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| All of the photos in this section are from the eastern Sierra Nevada, mainly Ansel Adams Wilderness (formerly Minarets Wilderness), and the Mono Basin. I am particularly fond of this region in the Sierra, in part, I think, because of its diverse rock types; while most of the Sierra is granite, the high backcountry of Ansel Adams wilderness consists mainly of Cretaceous extrusives and metamorphics, while Paleozoic metasedimentary and metavolcanic roof pendants dominate further to the north. All of this variation in rock types provides for exquisite colors in the glacially scoured rock, and over the course of a day's light the same peak may change from black to purple to orange and back again, leaving one to wonder what color the rock really is. It is of this area that the Landscape series shown in my Art page is modelled, and the colors are as true as possible given the above circumstances! Of interest to the geologist (and also to the hot springs enthusiast) in this area is the Long Valley Caldera to the south, site of an eruption 400,000 years ago which deposited ash as far east as Iowa. |
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The Ritter Range - One of the most beautiful and heavily travelled areas in the Sierra Nevada. Photos from a recent (July 2001) backpacking trip. |
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Elsewhere - Photos from numerous trips in the eastern Siera. |
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Humphreys Basin - Photos from a September,
2002 backpacking trip. |
email:tcope@depauw.edu
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Last updated 9/15/98