Backpacking
High Mountain Wildflowers
We started our descent down the mountain. The weather heading down was intermittent rain and then the sun. The moments of light brighten up these these high mountain wildflowers. Most of the blooms were spent but they still had enough color to pop into view along the trail.
Storm and Light II
With the storm coming in, we decided to head down the mountain. But not before watching the sky open up a bit more, to cast some reflections onto Fallen Leaf Lake.
Storm and Light
Taken from the top of Tallac a morning storm front moved in over Fallen Leaf Lake. It was fun watching the storm and the light play out over South Lake Tahoe.
Looking for Handouts
Another Yellow Bellied Marmot (Marmota flaviventris) looking for handouts from us. We’re not the type of hikers that feed the wildlife but I suspect that this guys got some treats later in the day when the trail got busier. At the summit, I think there were 3 or 4 of these guys.
Up in the Clouds
From the summit of Mt. Tallac you feel like you’re up in the clouds. You can almost touch them. That’s Cascade Lake at the base and Emerald Bay flowing into Lake Tahoe.
Good Morning Lake Tahoe
This photo was taken around 6:09 AM, we reached the summit and the view was stunning of Lake Tahoe.
Still Standing
The terrain as we hiked up to Mt. Tallac is pretty barren as you get closer to the summit. Most of it is exposed rock and a few old trees. This cluster of Junipers has probably been hit a few times by lighting but it’s still standing.
Above the Range
The ascent to the summit of Mt. Tallac is about 1.5 mile from where we camped at Gilmore Lake. As we gained in elevation, it seemed like we were above the mountain ranges. It’s an optical illusion. Pyramid Peak in the distance, is at 9983′ while Mt. Tallac is only 9735′ in elevation.
A Look Back at Gilmore Lake
It was another early morning wake-up call on our last day of backpacking. In this shot, it’s about 5:15 AM and I needed to increase the ISO to 400 for more light. It was a look back at Gilmore Lake and the Crystal Range from the day before.
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Snapshots by Kats 