Parked in a big snow storm.

David777

Well-known Member
Location
Silicon Valley
Yesterday afternoon drove 300 miles to the Eastern Sierra Nevada in order to do some rare fall leaf in snow photography. Am parked on a street in the small town of Lee Vining at 6.5k feet beside vast Mono Lake.

Been snowing modestly continuously since 2am but where I am at is in the slushy zone with temperature 34F, so streets are driveable. At sunrise had 4 inches on my 2023 Trailblazer LS AWD. Much more snow just a bit higher in the mountains that reach above 13k feet nearby.

Sky is lightening up so may get a break soon.
 

Yesterday afternoon drove 300 miles to the Eastern Sierra Nevada in order to do some rare fall leaf in snow photography. Am parked on a street in the small town of Lee Vining at 6.5k feet beside vast Mono Lake.

Been snowing modestly continuously since 2am but where I am at is in the slushy zone with temperature 34F, so streets are driveable. At sunrise had 4 inches on my 2023 Trailblazer LS AWD. Much more snow just a bit higher in the mountains that reach above 13k feet nearby.

Sky is lightening up so may get a break soon.
C'mon Mr Photographer.. where are the Pics... don't let us down...lol
 

Returned home Thursday afternoon to SFBA after 783 road miles. Now Saturday morning, have post processed most images. Unfortunately, this anonymous photographer on SF, never posts full sized images on the web including my website, because they would be easily copied. Although downsized for web versions have some value, actual full sized images can be far more aesthetic as I'll show below by adding some 100% 1k by1k pixel crops.

Wednesday 8:02am 10/15/2025, downsized for web, a6700 30mm 4100x6150 pixel focus stack blend, Virginia Creek quaking aspen in snow in early skylight, dead calm. I strenuously hiked a half mile down 120 feet at 6.5k in ankle to knee deep snow in 28F temperatures to reach this rare tree with exceptionally red leaves I've photographed in the past. Also worked at 9:03am in sun but as expected, this diffuse rendering was far superior.

(right Mouse select, "Open Image in New Tab")
VA04135-43y.jpg


This below 1000x1000 pixel crop is at 100% size showing the actual detail that shows why fresh snow adds considerable aesthetic.

VA04135-43-cr1.jpg


This below downsized for web, 30mm focus stack blend image, shows an aspen in diffuse afternoon skylight above the West Fork of the Carson River at 6.1k. The leaves had excellent separation against a dark background, with rare pinks mixed with more common light orange leaves.

VA04563-75y.jpg


And below another 1000x1000 pixel crop at 100% size showing the actual detail at full scale. Just a little snow left on ground, a day later at this low 6.1k elevation as ground temperatures are still warm, melting from bottom up.

VA04563-75-cr1.jpg
 
Last edited:
Returned home Thursday afternoon to SFBA after 783 road miles. Now Saturday morning, have post processed most images. Unfortunately, this anonymous photographer on SF, never posts full sized images on the web including my website, because they would be easily copied. Although downsized for web versions have some value, actual full sized images can be far more aesthetic as I'll show below by adding some 100% 1k by1k pixel crops.

Wednesday 8:02am 10/15/2025, downsized for web, a6700 30mm 4100x6150 pixel focus stack blend, Virginia Creek quaking aspen in snow in early skylight, dead calm. I strenuously hiked a half mile down 120 feet at 6.5k in ankle to knee deep snow in 28F temperatures to reach this rare tree with exceptionally red leaves I've photographed in the past. Also worked at 9:03am in sun but as expected, this diffuse rendering was far superior.

(right Mouse select, "Open Image in New Tab")
VA04135-43y.jpg
https://postimg.cc/N5dzJZSm

This below 1000x1000 pixel crop is at 100% size showing the actual detail that shows why fresh snow adds considerable aesthetic.

VA04135-43-cr1.jpg
https://postimg.cc/MvJ9sq95

This below downsized for web, 30mm focus stack blend image, shows an aspen in diffuse afternoon skylight above the West Fork of the Carson River at 6.1k. The leaves had excellent separation against a dark background, with rare pinks mixed with more common light orange leaves.

VA04563-75y.jpg


And below another 1000x1000 pixel crop at 100% size showing the actual detail at full scale. Just a little snow left on ground, a day later at this low 6.1k elevation as ground temperatures are still warm, melting from bottom up.

VA04563-75-cr1.jpg
I really like this picture.
That’s not much snow..
 
Returned home Thursday afternoon to SFBA after 783 road miles. Now Saturday morning, have post processed most images. Unfortunately, this anonymous photographer on SF, never posts full sized images on the web including my website, because they would be easily copied. Although downsized for web versions have some value, actual full sized images can be far more aesthetic as I'll show below by adding some 100% 1k by1k pixel crops.

Wednesday 8:02am 10/15/2025, downsized for web, a6700 30mm 4100x6150 pixel focus stack blend, Virginia Creek quaking aspen in snow in early skylight, dead calm. I strenuously hiked a half mile down 120 feet at 6.5k in ankle to knee deep snow in 28F temperatures to reach this rare tree with exceptionally red leaves I've photographed in the past. Also worked at 9:03am in sun but as expected, this diffuse rendering was far superior.

(right Mouse select, "Open Image in New Tab")
VA04135-43y.jpg


This below 1000x1000 pixel crop is at 100% size showing the actual detail that shows why fresh snow adds considerable aesthetic.

VA04135-43-cr1.jpg


This below downsized for web, 30mm focus stack blend image, shows an aspen in diffuse afternoon skylight above the West Fork of the Carson River at 6.1k. The leaves had excellent separation against a dark background, with rare pinks mixed with more common light orange leaves.

VA04563-75y.jpg


And below another 1000x1000 pixel crop at 100% size showing the actual detail at full scale. Just a little snow left on ground, a day later at this low 6.1k elevation as ground temperatures are still warm, melting from bottom up.

VA04563-75-cr1.jpg
That last picture looks like a great design for an art quilt.
 
Last edited:
I love exploring about colorful Eastern Sierra Nevada fall leaf stream zones that can have magic like, colorful, light qualities midday if there is a diffuse cloud deck and light breezes. The below downsized for web image of the 6000 by 5900 pixel original, shows with a bit of still melting new snow, leaves of cyan hued sagebrush, rose-red hued creek dogwood, orange hued wood ( red hips too), yellow hued cottonwood, and green hued quaking aspen and willow.

VA04380-04409-1x2hy.jpg


And again below, is the surprising detail in a 100% pixels 1kx1k crop from the above image that reflects how image detail can enhance an image's appreciated value. Do you see those red hued rose hips that animals consume?

VA04380-04409-1x2h-cr1.jpg


Finally, a 1kx1k 100% pixels crop from an amazingly colorful 10000 by 6100 pixel original.

VA04644-04685-3x1v-cr1.jpg
 
Last edited:
A downsized for web photo looking upstream westward, of the West Fork Carson River near 5900 feet in elevation from last Wednesday. A 2 frame 30mm lens stitch blend with the original 10,100 by 4000 pixels. I waited until the scene was illuminated by diffuse sunny blue sky skylight. Late afternoon sunshine was still shining above this frame, higher up on the canyon walls. In fall leaf color, quaking aspen, black cottonwood, and willows with river water smoothed, granite boulders. Pine trees in the canyon slope background.

(right Mouse select, "Open Image in New Tab")
VA04686-04709-2x1hy.jpg
 
Yesterday afternoon drove 300 miles to the Eastern Sierra Nevada in order to do some rare fall leaf in snow photography. Am parked on a street in the small town of Lee Vining at 6.5k feet beside vast Mono Lake.

Been snowing modestly continuously since 2am but where I am at is in the slushy zone with temperature 34F, so streets are driveable. At sunrise had 4 inches on my 2023 Trailblazer LS AWD. Much more snow just a bit higher in the mountains that reach above 13k feet nearby.

Sky is lightening up so may get a break soon.
I remember the trip my wife and I took from San Francisco to Reno through the Sierra’s. We did this twice. Once in summer and once in spring. The spring trip over to Reno was an experience. We saw heavy snows that had flattened cabins that were tucked away inside the wooded areas. Do the owners rebuild? I’m guessing they do. We stopped up on top of Truckee or Donner Pass. Lake Tahoe was beautiful and I would have liked to have lived in Inverness and skied that mountain, but not anymore at my age now.

When I would fly over the Rockies and take the same route that I drove, if I could get the OK from ATC, it’s a lot different from driving it. Now that I mentioned it, I wouldn’t mind taking that trip again. That’s a beautiful drive.
 
We got snowed in at Donner Pass one year and it was in late April. The snow plows were out but we stayed at a motel until it was safe to drive.

@David777 Great pictures and so colorful.
 


Back
Top