close iframe icon
Banner

Light was magical_sm

Light was magical

JMT DAY 2 - BANNER PEAK SEEN FROM ISLAND PASS AT SUNSET

Banner Peak seen from Island Pass at sunset: JMT201802002 Read more

Light was magical

JMT DAY 2 - BANNER PEAK SEEN FROM ISLAND PASS AT SUNSET

Banner Peak seen from Island Pass at sunset: JMT201802002

After a long afternoon of struggling, we arrived at Island Pass. One of the thru-hikers we leapfrogged a few times said it right. Climbing two passes on a day wasn’t the smartest idea. When we started our second day, we were still just above 10,000 feet, which meant that we had to gain about 900 feet to go over Donohue Pass. The loss of 1,400 feet (not fun for my knees and toes) followed as we hiked all the way down to Rush Creek, and we gained another 600 feet. My legs were noodles, and still recovering from the first day’s long hike, I was very glad that we were done.

Once done with dinner, I grabbed my camera gear and walked around the lake. The wind that had been blowing nonstop most of the day miraculously calmed down just in time. What a relief, I thought to myself and that the reflection would be mirror like. Thankfully, the sky was clear of smoke. Mostly.

Soon, the sun started casting a gorgeous orange glow on the iconic Banner Peak. Compared to the last trip that I made in mid-June, the snow was pretty much all gone, except for the glacier lingering all year round. The colors were beautiful, and the light was magical. Not a whole lot of mosquitoes to deal with. It was quite a tranquil evening.

Island Pass, Inyo National Forest, CA
Read less

Views

159

Likes

Awards

Peer Award
donvawter outside jamiekathytaylor SethMMeyer92 Daniel_Gowshall RTDPhotos 0226_9755 +2
Superb Composition
kspindley
Absolute Masterpiece
skippy4280
Top Choice
gerhardprinsloo
See all
It’s your time to shine! ☀️

Share photos. Enter contests to win great prizes.
Earn coins, get amazing rewards. Join for free.

Already a member? Log In

By continuing, you agree to our Terms of Service, and acknowledge you've read our Privacy Policy Notice.