Summer Vacation 2016 — Part I: Sierra Nevada mountains

This summer we travelled through several western states over a period of about three weeks. Major attractions included watching the Perseid meteor shower in the Nevada desert, backpacking in the eastern Sierra Nevada mountains of California, viewing the waterfalls on the Oregon side of the Columbia Gorge, and hiking in the northern Cascades of Washington. The weather was good with light rain on two days and heavy rain once—and that was on the drive home.

Here are some photos from Nevada and the eastern Sierra Nevada mountains.

Car camping near <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boundary_Peak_(Nevada)" target="_blank">Boundary Peak</a> in the Nevada desert. This was the peak night of the Perseid meteor shower and the dark skies resulted in a great show.
Car camping near Boundary Peak in the Nevada desert. This was the peak night of the Perseid meteor shower and the dark skies resulted in a great show.

Morning light at Frog Lake in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Lakes" target="_blank"> Virginia Lakes</a> region of the eastern Sierra.
Morning light at Frog Lake in the Virginia Lakes region of the eastern Sierra.
Morning reflections in Frog Lake.
Morning reflections in Frog Lake.
A <a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-tailed_ptarmigan' target='_blank'>ptarmigan</a> walks towards me and then poses for his portrait.
A ptarmigan walks towards me and then poses for his portrait.
A small, unnamed glacial tarn below Summit Pass (this pass is unnamed on most maps).
A small, unnamed glacial tarn below Summit Pass (this pass is unnamed on most maps).
Panorama of the tarn and snow.
Panorama of the tarn and snow.
Yellow Columbines on the trail near Summit Lake.
Yellow Columbines on the trail near Summit Lake.
Wild onions stand tall against a backdrop of distant mountains.
Wild onions stand tall against a backdrop of distant mountains.
A small snow-fed stream reflects sunset colors.
A small snow-fed stream reflects sunset colors.
Yellow<a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnica' target='_blank'> Arnica flowers </a>at twilight.
Yellow Arnica flowers at twilight.
On the Pacific Crest Trail south of Sonoran Pass.
On the Pacific Crest Trail south of Sonoran Pass.
Field of wild flowers on Pacific Crest Trail.
Field of wild flowers on Pacific Crest Trail.

The next post will include images from the Columbia Gorge in Oregon which has an abundance of waterfalls.