Carol's Favorites of Highway 395

It is my turn to share my favorite photographs from Highway 395. These are the images that make me smile.

Mono Lake sunrise

Artists Palette Loop

Buttermilk area

McGee Creek (wonderful hike)

Zabriskie Point

Convict Lake sunrise

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes in Death Valley

Owens River

Table Arch in Alabama Hills

Big pond on Rock Creek Lake hike

Zabriskie Point

Red Rock State Park

Cyclops Arch

North Lake in the spring

McGee Creek after early fall snowstorm

Sunrise on the Sierra as seen through Mobius Arch

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes in Death Valley

Sagehen Meadow

Fifth grade marching band marching in the Mule Days celebration in Bishop, CA

Mono Lake

Alabama Hills in foreground with Sierra in the background

From the road (Highway 395)

Plein air artist at pond in Aspendell

On the road to Whitney Portal

McGee Creek trail

Seen from the road to North Lake

North Lake

Virginia Lake

On the road to Lake Sabrina

McGee Creek Canyon

Zabriskie Point at Sunrise

From the road to Whitney Portal

The back side of Cyclops Arch

Yours truly trying for a different look to Mobius Arch in Alabama Hills (think ‘scooch up on big rock)

Stopping along the road to McGee Creek Trail

Convict Lake in the fall

Seen from the road to North Lake

On the road Lake Sabrina

South Lake

Creek we crossed before driving up the mountain road to North Lake

With Russ, a fellow Nikonian at Olmstead Point.

Tom's Favorites of Highway 395

Last spring and fall we were focused on photographing along Highway 395 on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada. The Visitor’s Center in Bishop had a brochure that described this stretch of highway as having a hundred byways and along each highway a hundred wonders. Is that really possible? YES. We were consistently treated to photographic opportunities that made each foray out with our cameras a delight. Many of the specific locations have already been blogged. But, there are some advantages to seeing the photographer’s favorites from their ‘body of work’. Here are Tom’s favorites.

Mobius Arch in the Alabama Hills.

Convict Lake at sunrise.

Pond at Glacier Lodge near Big Pine Creek.

Water storage ponds outside Bishop. These ponds are owned by the City of Los Angeles.

The Sierra as viewed from Alabama Hills.

Mesquite Sand Dunes in Death Valley.

Top of Mt. Whitney at sunrise.

Zabriskie in Death Valley.

Ancient pines at Bristlecone National Monument.

Owens River near Bishop.

Red Rock Canyon State Park.

Mono Lake.

Bodie State Historic Park.

Cyclops Arch in Alabama Hills.

The road to Parker Lake Trailhead.

Mountain Range near Bishop with Mt. Tom in the foreground.

Tourists hiking among the ridges at Zabriski Point in Death Valley.

Yosemite National Park with Half Dome as seen from Olmstead Point.

Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park.

Rock Creek Lake.

Mesquite Sand Dunes in Death Valley.

Taken along Highway 168 on the way to North Lake.

Wild Iris growing in a cow pasture in Bishop.

Valley in Yosemite National Park.

Barn along Highway 395.

Red Rock State Park.

McGee Creek Canyon.

Twin Lakes in Mammoth Lakes recreational area.

Ponds near Bishop.

Mono Lake at dawn.

Road to Whitney Portal.

Sunrise at Alabama Hills.

Mt. Tom.

Buttermilk area at the foothills of the Sierra.

Lake Ellery east of the Yosemite entry gate from Highway 120.

Buttermilk area.

Overlook north of Bishop showing Mt. Tom in the foreground.

Road in Bristlecone National Monument.

View from road on our way to North Lake.

Ponds near Bishop.

Highway 120 east of Lee Vining.

Much photographed (we stopped at least 5 times) old house along Highway 395.

North Lake.

Road to North Lake (one lane with some pullouts).

Lake Tioga in Yosemite National Park.

Lake Lundy.

Mt. Tom from Highway 395.

Reservoir on the way to Lee Vining.

Highway 120 or Tioga Pass leading to the east entrance of Yosemite.

Three Lakes, One Day

We were off!  Early!  Our goal was to scout North Lake, return to Sabrina and South Lakes and have a whole lot of fun.  Mission accomplished!

All three lakes are accessed from Bishop on Highway 168.  The road into North Lake was just opened and we were anxious to check it out.  If this scene looks familiar and you are a 'Mac' person you may recognize it as the opening screen on new Apple computers.  But the vivid color of fall that you see in that photo looks much more toned down in the spring before the aspen across the lake have even started leafing out.  You may notice the very thin layer of ice along the water's edge in this photograph.

The road to North Lke is partially paved and partially gravel and is narrow and winding. There is a small campground near the lake and fishing is very popular here.  Trailers and RVs, however, are prohibited.  In the spring and early summer it is reported that mosquitoes can be an annoyance but we did not have that problem this early in the season.

We are coming back to this area in the fall and we expect all this gray will be gold!

Local photographers are not happy that North Lake has become so well known as a photographic destination.  "Gets too crowded in the morning.  Can't get my favorite spot!"

This time Sabrina Lake was blue rather than covered in ice.  What a difference two weeks can make!  Very popular fishing area.

This guy had it going on!!  Four poles!  I cannot imagine how they keep from tangling up under the water.

I came so close to renting one.  Pick me up later, Tom!

We took a lunch break and returned to the lovely little cafe in Aspendell.  There was a group of artists and they were happy to share their art.  We did not even notice this pond on our last trip where the snow storm had covered this all up.

South Lake had more snow in the surrounding mountains.  I cannot get over how blue the skies and lakes are!

This family reported that they caught their limit of trout and were on there may home.  Lakes around here are stocked, starting in the spring, with rainbow and brown trout.

Thanks for hanging out with us.