Alpenglow from the Hills

One of my most favorite aspects of the West (as compared to the East) is the wide open skies and tall mountains.  When these are combined, you get the perfect setting for alpenglow.  Last Sabbath we took a walk with some friends in the hills and were treated to a beautiful sunset reflecting off the San Bernardino Mountains.  The view was marred only by the power lines, but I tried to see them as additional artistic elements in my camera lens.  Did it work?

Alison Falls and Lemon Lillies

The San Bernardino mountains have tons of incredible scenery that can't be accessed by trail.  Barry and I have enjoyed learning from the locals some of the best areas to explore.  One of these places is Alison Falls, accessed only by a steep cross-country trek.  The area is also home to the rare lemon lilly, found only in Southern California and parts of Arizona.  They smell heavenly!

 From above

Death Valley National Park - Sabbath Afternoon

This is nearby a stream where Joe showed us rock that was actively forming and only a couple hundred of years old.  He described it as, "some of the youngest rock you will ever find."  Pretty cool!

Salt flats - looks like snow!

The group - believe it or not, this was not posed.  I just told them to look at me from where they were already standing and that was that!

Driving through a dust storm!

Perfect vehicle for Death Valley -- not ours!

Golden light while driving up into the mountains to camp.  It was cold!

(Click on picture to enlarge panorama)