Closeup of a Monarch Butterfly, Natural Bridges State Park, Santa Cruz, CA

Living in the San Francisco Bay area is a blessing for nature lovers. In close vicinity to one of the most populated areas bustling with technological creativity, there exist wild places allowing us to experience and enjoy nature and its marvels. The winter migration of Monarch butterflies is one such spectacle, part of which we can witness in our backyard, at the Natural Bridges State Park, near the city of Santa Cruz.

Every fall, the Monarch’s by sensing the change in temperature start migrating towards the warmer south. Butterflies east of the Rockies migrate to their sanctuaries in Mexico while the ones on the west come to Santa Cruz and Pacific Grove in California. Arriving by mid-October, they generally stay until March before flying back North. Being cold blooded, the Monarch’s are affected by ambient temperature. Only when the temperatures rise above 55F (13C), they start to fly around and forage for food. To keep warm during cold nights and early morning, the Monarch’s huddle in big groups and hang from Eucalyptus trees. An early morning visit to the preserve with a binocular (recommended) gives an excellent chance to catch them resting in the trees.

Monarch butterflies hang from a Eucalyptus tree in Natural Bridges State Park near Santa Cruz, CA

Such a big number of dormant butterflies attract predators such as a Stellar’s Jay. But thanks to the poisonous nature of the butterflies, the birds find them distasteful and generally spit them out after giving a try.

Apart from eating nuts, Stellar's Jay tries to get easy meal by attacking the dormant Monarch's. The bird's efforts are generally in vain because the butterflies are poisonous and distateful to the them

Warmed enough by sunshine, a large number of Monarch's break away and fly out when a Stellar's Jay disturbs the huddle for food

A female Monarch spreads her wings to gather warmth. Male butterflies have distinguishing black dots on their wings. In the background a mom shows her son the hanging butterflies. As expected, this place is popular with families and kids.

Elm and Half Dome in Autumn, Yosemite National Park

…contd. from previous post

“You said its a cliched photo spot and there is no one out here,” Veera had his doubts when we reached Cook’s meadow around 6:40am the next morning. For me I had no second thoughts regarding where I had to be at sunrise. Blank blue skies meant no Tunnel View, no Glacier point and since I did not have my take on the cliched shot of back lit Elm tree with Half Dome, I was strolling in Cook’s meadow, finding my own vision of the scene. After I had decided upon the composition and firmly grabbed my spot, 2 more photographer’s came and soon after there were at least 12 more photographers shooting the same scene (probably a photo workshop group). All of them though were 10 feet behind me (at the cliched spot) and since I arrived earlier, I could hold my ground. Veera was totally taken aback by seeing so many tripods. “Welcome to Yosemite”, I chuckled at his astonishment.

Now we had a long wait for the Sun to rise from behind the cliffs and hit the Elm tree. Our feet were getting cold in the frosty grass and the wait was agonizingly long. Slowly the Sun rose; we saw golden light strike the cliffs behind us and then the upper Yosemite falls that placated Veera for the time being. Finally the Sun came up and bathed the Elm tree in beautiful warm light. I was elated to find the Sun right at the spot I had imagined (so much for luck) and made my desired image. Then we took a walk in the meadow and I kept on finding compositions and continued shooting.

Photographers in Cooks meadow, An autumn morning, Yosemite National Park

Side lit oaks against sheer granite cliffs in shade, Yosemite National Park

Ferns and Oaks, Cook's meadow

After enjoying a beautiful autumn morning, we started to drive back to Curry Village (our tent cabins). Our conversation went on to the lack of visible wildlife and immediately we saw a deer with fully grown, beautiful antlers. I stopped the car and we photographed the stag from just 3-4 feet (deer in Yosemite are friendly). Satisfied with our deer sighting, we started again and on this 10 mins, 2 mile drive, I made 3 memorable images (good luck continues). With the morning well spent, we had breakfast in our tent and then decided to take quick hot showers. Up next was a visit to the Yosemite high country (Tioga Pass) before heading back to Stanford in the evening.                                                                                                                         (…to be contd.)

Fall foliage and floating mist, Yosemite National Park

Half Dome and floating mist in autumn, Yosemite National Park

God beams and Maple, An autumn morning in Curry Village, Yosemite NP

Maple and Merced river in Autumn, Yosemite NP

“Lets go this weekend”; I replied to Veeramani’s query about visiting Yosemite National Park last Wednesday. Later, I checked the weather forecast : lots of sunshine with blank blue skies that was good for a tourist but meant extra work for me to create unique images (no clouds, rain, storm!). It also meant not taking out my camera for cliched vista point compositions, effectively a blessing in disguise as it keeps mind free and avoids digital junk. After a few more internet searches, I gathered that fall colors are looking good (maples and oaks are peaking while dogwoods are yet to turn). Should be a good trip, I thought when we started at 8:15 am on Saturday. In 4 hours, Veera was snapping his first Tunnel view pictures and I was just elated to be back. I always like taking a visitor first to Tunnel view and then watch their expressions. Though it is after the overwhelming grand vista, Yosemite reveals itself slowly via intimate subtle experiences.

Veeramani at Bridalveil falls

Our next stop was the Bridalveil falls that was only a trickle compared to its spring/summer avatar. Low water meant exposed rocks and we had some fun jumping and climbing over them. I snapped an image of Veera’s silhouette against the waterfall. The diffraction fringe was an added bonus. We then walked along the Bridalveil creek  and after few minutes of survey, I made a very satisfying image juxtaposing the three elements: cascades, rocks and a trapped fallen leaf.

A Fall abstract, Bridalveil creek, Yosemite NP

Then we drove through the valley and stopped at Cook’s meadow for a quick lunch. The lunch was awesome, of course it had to be; how often do you have the pleasure of having cheese-tomato sandwiches and orange juice beneath Yosemite falls and Half Dome. With our stomachs full, we went to the lower Yosemite falls and had more fun climbing and maneuvering the exposed rocks in the creek’s bed. With the day quickly passing by, I nudged Veera to one of my favorite place in the Yosemite valley: Cathedral beach. We walked along the Merced river for a while with El Capitan, Three Brothers and Cathedral Rocks/spires looming over us. The cottonwoods that put up a good color show here were all bare and looked like skeletons. In all this quick travel, I had surveyed the valley for fall colors and before heading to Glacier point for sunset/dusk, we made one last stop near Fern Springs to make some photos.

Fallen leaves on the valley loop trail. Even on crowded days, one can find solitude in the Yosemite valley.

At Glacier point, we waited for the stars to come out and then drove back to the valley. Our lodging for the night was an unheated tent at Curry Village and after checking in, we ate a tasty pizza at the Curry village’s pizza corner and then went slept soon after (around 10pm) with a 6 am wakeup call set for next morning.                                                                                                       …(continued in next post)

Stars twinkle in the sky as the last warm light of alpenglow touches the Half Dome and Yosemite high country.

View from the Hamms Gulch Trail in Windy Hill Open Space Preserve. Windy Hill partially covered in clouds and fog is scene at a distance.

Windy Hill Open Space Preserve (OSP) is nestled in the Santa Cruz mountains and is very close to Stanford University. The preserve has two trail heads:  1) In the town of Portola Valley at the base of the mountain range and is 10 min drive from Stanford. 2) On Skyline Boulevard at the top of the range and 25 minutes of driving distance from Stanford. Since I have been to the top many times, I decided to explore the preserve from the lower elevation trailhead. Limited time meant that I could not go to the summit (6 miles round trip) and since I have seen the famous ‘expansive’ views of the bay area quite a few times, I decided to take the less used, more intimate and forested ‘Hamms Gulch Trail’. If a hiker desires expansive vistas, the ‘Spring Ridge trail, which traverses the  less forested hills is more suitable.

An Oak tree at sunrise. Early morning hike means less crowds and more solitude.

Still waters of Madera Creek. The Hamms Gulch trail crosses the creek and there is no bridge but the crossing is fairly easy especially during summer.

'Fall' leaves and forest reflection in the waters of Madera creek

Dew drops glow in early morning light. The flowers are really tiny and were growing very close to the ground.

Along the Hamms Gulch trail. The leaves have started to turn red and yellow indicating the beginning of Fall. With an early Pacific strom arriving next week, Summer is well and truely over.

Hanging meadow beneath Mount Rainier at sunset. Wildflowers were in full bloom near Sunrise visitor which lies in the rain shadow region of the mountain.

Meadows dotted with beautiful wildflowers greet the visitors near the Sunrise visitor center, situated on the eastern side of the park.

After 2.5 hours of driving from Seattle, I was setting up my tent at the White River campground in Mount Rainier NP.  Camping sites were easily available on a first come-first serve basis; a fresh change from the busy campgrounds in the Sierra Nevada, especially from Yosemite National Park. I had already prepared lunch: a pair of cheese-tomato-cucumber sandwiches and with apples, energy bars and water in my car, I was all set to explore and enjoy Mt. Rainier National Park for a day. It was an exhausting, enthralling and rejuvenating experience; presented here in form of this photo essay.

Mt. Rainier rises over lush green conifers. Fertile soil and plenty of rain results in thick forest cover all over the national park.

Maple trees blossom among the old giant trees in Mt. Rainier NP.

Milky waters of the beautiful Ohanapecosh river. The river plunges down a cliff giving rise to roaring Silver Falls.

Trail to Silver falls. Being a weekday, there were relatively less people and I could easily feel the silence of solitude

Reflection lakes and Mount Rainier. Wildflowers lined the road from Ohanapecosh to Paradise visitor center

As of Aug. 17 2011, wildflowers were just popping out and most trails in Paradise area were still snow covered!!

Myrtle falls beneath Mount Rainier. A short walk from Paradise visitor center takes you to this vista

Mount Adams, lit by alpenglow, is seen at a distance. It is easily visible from 'Sunrise Vista' which is on the way to the Sunrise visitor center.

Star trails over Mount Rainier. The mountain glows in moon light.

Big Dipper hangs over a moon lit meadow, near Sunrise visitor center.

Mount Rainier and waning gibbous moon at Sunrise

Wildflowers bloom beneath Mount Rainier. The mountain glows golden on a beautiful summer morning.

After experiencing and photographing a sunrise, I came back to my campsite and before heading back to Seattle, I decided to quickly explore the glacier moraines. The trail starts from White River campground itself and it was a beautiful 2.5-3 miles of hike (roundtrip)

On the trail , I found this beautiful cascade. Small streams and waterfalls are found everywhere in this region, thanks to plenty of precipitaion both in form of rain and snow

My Spectre of the Brocken and rings of Glory, observed while hiking in Russian Ridge open space preserve, near Palo Alto, CA

Enjoying the outdoors is always fun as there are always elements of adventure and discovery attached to it. No matter how familiar is the place, Nature can turn its magic wand to add to something we already know. Sometimes these moments of magic are pronounced and are witnessed even by a lazy, non attentive bystander. But more often than not, these moments are more subtle with a keen seeker being rewarded with something special.

When I went for a short evening hike to Russian Ridge open space preserve about 25 min from Stanford, I had no idea about what is in the store. I knew that summer fog would be rolling in from the Pacific and my idea was to do a leisurely hike to the top of Borel Hill (~2500 feet) and if the fog is below the hill, watch a setting Sun over the sea of fog. Making photos was not top priority and I just carried a couple of lenses with my camera and tripod. When I started the hike, the scene looked familiar: golden windswept grass over the rolling hills, light northerly wind with the Sun hidden behind thick fog rolling in from the west (Pacific). As I gained elevation en-route to the hill, I realized that the Sun is breaking out intermittently resulting in soft beautiful light.

Sun breaks out with summer fog rolling in from the west, Russian Ridge open space preserve, near Palo Alto, CA

Then it just flashed in my mind that in the given conditions, I had a possibility to witness the Brocken Spectre. All I had to do was to find a valley filled with fog and place myself between the setting Sun and the foggy valley. The odds were completely against as the thick fog was towards west and it was hard to place myself between the Sun and a fog filled valley. The possibility was further bleak as the Sun was mostly hidden with an occasional soft burst of light. Nevertheless, I started running on the trail, with my camera bag and a tripod. After about half a mile of running, I could see a big sheet of fog towards north east. In 5 more minutes, I finally reached the edge of the hill, beyond which was a fog filled canyon. Then without warning the Sun came out behind me from its veil of fog and immediately I saw my shadow projected on the fog creating Spectre of the Brocken with rings of Glory around it. Enthralled by this experience, I started playing with this 3-D shadow: wave at it and it waves back; drink water and it again imitates you. I then set my camera on a 10 sec timer on a tripod, stretched my hands outwards and then made the photo that is at the top of this post.

Understanding ‘light’ is one very important ingredient that increases the chances of more rewarding experiences. Knowing the conditions and adapting is another but according to me, what many lack is that ‘leap of imagination’. This becomes equally important since neither our understanding of light nor conditions is exact. It is this non-exact nature that makes outdoor experiences and photography extremely interesting and exciting to me.

Wildflowers bloom overlooking the Rainbow Falls, Devil's Postpile National Monument, Eastern Sierra, CA

Near the town of Mammoth Lakes, nestled into the heart of Sierra Nevada lies  the relatively less known Devil’s Postpile National Monument. It generally opens for public in late June after the snow has been cleared and the roads repaired from winter damage and one needs to take a shuttle from the Mammoth ski area to reach this place. The middle fork of San Joaquin river flows through this region along with Minaret creek and a few other snow fed mountain streams. John Muir Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail also pass through this protected area.

Enjoying a beautiful meadow besides the middle fork of San Joaquin river in Devil's Postpile Nat. Monument

There are 3 major attractions: Minaret Falls, the Devil’s Postpile and Rainbow falls with the last being the most popular owing to its breathtaking beauty (the San Joaquin river plunges down 100 feet) and close proximity from the shuttle stop (2 miles round trip). Technically Minaret falls does not fall withing the monument’s boundaries and is a part of Inyo National Forest. The monument specifically protects the unusual columnar basalt formations known as ‘Devil’s Postpile’.

Columnar basalt growth also known as Devil's Postpile

We first hiked to Minaret falls on Minaret creek which I personally feel is more scenic than Rainbow falls. Good lighting for photographing it should be early in the morning when the waterfall will be in shade. Due to the exceptional snow pack this year, all the creeks are roaring and the falls are swollen. Going to the base of Minaret falls requires a bit of steep climb but the view alleviates all the pain incurred.

Minaret falls on Minaret creek in Inyo National Forest

A swollen mountain creek on the way to Minaret falls

The hike to Rainbow falls from Minaret falls is about 4 miles one way and passes through the Postpile. The trail here has less traffic as most of the people directly go to Rainbow falls from the shuttle stop. This route is recommended because of its high scenic quotient and one can witness the beautiful San Joaquin river meandering through the mountains and forests. In the summer, wildflowers bloom next to the river, adding a splash of color to the beautiful landscape. The hike culminates at the breathtaking Rainbow falls, which can be seen in the photo posted at top of this post. The vivid rainbow is easily seen especially when the river is roaring early in the summer. Though the pool beneath the falls looks inviting, the water is very cold and bathing in it comes with a danger of hypothermia.

Wildflowers overlooking San Joaquin river in Devil's Postpile National Monument

Rainbow and waterfall's details

The Sierra peaks are reflected in snowmelt ponds at Tuolumne meadows as the Earth's Shadow rises in the eastern horizon after sunset

The beautiful Yosemite high country is once again easily accessible as the Tioga pass opened last Saturday (June 18th). Last Sunday, when I paid a quick visit to the region, the Tuolumne river was roaring, mosquitoes were thriving and countless snow melt ponds covered the Tuolumne meadows. Alongside the road, we witnessed many small waterfalls formed by melting snow. Lake Tenaya and Tioga are still frozen and snow shoes might be required for most hikes. It is a wonderful time to venture out for a quick getaway and soak in the beauty of the mountains. Enjoy the pictures!

The raging Tuolumne river cascades down just behind Pothole dome

Diffraction fringe engulfs a hiker soaking in the pristine beauty of the wild Tuolumne river. The clear air at high altitudes results in this wholly natural diffraction fringe. If the air is not clear, one will witness a halo around the person.

Sunset over the Tuolumne river

A marmot makes full merry of the short high country summer

Unicorn peak and trees are reflected in a seasonal snow melt pond at Tuolumne meadows, sometime before sunset

Last light over Unicorn peak

Alpenglow and reflections, Tuolumne meadows, Yosemite

Grass dancing in wind at sunset, Mount Tamalpais State Park, CA

About 25 miles north of San Francisco, nestled in the hills beyond Marin Headlands and bordered by the Pacific, lies the Mount Tamalpais State Park. It has everything a nature lover can ask for: rolling hills, wide vistas, numerous trails, creeks and waterfalls. For a long time, it has been on my radar and finally I visited this region last Saturday. It was a splendid experience as a hiker, a nature lover and a photographer.

We hiked the Cataract trail out and back to Cataract falls. This trail follows the Cataract creek to a man made lake. The hike is through a beautiful forest providing solitude; the silence broken only by the rustle of leaves and flowing water of the creek. A wet winter and cold spring meant that the creek was flowing and the waterfall roaring. Visiting in May blessed us with an added reward of blooming wild Iris, providing a splash of white and purple in the predominantly green landscape.

Wild Iris blooming alongside the Cataract creek, Mt. Tamalpais State Park, CA

Cataract falls, Mount Tamalpais State Park, CA

After reaching the waterfall and soaking in its energy, we retraced our footsteps to the trail head and began exploring the rolling hills which are the signature of San Francisco bay area. There was a patch of yellow bush lupines at peak bloom which engaged me for quite some time. In the meanwhile, my friend spotted a gorgeous rattlesnake, took a picture with his iPhone and came to show it to me.  Unfortunately by the time I could go and see it myself, the snake had vanished.

Peak lupine bloom, Mt. Tamalpais State Park, CA

As the evening progressed, the wind picked up and the light kept on improving. The photo posted at the top of this post combines the elements present at the moment, captures the essence of the place like no other and is my favorite image from the trip. As the beautiful day approached its end, dusk colors painted the eastern horizon as the ‘Earth’s Shadow’ rose above the city of San Francisco. With the rolling hills and ridges framing the downtown, it was too good an opportunity to pass and I made one final image.

Earth's Shadow rise above San Francisco with fog engulfing the city as usual; From Mt. Tamalpais State Park, CA