Great Basin National Park had always evaded me so far. Despite having lived in its neighboring state for over 8 years, I never managed to visit this little gem of a park tucked away amidst one of the multitude of mountain ranges marching north to south in Nevada. That is, until now.
My primary goal in the visit to my 59th of the 63 US National Parks was to catch the incredibly dark night skies. After having braved a tiring 5hr drive from Las Vegas, I managed to snag a campsite at the sought after campground near Wheeler Peak. Located at 9900ft (3015m), the high altitude campground features thin air and low air pollution, reducing atmospheric distortion and enables some of the finest astrophotography possible.
Here is one right from the campground I was parked at. See this in large in my 2025 calendar, available for purchase at this link.
Great Basin National Park
NV USA
Summer Blues
Lake Tahoe has two faces: a winter side where skiers congregate from all over to enjoy the soft puffy powder, and a summer side where azure blue waters draw vacationers to an aquatic bliss.
Which face do you enjoy?
Lake Tahoe
CA USA
Winding down to winter
As the colorful fall slowly slips into the grey gloominess of winter in the Pacific Northwest, I often look back at the archives of the summer wonderlands of the country to help tide things over until the next blast of sun. Not only does it help with the Seasonal Affectiveness Disorder, it also gives me something to look forward to for the next year.
I found this grey gloominess to be a challenging change as I moved from California to the PNW. While it makes the summer ever so glorious, I miss the ability to go outside year-round as I did in the Golden state. While I can still enjoy quiet winter moments in the snowy woodlands of Cascadia, it quite doesn't compare to the stimulating freedom that the southwest offered.
It is time for another winter here. So here is a blast from the past summer: the crystal clear sparkling waters of Lake Tahoe
Sand Harbor State Park
NV USA
Sunset at Bonsai Rock
Ever since I had first seen images of the Bonsai Rock in Lake Tahoe, I was taken away by the location and the context of where it was: imagine a granite boulder smoothed by eons of water erosion resting on the shore of a azure blue lake surrounded by snow-capped peaks. And then imagine tiny sprigs of life taking root on the nooks and crevices of this tiny boulder. That is the spectacle of Bonsai Rock.
At first glance from the road, it may not have been much, but as I scrambled my way on the rocky shoreline down to the water-level, the profile of the bonsai rock grew even more predominant and striking. While the scene and the setting was perfect, the sky, on the other hand, was just bland. I strapped on a Blue-and-Gold Polarizer to add some unearthly colors to this scene, resulting in this exposure above.
Surreal reflections and colorful sunsets will have to wait another day.
Sand Harbor State Park
NV USA