We left Yosemite National Park right before a storm was to move in, bringing rain, possible snow, and high winds. We drove to the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada range hoping to see some fall colors. A week before we left on this grand vacation, I had seen blog postings on the Internet showing the trees had starting turning already, a week or two earlier than normal. I was keeping my fingers crossed that the wind and rain wouldn't result in bare trees by the time we got there.
We arrived on the eastern side in the afternoon. Prior to checking into our hotel, we explored a few places, including Lake Elerbee (just outside Yosemite), Lee Vining Canyon, and Mono Lake. By the time we got to Mono Lake, the winds were howling around 45 MPH. We could hardly stand up and walk from the parking area to the lake. That evening, Tioga Road, the only road through the mountains, was closed due to high winds. While we missed the rejuvenated waterfalls in Yosemite, we would have missed more had we not gotten over the mountains when we did.
![The colorful shores of Lake Elerbee](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/6d565fc3-5478-4c8e-8a0a-7f3ee6f71742_rw_1920.jpg?h=bd438a55c4741d7f1f291671a687df99)
The colorful shores of Lake Elerbee
![Lee Vining Canyon](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/e5d5cf8e-e660-4b06-8d68-c80fed7e7589_rw_1920.jpg?h=bf938d50c85027666e79aab8e75b9024)
Lee Vining Canyon
![Cascade on Lee Vining Creek](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/1dd656a8-4181-46aa-9b74-10017fa5e059_rw_1920.jpg?h=aabaaddccecabec3674f2692940c85d7)
Cascade on Lee Vining Creek
![Tufas on Mono Lake](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/4ada6ec7-9cd1-4552-bc03-28df0b0a9259_rw_1920.jpg?h=6217de97d9f275725658612fa1134aa3)
Tufas on Mono Lake
![Mono Lake Tufa](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/2c67568e-9d31-4c2f-bb79-3bc295170f6c_rw_1920.jpg?h=6843b6a5648ffb694fabf259c6371ff0)
Mono Lake Tufa
![More Tufas in Mono Lake](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/245d9ad8-102b-48ba-b54c-d1966c734a7e_rw_1920.jpg?h=d2e15c4b0f08b727a15eadf6e6518d61)
More Tufas in Mono Lake
![Blowing Salt and Sand](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/f2126af0-01a0-4e3a-9904-0cd315802afe_rw_1920.jpg?h=7aac5102892b8f2ae0434eac58ed0d03)
Blowing Salt and Sand
![Approaching Storm](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/816e30d0-8975-43cb-92bd-1f4829926345_rw_1920.jpg?h=b819b57ed8e37a3db1fc40700cba45bf)
Approaching Storm
![Full Rainbow](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/a7dbe3ff-4916-448e-87d7-40bf981839c4_rw_1920.jpg?h=33a816c5d36c8e7cdce0b2aaeb150c53)
Full Rainbow
![Intense Rainbow Behind the Hills](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/d0416e06-eb40-4412-ae91-558018cd1920_rw_1920.jpg?h=a95c543f7268c828bbd7dcc3afc393f7)
Intense Rainbow Behind the Hills
![Rainbow in Front of the Mountains](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/445ce27e-1446-44ff-9f73-25f0d6bd6685_rw_1920.jpg?h=2ac7e5f10f8b0cbf7b9ecd5692f07487)
Rainbow in Front of the Mountains
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/41ad1e7e-30fd-4314-adb1-6956f33fed68_rw_1920.jpg?h=7b5cef9228bc582288bfd43ea07bccea)
![Sunshine Peaking Through the Clouds Intensifies Color of Trees](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/454af85f-8e98-4ca0-8c95-e594666b9d83_rw_1920.jpg?h=fe2da049c5316defb2d35227298faf79)
Sunshine Peaking Through the Clouds Intensifies Color of Trees
![Aspendell, California](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/3fd0ad74-dfac-4f49-bd3f-e8954f0b3409_rw_1920.jpg?h=56dc66c8dee31ed5f755ab13ad87083d)
Aspendell, California
![Aspendell, California](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/add49283-4a76-4776-9d56-4eca080a4392_rw_1920.jpg?h=d92aa2e61c53b714fc9a178151bdc561)
Aspendell, California
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/24dfb17c-6704-45b8-bb3f-85dfb6a1924b_rw_1920.jpg?h=800eae4a6889b7b311efd58b69d58db2)
![White Trunks and Yellow Leaves](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/86b5377d-a893-42e3-90ed-e6d2c55b0e71_rw_1920.jpg?h=05921faf0819cc3f21d3b83ceaa0b58d)
White Trunks and Yellow Leaves
![Twisted Tree Trunk](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/529e913e-d94e-40df-83a6-09de76376529_rw_1920.jpg?h=69fb5e8855381e910dc463fffadf22a4)
Twisted Tree Trunk
![Ancient Tree - Seems to be smiling and saying, "Hey, you looking at me?"](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/ea710e12-6727-45ae-9cf2-e93b049ac118_rw_1920.jpg?h=f8f7acd698e5b8d0b3c8a0248ab38267)
Ancient Tree - Seems to be smiling and saying, "Hey, you looking at me?"
![Clouds Rolling Over the White Mountains](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/61893563-db09-458b-934c-7d7abb349625_rw_1920.jpg?h=6c99284147ccb62543ca6a924bba9145)
Clouds Rolling Over the White Mountains
![Snow in the Mountains and Color Around Lundy Lake](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/928cb68b-6b5d-4d00-890d-e0a96e1254bd_rw_1920.jpg?h=46cb1ec05c5a333e32b185e016d448ba)
Snow in the Mountains and Color Around Lundy Lake
![Snow in the Mountains and Color Around Lundy Lake](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/363db974-51d3-4797-8c22-bc8caf114db8_rw_1920.jpg?h=4261cfced87eddf81c2a300e3cc136c9)
Snow in the Mountains and Color Around Lundy Lake
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/a9d26425-6558-49df-a8a9-aed64ad6368d_rw_1920.jpg?h=ee0e4f3abc8b1570460de6e112fb94a7)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/7f9d535d-1f77-47dc-afc1-e059ff8d0156_rw_1920.jpg?h=417c34d45ef47415747e91381ea19e6d)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/76e3d748-2abf-4ac8-9240-a48f30504fb5_rw_1920.jpg?h=b14a2fff66ca92d010eb74a723694e80)
![On June Lake Loop](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/7035e597-ff5c-4bd5-9555-05597a8e5443_rw_1920.jpg?h=54dc7be94848144ffaf91aeb508578bb)
On June Lake Loop
![Aspens on June Lake Loop](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/0679e472-3391-44cb-b408-4cfdbc7b6ae6_rw_1920.jpg?h=8c9d42b2ae119540952518f713ee1583)
Aspens on June Lake Loop
![June Lake Loop](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/db119603-bcb0-4b48-8354-988333ba1e7c_rw_1920.jpg?h=04b5abdc70eb7f17f4152db145b727b0)
June Lake Loop
![First Snow in the Mountains Surrounding June Lake](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/657300f5-fc84-44a0-977a-34fd35113a06_rw_1920.jpg?h=0f1a9940673c2cb0214a3970ba6d2645)
First Snow in the Mountains Surrounding June Lake
![First Light on the Sierras Around Bishop](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/057c8728-02d3-44fe-b8e0-d5e3210ed7d1_rw_1920.jpg?h=45c7940cd86b01a17582f3573b2cb207)
First Light on the Sierras Around Bishop
![First Light on the Sierras Around Bishop](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/8666cc9a-be97-4078-96f3-9c4639ddbc31_rw_1920.jpg?h=85780b1e9331dcc6fbc56a6970fc8279)
First Light on the Sierras Around Bishop
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/385aa6b1-0200-4eae-a255-079c936dd875_rw_1920.jpg?h=16d34920f30d9b7594efb7539daca1d6)
![At Manzanar National Historic Site](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/39ff8b76-a47f-48ee-80a5-e1e430e71d9e_rw_1920.jpg?h=a91c61640eb48a0bb1a46ccfb055b3a3)
At Manzanar National Historic Site
![Reconstruction of first type of barracks - basic and minimal](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/51ffe12a-cd7b-4279-82b5-cd31bfc77fd1_rw_1920.jpg?h=cc8138c3be2a1d58bc64389039d38ce8)
Reconstruction of first type of barracks - basic and minimal
![Inside Early Barracks](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/b352e2e9-f202-4e82-9377-b0bef34972ec_rw_1920.jpg?h=0de7329ea8b5141dd441aa86228becaa)
Inside Early Barracks
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/5d095874-0a39-41bf-bc8d-ad0289fc311d_rw_1920.jpg?h=b70696953185d9919fd3c71dc552a3b0)
![Reconstruction of later barracks](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/00ecb6da-f085-448e-a73e-1a73a8aca8a6_rw_1920.jpg?h=ad1d720f75da380cc82f17f01d5de4f1)
Reconstruction of later barracks
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/2b648588-9d90-47c3-9243-c0be6095392e_rw_1920.jpg?h=c3a4c0f2957c5dc177a8d5f6d986100c)
![Mt. Whitney and Sierra Nevada Range from Alabama Hills](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/919759a4-0cd4-4f5e-b14c-31e5a10ac0a2_rw_1920.jpg?h=b85a563635fdb155a87d2c6457d9481b)
Mt. Whitney and Sierra Nevada Range from Alabama Hills
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/24e01c82-9969-4b7f-87e2-7ca911644b1c_rw_1920.jpg?h=bf3a79a3af9f4340cf77904d782ac3f7)
![Heart Arch](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/d3daf207-d4f6-49e0-a5b2-062c6c8e5e25_rw_1920.jpg?h=42df500a437d54bcc03d40ab413d9bb8)
Heart Arch
![Mobius Arch with Mount Whitney in the background](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/a870ed3e-839d-4aea-ba3c-c1259f58b528_rw_1920.jpg?h=ee1d35825f3a3cccb70eb195eb3ec8bb)
Mobius Arch with Mount Whitney in the background
![Lathe Arch](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/96943409-c547-4ad7-b354-11bb8b2ce1fd_rw_1920.jpg?h=254fc351c06765cf0249460a5ee03c77)
Lathe Arch
![Turtle Head](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/beff9bd8-cc55-4493-b167-d3a1390a2bf3_rw_1920.jpg?h=fa7adbe88b10684a0ecf6886edf82876)
Turtle Head
![Heart of Alabama Arch](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/5c99199a-990d-419f-95e1-4b07a1b9a35d_rw_1920.jpg?h=54e0aa73692f44ed4ac9fb1e766173fa)
Heart of Alabama Arch
![Aspen and Sierra Nevada Range (Mt. Whitney on right)](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/55ae284c-4551-4f4f-b9c8-3a84f0b3afcd_rw_1920.jpg?h=beac7f749e703bd83606c522bb876f78)
Aspen and Sierra Nevada Range (Mt. Whitney on right)
![Sierras Twilight](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/589d5767edf03e20909c452b388646d5/67d4bdae-4713-4e67-9380-5095bd167c31_rw_1920.jpg?h=ae3a49c4c44e52df8d3c5e61f8cce839)