Convict Lake

Convict Lake - Sierra Nevada  2023

Earlier photos: 2007 / 2013 / 2018 

Click to enlarge.

Highway 395 Leaving Bishop

Highway 395 - Owens Valley  2023

Minarets, Mt. Ritter, Banner Peak - Owens Valley  2023

Leaving Bishop one drives directly west towards the sheer wall of the Sierra Nevada before looping right and heading north out of Owens Valley.

At one point during the drive there's a momentary glimpse of the Minarets, Mt. Ritter and Banner Peak. I got a better view during a 2010 backpack:

Sunrise, Mt. Ritter, Banner Peak - Sierra Nevada  2010

Fritos & Beer / Hike Out

Fritos & Beer (Bishop Pass Trail) - Sierra Nevada  2023

Granite, Snow (Bishop Pass Trail) - Sierra Nevada  2023

I found a nice lunch spot near the lake and settled down for some Fritos and beer. Then, back to the trail. 

On the hike going down I came across this dynamic granite/snow arrangement.

Bishop Pass - 2007

Bishop Pass Sign - Sierra Nevada  2007

So I didn't hike past Long Lake this time . . . the last time I made it to Bishop Pass was in 2007. Back then my first campsite was very close to the top. From some earlier notes:

Mike's sleep was very altitude-impaired. Of course: his camp site was over 11,000 feet. Gasping for air, etc. However, he was able to adjust slightly as the night progressed, so decided to continue (at one point he was wondering!)

Mike, Bishop Pass - Sierra Nevada  2007

Hali's Birthday!

Hali Hiking - Switzerland  2019

Wow!

Tuesday Mule Blogging

Mule - Bishop  2023

Taken as I was getting gas on the way out of Bishop.

Monday Blogging on Tuesday this week.

Xmas Post

 

Santa, Ladder - San Francisco  2023

Reindeer-San Francisco  2023

Nice looking Xmas decorations in the Mid Town Terrace neighborhood last week.

Mount Goode - 2023 / 1974

Mt. Goode (Bishop Pass Trail) - Sierra Nevada  2023

Mt. Goode - Sierra Nevada  1974

The spire of Mt. Goode, as seen from Long Lake, in the top photo, taken this year with a Nikon Z5 digital camera.

Next, Mt. Goode as seen from Bishop Pass, taken in 1974 with a Nikon F SLR. I used Panatomic-X (fine grain) film.

Below, my brother, Joe Mundy, standing atop Mt. Goode in 1974. For myself, standing atop precarious mountain crags has never been my thing, so I stood off at a respectable distance. In fact, we were up at Bishop Pass looking to climb Mt. Agassiz, which I was able to make it up to the top.

Joe, Mt. Goode - Sierra Nevada  1974

Long Lake

Long Lake (Bishop Pass Trail) - Sierra Nevada  2023

I reached Long Lake (10,758 foot elevation) in less time than I would have thought. Elevation didn't seem to bother me, thank goodness. I offered to take a couples' photo with the lake as background, then had them return the favor. (Mount Goode is the peak in the far distance.)

Mike, Long Lake (Bishop  Pass Trail) - Sierra Nevada  2023

Bishop Pass Trail - Uphill #2

 

Snow, Pine Needles (Bishop Pass Trail) - Sierra Nevada  2023

Pine Trunk (Bishop Pass Trail) - Sierra Nevada  2023

Two more shots taken with the Nikon Z5 / 40mm lens combo.

Bishop Pass Trail - Uphill #1

Pine, Granite (Bishop Pass Trail) - Sierra Nevada  2023

 

Plants, Granite (Bishop Pass Trail) - Sierra Nevada  2023

Top photo taken with an iPhone 12 Max Pro. Bottom photo taken with a Nikon Z5 with a 40mm lens. (I used the 40mm lens rather than the 24-200mm zoom . . . the prime lens is much lighter and easier to carry - going up anyway.)

South Lake 2023 / 2022

South Lake (Bishop Pass Trail) - Sierra Nevada  2023

Soon after starting the hike I came to this pleasant view of South Lake. Quite a change from last year's drought-influenced view!

South Lake (Bishop Pass Trail) - Sierra Nevada  2022

Bishop Pass Trail

Bishop Pass Trail - Sierra Nevada 2023

Bishop Pass Sign - Sierra Nevada  2022

Last year I hiked a short distance up the Bishop Pass trail before getting stopped by snow, as recounted in a June, 2022 post. (Photo of the sign above taken at that time.)

This year I was determined to go farther up, so I left my motel fairly early and drove to the trailhead, only stopping for some nice aspens. 

I parked, got out the camera and daypack, took a quick self-portrait using the Toyota's window, then set off. Maybe around 8:45 AM? It was cold!

Self Portrait - Sierra Nevada  2023

Monday Clark's Nutcracker Blogging

Clark's Nutcracker (Bishop Pass Trail) - Sierra Nevada  2023

Clark's Nutcracker (Bishop Pass Trail) - Sierra Nevada  2023

Part of the crow and raven family. "The bird was described by the Lewis and Clark Expedition, with William Clark first observing it in 1805 along the banks of the Salmon River, a tributary of the Columbia River."

While hiking up the trail I carried a Nikon Z5 with a 40mm lens attached. But just before heading down I switched to a 24-200mm zoom lens (yes, much heavier but I reasoned that the extra weight wouldn't matter that much on the downhill). The extra reach of the zoom lens came in handy when these birds appeared!

Aspens

Aspens - Sierra Nevada  2023

As I was driving up to the Bishop Pass trailhead I had to stop and take some aspen photos . . . quite cold!

Masa's Birthday!

Maz Taking Photo of Hanna and Nolan - Pismo Beach  2021

Wow!

Bishop A.M.

Mailbox, Sunrise Alpenglow - Bishop  2023

Title Building, Sunrise Alpenglow - Bishop  2023

As I mentioned before, early last October I stayed a few nights in Bishop, wanting to revisit the bristlecone pines as well as hiking up the Bishop Pass trail. After I got turned back by snow last year I definitely had another hike on my mental to-do list.

Bristlecones - 4

 

Sierra Crest - Inyo County  2023

Bristlecone Pine, Snow, Moon - Inyo County  2023

I took a short hike up into the trees. Footing was a little problematic due to frozen icy snow on the trail. But I managed.

Compare this post with an earlier 2018 one with essentially the same subjects. 

Cameras: Top photo - Nikon Z5 with 24-200mm zoom lens. Bottom photo - iPhone 12 Pro Max.

Hanna's Birthday!

Visiting (Picante Restaurant) - San Rafael  2014

Wow!

Bristlecones - 3

Bristlecone Pine Backlit - Inyo County  2023

Bristlecone Pine Trunk, Snow - Inyo County  2023

Depending on the growing site, bristlecones can be tall and straight, or twisted and gnarly.

Monday Cow Blogging

Cow - Owens Valley  2023

I had stopped to take some photos of the Owens River when I noticed this individual taking an interest in my doings.

Bristlecones - 2

Snow, Sierra Crest - Inyo County  2023

I spent some time in this lower area taking photos of the desolate plain scattered with snow flurries, the Sierra crest in the background. At the intersection there's a pretty convincing sign that seeks to discourage you from continuing on upwards.

Road Sign - Inyo County  2023

Bristlecones - 1

Road, Sierra Crest - Inyo County  2023

Picnic Table - Inyo County  2023

Driving up to the bristlecone area . . . snow flurries scattered about from the previous day's storm.

Desert Ranges

Desert Ranges - Inyo County  2023

Driving up to the bristlecone pine area . . . vistas kept appearing off to the south, without any chance to pull off until I got to this spot. Junipers in the foreground and desert ranges stretching off to the south.

Owens River, Dead Trees

Owens River, Dead Trees - Owens Valley  2023

I don't know what caused the trees to die. But they're photogenic!

I have earlier photos of the same subject taken in 2018.

Owens Valley

Junipers, Sierra Nevada - Owens Valley  2023

Taken from a scenic overlook off of Highway 395 as I was driving towards Bishop.

Yosemite 6 - Dana Meadows, Mt. Dana, Tioga Lake

Dana Meadows - Yosemite  2023

Mt. Dana - Yosemite  2023

Last Yosemite sightems before passing through the entry station and beginning the steep descent into Owens Valley. (I've posted an earlier 1994 shot of Tioga Lake taken with a 4x5 view camera.)

Tioga Lake - Yosemite  2023

Monday Crow Blogging

Crows, Alpenglow - Bishop  2023

7:00 AM, walking around Bishop. Taken with a Canon G5XIII. 

Do crows have free will? That's the question that hasn't been discussed enough, I feel. For example, in this photo most of the crows are at the dumpster. One is off to the side, four are on the overhead wire, and one is on the roof. Is this arrangement hierarchical, random, somehow brought about by a special crow algorithm? Or did the birds freely decide on their own where they should place themselves?

I've already asked ChatGPT to weigh in on the subject. Here's another try, this time bringing humans into the mix:

The question of free will is a complex and debated topic in philosophy, neuroscience, and psychology. The concept of free will refers to the ability of individuals to make choices and decisions independent of external constraints or deterministic forces.

In the case of humans, the debate about free will often involves discussions about the nature of consciousness, determinism, and the role of biology and environment in shaping behavior. Some argue that humans have free will, while others posit that our choices are ultimately determined by factors such as genetics, upbringing, and societal influences. It's important to note that perspectives on free will can vary among philosophers, scientists, and scholars.

As for crows, the question is different because animals are generally not attributed with the same level of cognitive complexity as humans. While animals, including crows, exhibit intelligent behaviors and problem-solving abilities, the philosophical concept of free will is often associated with higher-order cognitive processes that may be more developed in humans.

In both cases, discussions about free will often intersect with debates about consciousness, determinism, and the nature of decision-making. The answers to these questions are not clear-cut, and opinions may vary depending on one's philosophical, scientific, or religious beliefs.

I've heard it said the ChatGPT is a kind of advanced Autocorrect. Maybe so, but this is quite impressive!

Yosemite 5 - Storm Clouds / Trees in Fog

Storm Clouds - Yosemite  2023

Trees in Fog - Yosemite  2023

As I gained elevation driving towards Tioga Pass the clouds gathered overhead; at times the road plunged into the clouds, with views of the trees enveloped in fog.