Minaret Vista

Panorama of Minarets, Mt. Ritter and Mt. Banner from Minaret Vista

This was my second visit to the Eastern Sierra this year. At the invitation of Dick and Jan, I joined the Fraschettis with his brother Dave and wife, Lynn, for 5 fantastic days on the east slope.

The Fraschetti's rented a unit at the Snow Creek Condos in Mammoth Lakes. We spent the next 5 days hiking into some awesome canyons searching for waterfalls. We were hoping to catch some early fall colors but were about 7-10 days too early.

This photo-journal blog chronicles my latest trip starting with pics of the Ritter Range at sunrise viewed from Minaret Vista above Mammoth Lakes.

Day hike blog entries include:

-Lundy Creek Canyon
-McGee Creek Canyon
-Parker Creek Canyon

Click on pic once/twice for enlarged view

Continue to scroll down or click on "older posts" to continue the Eastern Sierra blog.

Close-up of Minarets (above and below)

Mt. Banner - 12,936'

Mt. Ritter - 13,143' and Mt. Banner - 12,936'

Similar view a couple minutes earlier when peaks are bathed in alpen-glow

San Joaquin Mt - 11,601' - to the far right of Ritter and Banner

A few other photos taken over next couple days:

Boundary Peak at 13,147' is the highest peak in Nevada. Photo taken from Hwy 120.

Inyo Crater (above and below)

The craters were created by catastrophic eruption (steam explosion when hot magma contacted underground water) emitting ash and pumice throughout the Long Valley Caldera about 500-600 years ago.

The Inyo Craters are located just north of the town of Mammoth Lakes.

Blue water caused by leaching minerals

Next to the blue pool crater stands another crater with waters of a different color

Scroll down or click on "older posts" to continue Eastern Sierra blogs