Heading out to the eastern sierras ..

[GB1]

Any ideas on what to shoot?

I will be in the Lone Pine and Bishop areas. Not sure I'll make it up to Mammoth Lakes / Bodie or not on this trip.

[GB1]

Hey, you guys are such great help !

[Photo-John]

There's so much to see in that area that it's hard to know where to begin. For one, there are a bunch of dirt roads northwest of Bishop that are great to shoot the mountains from. Near Lone Pine, Alabama Hills is a must do. And Hot Creek is a hot springs in a creek, east of Mammoth, in the desert. I heard that they closed it. But you used to be able to just wade into the creek and soak in the hot spots that came up from the creek bed. Convict Lake is a classic photo destination, too. When are you going? If you wait a few weeks, the aspens might be starting to turn.

[GB1]

PJ - Heading to Lone Pine for a day or two, then up to the Bishop area. I'll check out Alabama Hills at LP. I also want to cruise up to the portal and size it up, as I plan on climbing Whitney before too long (MAYBE we PRers need to organize a climbing expedition for '10? We would have to get tickets well in advance for the short climbing season...). I am tempted to hit Bodie again as there is talk of at least 100 cali parks closing due to budget problems, but I doubt I'll make it as far as Mammoth Lakes this go around, as I only have four days and don't want to spend all my time driving.

Like you said, there's just so many places to see in that area. It would probably take a year or more. A photographer's life also isn't his own, you know .. have to do things to get shots that the average person wouldn't (like waking up so early).

G

[Photo-John]

I've been up to the Portal Trail once. It's a neat drive up there. I like the idea of a PR Whitney trip. I've never done that hike before and I'd really like to. A PR trip might get me motivated to actually make it happen.

[GB1]

It's quite a read, but here's info on how to get permits (tickets) to climb Mt Whitney.


http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/inyo/recreat...twhitney.shtml

http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/inyo/recreat...ylottery.shtml

You probably know this already, but a lot of folks do it in one day by leaving very early (3 or 4 am) and hauling butt to make it up there and back before it gets dark. An overnight trip is another option; less rushed and possibly more fun, and it would provide more opportunity to dedicate some quality time to taking photos ! I know from friends' pix that there's a lot for photographers to see and photograph.


Some considerations:

- Altitude sickness: this hits more people than you think. Some people camp out at the portal for a day or two to acclimate.

- Bears if you do an overnight hike.

- Snow and ice can make parts of the trail impassible.

- Doing a round trip in one day can leave very little time for photography. I've heard it compared to a "forced march."


Tickets.... Something to look forward to in Feb 2010!

[Canuck935]

Hey guys. I'm going to be in the Eastern Sierra Nevada myself over the next four days. I will be hiking into Cottonwood Lakes basin from Horseshoe Meadow on Friday. Then I will either a) continue on over Old Army Pass and up to Sky Blue Lake, then day hike Mt Whitney from there before returning to Horseshoe on Monday or b) base camp at Cottonwood Lakes and spend the rest of the weekend bagging nearby peaks (Mt. Langley, Cirque Peak) and fishing for California Golden trout in the lakes.

I also day hiked Whitney a couple of years ago. Took the mountaineers route up, and then followed the main trail down. I don't know if I'll ever try to day hike it again, but I'd most certainly be down for an overnight attempt from the main trail.