing low gullies snow filled last month, great skiing.  Twisted metal tracks protrude from tunnels, mimmic Limber pine high on cliffs, vestiges of  time gone by.  Rusted cable car fallen to earth, ancient trail obscured by rock, red dynamite boxes.  Descending scree, lupine and paintbrush. 

We just (kinda) returned from a trip over Piute Pass down to the South Fork San Joaquin.  Piute and the San Joaquin were running high and we got to be what looked like first tracks on the John Muir Trail.  

Also I shot the last image for our book on the JMT; Walk the Sky, due out this October.

We had to deal with about 3 miles of sloppy snow and some wet crossings.

 Below Piute Pass, John Muir Wilderness

 

 Mark crossing one of the five stems of the north fork of Piute Creek

 

 North fork Piute Creek near Huchinson Meadow, John Muir Wilderness

 

 Mulesaurus skeleton

 

 Piute Creek near the confluence with San Joaquin River, John Muir Wilderness

 

 South Fork San Joaquin River, Sequoia Kings Canyon

 

 

We managed to slip in a 5 day tour between snowfall and rain.  A high tour out to the end of the Glacier Divide; nice snow and fine views.  High runoff thundered down Piute Creek and was flooding McClure Meadow.

Roland Knapp high in the Glacier Divide, Kings Canyon National Park

 

Thin snow conditions

 North side, Pavilion Dome, John Muir Wilderness

 

 Evening, Mt Humpherys, John Muir Wilderness

 

 

 

The road is longer and rockier than I recall.  Truck stalled in drift. Deer rise from evening bed. Morning sun on spring snow. Musky scent of damp sage and thawing meadow.  No partner, no camera. Snow is punchy in the trees, shallow freeze.  

Is this the correct couloir?  So short from below.  Nice people kicked steps for the old man; yesterday?  Shadows bend, arcing sun, snow softens. Ice clinging to rock, nocturnal, falling, smashing, thousand of glittering crystals.

Skiing is good.

Laps on cones of corn.  Granite towers, stripped cliffs, sea floor on it's side. Which way out?  Down canyon of boulders left by ancient ice?  Heavy legs, skins slip on steep snow, up again.  Couloir to green meadow below. Singing brook, paintbrush bloom.

 

May 9  Emerson/Wahoo 

Excellent skiing continues this spring in the Sierra backcountry.

I'd like to thank all those that worked so hard in gaining protection for all the newly designated Wilderness Lands in the Sierra, California and the rest of the Nation.  Places like the White Mountains will remain wild in perpetuity!  Congratulations

Ben Grasseschi on White Mountain Peak

Bristlecone Pine, White Mountains

 

Prickly Pear Cactus, White Mountains

 

Montgomery Peak, White Mountains 

We just returned from a ten day assignment shooting remote ranges in the Mojave. We ended up shooting the Palo Verde, Cady, Soda and Avawatz Mountains. Quite a bit of driving, not much hiking, but nice cactus and wildflower blooms. 

Cady Mountains, Mojave

 Beavertail Cactus in the Soda Mountains

Salt Creek Hills and Avawatz Range, Mojave

 

Sunrise and Palo Verde, Palo Verde Mountains

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Brittlebush, Denning Spring, Avawatz Range

Soda Mountains above Cronise Lake dunes, Mojave 

 

The flowers in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada are pretty nice right now.