Landscape Photography in California

Dear all (well, in particular you "West Coasters")

Please assume you're landing in San Francisco after an intercontinental flight and have got five days to spare. Where and what would you shoot? Mountains, deserts, beaches, the night sky - I like them all. Car is available, and one flight (e.g. to Vegas) is a possibility, but not a plus. I won't be able to bring a full set of backcountry equipment (tent & co.). Trip needs to end back in San Francisco.

I'm eager to hear suggestions!

Thanks!

I live on the east coast in New England but love to visit Muir Woods when in the San Francisco area. A drive along the coast is beautiful..... Half Moon Bay, Carmel. Yosemite, Lassen, Gold country near Sacramento are interesting if you have the time and can stay over at some of those places. Oh and don't forget wine country in Napa and Sonoma.

Basil, it kind of depends upon what terrain you might like. Eva has made excellent suggestions. With 5 days you want to get in some shooting and not a lot of driving. So, maybe scoping things out with Google map for distances might be in order.

Yosemite is always good. Beyond that is the eastern sierras, Mono Lake, and the Alabama Hills. Additionally Death Valley National Park also.

However, California is not like a lot of countries and or other US states. Where you might drive for 8 hours most places you could pass through a few countries or here in the USA several states. In California you could start at the very bottom and not make it out of the top in 8 hours. So, be careful of that necessary driving distances to get around here.

Most importantly, when are you arriving? how many people? budget or semi-luxury? What kind of vehicle? A good suggestion to minimize driving. Death Valley is too far as far as I am concerned.
5 days right now I would do the north coast to above Mendocino and then coastal ranges with Humboldt big ass redwood trees and hope for semi-sunnyish days. Muir Woods can be too crowded. Spring arrival I would head south for the Monterey, Big Sur and Carrizzo Plain loop. Either way, pray for rain, we need it so, so bad.

Thanks for your suggestions. I'll arrive soon, and luxury is neither my style nor my budget.

Paul - regarding distance, that's why I considered flying to Las Vegas and then work my way back from there via Death Valley, the Sierra, and Yosemite. The other option is to just drive one way quickly, and then spend the remaining days driving back with stops.

Thanks!

The good news is that this is pretty much the quietest time of the year tourist-wise. The weather can go either way though. The Las Vegas back to SF is a reasonable 5 day trip with plenty to see. According to Galen Rowell, it doesn't get much better than Death Valley and Eastern Sierra up Hwy. 395, through Yosemite via Tioga Pass (unless there's a big early snowstorm.) Without a tent, consider staying in Stovepipe Wells in DV, Bishop in the eastern Sierra, then maybe Lee Vining via Tioga Pass through Yosemite, wing it from there, etc. Still a lot of kilometers/miles now that I think about it if you are really going to try and do photography and keep your sanity .... with a partner?

The Big Sur coast and northern California coast (including Redwoods) are beautiful, but this is not really a great time of year to visit them for photography.

You have probably missed fall color in the eastern Sierra, but there is still plenty to shoot along US Hwy 395, and this season is great there, particularly if there is fresh snow on the Sierras. There might still be fall color from cottonwood trees in Owens Valley.

If Tioga Pass is still open when you arrive, I recommend SFO to Yosemite, then over Tioga Pass to Lee Vining. A sunrise (or sunset) at Mono Lake. Quick visit to Convict Lake. Stop in Bishop to view the photography at Galen & Barbara Rowell's Mountain Light Gallery. Up to Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest (sunrise or late day + night/star photos). Arches and Whitney Portals view from Alabama Hills. Whatever time you have left in Death Valley, then fly out of Las Vegas.

If Tioga Pass is closed, it's likely the other mountain passes will be closed also. In that case, SFO to Reno on I-80, then south on US 395.

Basil, I'm not up on any of the Bay area sites to visit at all. Those have been outlined here very well by others.

Trying to drive from the Bay area to anything on the eastern side can be a timing issue with the passes closing down during winter. So, if your thoughts are to do DVNP, Alabama Hills, Mono Lake, eastern sierras over the full 5 days, then Vegas is a better starting point IMO. Just thinking out loud from my own perspective.

Here is a link with some travel thoughts out of Vegas to DVNP. Vegas to DVNP

I am in the Lost Wages (Las Vegas) to San Francisco group...

This time of year, the weather can change quickly, so be prepared with warm clothing and be sure your rental vehicle has tire chains. It will be cold in the mornings in the desert and all along the US 395 corridor, and also over any of the trans-Sierra passes.

Regarding the passes (South to North): If Tioga (CA 120 West) is closed due snow, Sonora Pass (CA 108 West) and/or Carson Pass (CA 88 West) may be open. If you have to go over Carson or I-80, be prepared for an extended drive back to SF.

You may find late Autumn color (alder and willow) at Whitney Portal (13 miles west of Lone Pine) and along Big Pine Creek (12 miles west of Big Pine). There also may be Autumn color in Yosemite Valley (Oak, Big Leaf Maple, Cottonwood). In any event, side trips into any of the Sierra East Side canyons will be rewarding.

Here's a quick list of some of my Sierra favorites (South to North):

Lone Pine Creek/Alabama Hills/Whitney Portal
Big Pine Creek
Bishop Creek
Rock Creek (West of Tom's Place)
Convict Lake
June Lake Loop
Lee Vining Canyon/Mono Lake
Tioga Pass
Lundy Canyon
Sawtooth Ridge/Robinson Creek (West of Bridgeport via Twin Lakes)
Sonora Pass
Hope Valley (CA 88)

Aside from Death Valley, you'll have lots of choices...and lots of fun!

--P

Thanks all! Great suggestions. Looks like flying to Vegas and then working my way back to SF is a viable option indeed. I was not quite aware of the high likelyhood of snow, I'll make sure to prepare for that. Thanks for the warning!

Basil, another site to add to the excellent list Preston has posted is the Bristlecone Pine Forest located outside the Big Pine area. It's located in the White Mountains on the opposite side of the 395 corridor from the points outlined on the list of eastern sierra locations.

Thanks, Paul--forgot that one. Basil, the road to the Bristlecone forest in CA 168E. From the south, it will be a right turn just north of Big Pine.

We've got a pretty decent storm forecast to hit Northern California later this week, and that gave me the idea to give you some links for weather forecasts...

National Weather Service (NWS)--Sacramento. Covers Northern California
NWS--San Joaquin Valley/Hanford. Covers Central CA, including Yosemite and Southern Sierra.
Mammoth Weather. Covers Sierra East Side locales.

Be safe!

--P

Basil, it just dawned on me to ask when you'll actually be California? If you make DVNP during the upcoming week of 11/3 stop by at the Furnace Creek Inn and say hello. This will be lesser of a photo outing for me this trip, my wife and I are just taking some time away from home. I've no idea what room number at this point, but just ask at the desk.

Regardless, if we don't meet up enjoy your trip overall......

I visited the Eastern Sierra region a week ago and to my surprise found no snow on the mountain peaks. Yes, that's right -- the entire length of the Sierra range from south of Bishop to Sonora Pass as well as the White Mountains were completely bare. This is the first time I have seen it like this in over 10 years. Hopefully, things change in next few weeks.

Thanks all for your great suggestions! I'll check them carefully and I'm sure I can come up with a nice trip based on them.

Paul - I'll be in California a bit later in November, on the 3rd I'm still in Europe. Have a good trip!