Early August Days in the Sierra Nevada

Spent a few days up in the Sierra in early August 2009. The first evening was calm, just watching the last light fade over the lake from a wooden deck. The water was dark and the mountains were just silhouettes against the sky.

The next day we went over to Squaw Valley. It's always a bit strange to see a ski resort in full summer mode—the lifts are there, but the ground is all dry dirt and green patches. The Olympic rings at the base are a permanent fixture, a reminder of the 1960 games held here.

We took the cable car up the mountain. It's a steep ascent, and you get a clear view of the resort village and the valley spreading out below. At the top, the landscape is completely different—all exposed granite and scattered pine trees under a hazy sky. You could just make out the larger lake in the distance.