![\"\"](\"http:\/\/stacy.awegallery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/July4-MtLasHatLake-web.jpg\" "\\"July4-MtLasHatLake")
<\/a>Lassen Peak reflected in Hat Lake<\/p><\/div>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153The park is located near the northern end of Sacramento Valley. The western part of the park features great lava pinnacles (huge mountains created by lava flows), jagged craters, and steaming sulphur vents. It is cut by glaciated canyons and is dotted and threaded by lakes and rushing clear streams.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d –Wekipedia<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Snow Plant<\/p><\/div>\n After leaving at 4 AM we arrived at the Northwest entrance at Manzanita Lake. This part of the park was in full summer with just a few snow plants still showing, water lilies blooming and dragon flies at the edge of Reflection Lake.\u00c2\u00a0 I have not been to this location before and had no idea that half way into the park nearing Lassen Peak that the snow banks on the sides of the road would still be eight feet high.\u00c2\u00a0 The real contrast was hiking on several feet of snow packed trails and having sun warm the day to nearly 80 degrees.<\/p>\n The two types of images I wanted to concentrate on were expansive landscapes and wild flowers!\u00c2\u00a0 Obviously this was the place for both.\u00c2\u00a0 You can easily find places where Lassen Peak and other<\/p>\n Water Lily Pond is near Reflection Lake<\/p><\/div>\n snow-capped mountain ridges are reflected in lakes and streams. My choice of the reflection at Hat Lake at 7:30 AM positions the reflection where the streams meet \u00e2\u20ac\u201c thus not a classical mirror image.\u00c2\u00a0 This lake is becoming a meadow.<\/p>\n This area became a National Park in 1916 after three years of eruptions and volcanic activity.\u00c2\u00a0 Now over 350,000 people visit every year.\u00c2\u00a0 You can see much of diverse landscape and intimate details of the park via auto tour and the many overlooks.\u00c2\u00a0 But it is worth choosing a couple of hikes.<\/p>\n For a wonderful stroll you will want to ramble around Reflection Lake. Here many different kinds of pine trees are identified for you.\u00c2\u00a0 The best time is in the early evening when the early evening light is on Lassen Peak and the trees and their reflection in the lake.\u00c2\u00a0 We did this the second day after our hike into Bumpass Hell.\u00c2\u00a0 So the level ground walk was a welcome relief as well as the ice cream at the Manzanita Camp Ground store!<\/p>\n Bumpass Hell hydrothermal basin<\/p><\/div>\n The Bumpass Hell trail was 80 percent under snow and made the trekking a little slippery and reason for moving slowly (not to mention the elevation of 7,000 feet or so). \u00c2\u00a0The grand vistas from this trail are breath taking. Despite the fact a sign said \u00e2\u20ac\u0153treacherous conditions trail not recommended\u00e2\u20ac\u009d the rangers reported the trail was open you just needed to follow the foot steps through the snow.\u00c2\u00a0 After 300 feet of elevation drop the reward at 1.5 miles of the trek in is the hyprothermal basin where you view boiling and bubbling mud pots and fumaroles.<\/p>\n What you need to pay close attention to in this location is your exposure.\u00c2\u00a0 If you are photographing a lot of snow or your meter is reading the light on snow you need to over expose 1 to 2 stops otherwise your snow will be a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153medium gray.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00c2\u00a0 And I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t mean the dirt will be showing through.\u00c2\u00a0 But pay attention to the metering mode you choose.\u00c2\u00a0 I like center weighted or spot metering.\u00c2\u00a0 But if you compose one picture with snow in your metering zone and another with the dark green trees you will have to compensate appropriately!<\/p>\n Mule Ears on Mill Creek Trail<\/p><\/div>\n The Bumpass Hell hike (dedicated as a moderate trail) seemed pretty tame compared to the hike into Mill Creek Falls which is 3.6 miles round trip and at a slightly lower elevation (therefore the snow was gone).\u00c2\u00a0 The temperature was nearly 90 when we finished.\u00c2\u00a0 The first 20 minutes of the trail was my favorite as we wandered through hillsides of blooming yellow mule\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s ears.\u00c2\u00a0 This was a wide angle paradise (except for the up and down hill part, that for me was $%^$#* – a few pounds lighter might help!)<\/p>\n This time of year the wild flowers are abundant and easily found along the roadsides and at short walking distances from the parking areas.\u00c2\u00a0 If I return to this area I would choose to stay in the new cabins at Manzanita Lake<\/span><\/strong> (here too is a good reflection location). So enjoy these few extra images I share with you for the 4th<\/sup> week of July.\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 This images remind me of the lyrics of Jann Aldredge-Clanton’s<\/a> hymn (from Inclusive Hymns for Liberating Christians):<\/p>\n The Corn Lily was home and host to a wonderful butterfly.\u00c2\u00a0 Using a 100 – 400 mm lens with and extension tube made this image possible and helped narrow the background.\u00c2\u00a0 At f\/11 the background rock lost all detail making for pleasant\u00c2\u00a0 and peace full image capturing yet one more unfolding miracle before me!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" One of the wonderful things about living in San Francisco is that in a matter of hours you can be combing the beaches north or south, driving through desert, traversing the valley or hiking in the mountains.\u00c2\u00a0 This past week … Continue reading <\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>New miracles unfold<\/address>\nAt dawn of every day,<\/address>\nFresh beauty to behold<\/address>\nWith Sun\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s first shining ray.<\/address>\nAwake and see, awake and see<\/address>\nthe whole world bloom with wonders free.<\/address>\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 Words:\u00c2\u00a0 Jann Aldredge-Clanton<\/em><\/address>\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 Music:\u00c2\u00a0 John Darwell<\/em><\/address>\n\u00c2\u00a0<\/address>\n