Sierra Crest - 1976

Mt. Whitney, Clouds - Owens Valley  1976

Sierra Crest - Owens Valley  1976

Taken in the winter, mountains covered in snow. Next year we were able to get to the summit of Mt. Whitney.

BNSF

BNSF - Montana  2024

BNSF - Montana  2024

After I passed this train slowly making its way uphill I managed to find a pull out spot where I could wait for it to make its appearance.

BNSF: Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway.

Flathead River / Meadow, Aspens, Snow

Flathead River, Trees, Clouds - Montana  2024

Meadow, Aspens, Mountains, Snow - Montana  2024

So, the second day exploring the Glacier National Park area. This time I was driving east, away from yesterday's main entrance visit, on Highway 2, paralleling a fork of the Flathead River. 

Right away my route was way more scenic. Yay!

Mountain, Snow, Lake McDonald - Glacier NP

Mountain, Snow, McDonald Creek - Glacier National Park  2024

Lake McDonald - Glacier National Park  2024

A nice view upstream towards this unknown mountain (unknown to me, anyways). 

Lake McDonald is pretty large, so it's puzzling why I had trouble finding it. I finally had to ask a traffic control person, who directed me down a paved road where the lake was visible through the trees. After a short walk I scrambled down an embankment to take this photo. A little hazy that day, but luckily Photoshop has a Haze Filter.

As I was leaving the Lake McDonald area I was able, once again, to run into a substantial traffic delay.

North through Montana - 6

Grass, Snow, Mountains, Clouds - Montana  2024

This is the final entry in the "North through Montana" series. Unless I find some more hidden in my May, 2024 files. Another Nikon Z7II black and white conversion.

Later in the afternoon I got caught up in some road repair delays and finally made it into Kalispell and the Best Western motel there.

North through Montana - 3

Fence, Rain, Snow - Montana  2024

Cows, Hills, Clouds - Montana  2024

Probably the most dramatic day of the trip, weather-wise. I took a random I-15 off-ramp for the top photo. Raining! I had to dig around in the back seat duffels for my parka. Cold, too.

Same thing (random off-ramp) for the next photo. Had some annoying telephone wires that I had to take out.

North through Montana - 2

Mountain, Clouds, Snow - Montana  2024

View from the Divide rest stop off of I-15. I scrambled up a grassy slope in back of the rest area to take this photo.

Panamint Valley (Death Valley 2010)

Panamint Valley Road - Death Valley  2010

Snow Flurries - Death Valley  2010

I woke up to the sound of rain on the camper shell. A quick breakfast and then I was on the road towards Lone Pine in Owens Valley. As I gained elevation I pulled off the road at one point, got out and was greeted by the clittering of small ice pellets bouncing off the pavement. 

Winter Backpack - 4 (Big Pine Lakes, 1974)

Snow, Creek - Sierra Nevada  1974

Mountains, Snow - Sierra Nevada  1974

Again, for these photos I used a Nikon F SLR with a 50mm lens. (I also had a 135mm lens, but don't remember using it here.) Film was Panatomic-X developed in FR X-22 fine grain developer.

Winter Backpack - 3 (Big Pine Lakes, 1974)

Canyon, Snowfields, Lake - Sierra Nevada  1974

Frozen Lake, Pine Trees - Sierra Nevada  1974

There are a number of lakes on the Big Pine Lakes trail, but I'd guess that I only made it to the first or second lake. When I got there I set up my tent and bear bag (can't remember about the bear bag - did I bother with one? There were no bear cannisters at the time.) 

As I looked around at the setting . . . snow, trees, granite summits in the distance I thought to myself "How barren and sterile. Why did I bother struggling all the way up here?" At that point I clambered into the tent and took a well-deserved nap.

After a short rest I exited the tent, looked around and thought to myself "Wow! This is amazingly gorgeous. Snow, trees and granite summits!" This was one my earlier experiences of how altitude can be mood-altering.

Winter Backpack - 1 (Big Pine Lakes, 1974)

Trees, Snow, Granite Cliffs - Sierra Nevada  1974

Trees, Snow - Sierra Nevada  1974

After my Sierra Club winter backpacking excursion I decided to try a solo winter trip. I took the trail near Big Pine up towards some lakes high in the mountains. At this point in time I really don't know if the above photos are of a snow-covered meadow or a snow-covered lake. Maybe a lake because I set up my camp near a lake.

Below, a photo of me in my winter garb, ice axe and all, taken during my earlier Sierra Club hike.

Mike, Backpack & Stuff - Sierra Nevada  1974
(Photo by P. Brown)

Winter Backpack - 5 (Kearsarge Pass, 1974)

Pines, Ponds, Snow - Sierra Nevada  1974

Stream, Snow Falling - Sierra Nevada  1974

The last of the Kearsarge Pass 1974 photos.

Photos were scanned using an Epson flatbed scanner. Dust and scratches taken off using Photoshop.

Winter Backpack - 4 (Kearsarge Pass, 1974)

Stream, Snow, Branches - Sierra Nevada  1974

Foxtail Pine Branches, Snow - Sierra Nevada  1974

So these are all new scans, never before printed by me (except for the "Foxtail Pine, Snow" photo. 

I had to keep rotating the pine branch photo until I decided on the final look . . . and then severely crop the image. 

Winter Backpack - 3 (Kearsarge Pass, 1974)

Backpack Tent, Snowing - Sierra Nevada  1974

Pat Brown, Snowing - Sierra Nevada  1974

I shared a tent with Pat Brown, one of my fellow students (her husband couldn't come.)

If memory serves, she was much more competent at this winter camping business than I was.

Winter Backpack - 2 (Kearsarge Pass, 1974)

Foxtail Pine - Sierra Nevada  1974

One of my favorites. Makes a nice print!

All of these photos taken with a Nikon F camera with a 50mm lens. I used Panatomic-X (fine grain) film.

Winter Backpack - 1 (Kearsarge Pass, 1974)

 

Branches, Snow, Trees - Sierra Nevada  1974

Hm. I somehow didn't take that many rolls of film in 1974 . . . probably due to the lack of a darkroom. So we'll see how many 50-year old photos I can post.

In 1974 I was taking a Sierra Club mountaineering course. One outdoor activity that they took us on involved rock climbing in Joshua Tree National Monument. 

One other trip involved winter backpacking . . . just as much fun as summer backpacking! They said.

So I have some photos taken in the winter of 1974 during a backpack trip out of Onion Valley going towards Kearsarge Pass.

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 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.

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.

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.