We've had no luck with sunrises or sunsets around Mammoth, so we tried the west shore of Mono Lake today. We managed to stumble through the tufa deposits and slimy mud holes in the pre-dawn light to reach the lake's edge just before the eastern sky started lighting up. We each found our favorite spot and started shooting. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, so we knew any good lighting would be very fleeting. The good news was that the lake was a giant mirror. Because of the high salt concentration, the surface looked like polished metal.
We drove over to South Tufa area while we still had some morning light. The lake remained absolutely calm; especially in the sheltered bay in the western portion of South Tufa. My best shots of the day were shot with the tufas and Sierras reflected in the lake. We continued shooting for a couple of hours before returning to June Lake for lunch.
 |
 |
We returned to South Tufa in the late afternoon. We found a new perspective on Mono Lake by climbing a ridge along the highway above the lake. The 500' difference in elevation allowed us to look down on Mono Lake and take in the whole lake before us. The challenge was that the reflections in the lake nearly touched the southern shore. It would have been better with more separation and blue water between the shore and the reflection.
We finally got some warm light just before sunset. We photographed the tufa formations near the lake's edge while the mirrored surface of the lake reflected the soft light into them. I even had a pair of Canadian geese keeping me company while I was shooting.
 |
 |
The best sunset was saved for our last night at Mono Lake. We all moved west of the little point at South Tufa so we could position the formations in front of the Sierras for sunset. Thin cirrus clouds streamed over the mountains to add some interest to the sky for the first time on this trip. They obscured the sunset, but it was a welcome change. With one last gasp, sunset fire lit the clouds and exploded across the sky as the sun dropped below the horizon. It was a good way to end our days at Mono Lake.
 |
 |
Previous Day
Return to Trip Page