The Sierra Nevada Mountains, Opus I.

"Men go abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars, and they pass by themselves without wondering."

-Saint Augustine

Sand Tufas, found freestanding along the shores of Mono Lake. Although technically not part of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, nevertheless, the lake is inexorably tied to it. Waters cascading down from the eastern face of the Sierras are the life blood of this unique body of water.

These sand tufas record where the lake surface once was by the flattened heads topping the towers. As bubbling and rising minerals from beneath the lake bottom coalesced and flared out at the lake's surface, these sand tufa columns and heads formed.

Hilton Creek area along the eastern edge. 180° from this point sits the Owens Valley and Lake Crowley.

Lundy Lake. Also found in the eastern flank of the range above Owens Valley. Next visit, we travel a bit farther up the mountains in elevation to visit the higher altitudes outside of Bishop, California.