It was really cold and really quiet as we trudged through the darkness just before sunrise. As I scanned the area with my flashlight, I saw bulging, white rock formations dotting the grassy field. The increasingly rocky trail ended at a large, still lake. Masses of jagged limestone pierced the horizon, reflected in the water.
Mono Lake is an ancient saline lake located in rural Central California, only a few miles from the Nevada border. The lake is known for its oddly shaped “tufa towers,” white, calcium-carbonate structures formed through the interaction of freshwater springs and alkaline lake water. The strange landscape of Mono Lake at sunrise was primeval; walking among the tufas made me feel I was on another planet.
The early morning outing was organized by Michael Frye, a photographer known for his photos of Yosemite and the Eastern Sierras. Kevin’s mom invited me to join her at his landscape photography workshop, and I jumped at the chance to get out into the Sierras and learn from this local expert. I’d photographed Mono Lake before and was eager to return and try some different shots.
And it might be my last chance.
In 1941, the City of Los Angeles started diverting water from the lake’s tributaries and pumped it 350 miles south to meet the growing city’s water demand. The loss of water in following decades cut the volume of the lake in half, increased the salinity and severely disrupted the aquatic ecosystem. Local environmentalists won a lawsuit against the city and now city staff are now working to replenish the water level. One day soon, the tufas will again be submerged by the rising water — good for the fragile ecosystem, but unfortunate for anyone who misses this chance to take a walk through another world.
More photos of Mono Lake and the tufa towers at sunrise:
I’m awestruck. And soooo proud of you! 🙂
Thanks, Kev! I really wish you could have come!
Great article, Cassie – and your photographs are simply beautiful! Next time I head for this area I will have to check it out (if it’s not underwater already, LOL!) I invite you to come by and explore my travel website as well – would love to hear from you if you read any of my posts 🙂
Thank you for coming and visiting us! Beautiful pictures!
For more information on visiting Mono Lake and the rest of Mono County visit our website at http://www.monocounty.org or our facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/visiteasternsierra
Thanks, Jeff! It’s such a photogenic place, you’re lucky to live there! I just saw the photo of Convict Lake you posted on FB today and recognized it right away! We shot there at sunrise one morning. More photos to come!
What an amazing landscape – it really does look like something from another world.
Thanks, Lucy! It’s really surreal!
wow it looks beautiful
Thanks, Rebecca! It’s such an amazing place!
I’ve never ever heard of Mono Lake, which, to me, is a shame because that lake looks out of this world!
You’re not alone, Angela! Lots of people here in California haven’t heard of Mono Lake! 🙂 I was surprised to run into a group of photographers from the UK on an organized tour one morning. It was their first non-European photo trip and I had to agree, the diverse landscapes in this area of CA offered a great first choice for the US!
Nice photos!
Thanks, Nicole! You were in Yosemite recently, right? How do you get there from LA? Do you take the Eastern Route up through Mammoth and by Mono Lake? Or did you come from the West? Hope you got a chance to see Mono Lake!
Wow, absolutely beautiful! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Ayngelina! It really is a strange and beautiful place!