Mono Lake Basin National Forest, California

Photograph by Daniel Ochoa

On a perfectly still early April day I was driving from Lake Tahoe to Mammoth Lakes, California via US 395, which I regard as the most scenic road in California, with my snowboard gear when I stopped at Mono Lake to take in the view. I’ve passed the lake many times before and stopped to explore the shores during the magic hour when the light is soft but I usually don’t plan on scoring nice light at mid-day. On this occasion the stillness, blueness, and clarity of the air really made for a magical view from above the lake. The white capped mountains and lenticular clouds are reflected in the blue waters as are the famous limestone tufa towers. The stillness and emptiness of this image remind me why I wander out into the wild beyond the cities.