High Sierra Valley with Lakes

A wide valley with multiple small lakes and sparse trees is visible, surrounded by rocky, treeless mountains under a sky filled with white and dark clouds.

We were hiking through the high country in late summer, and the clouds were building up for an afternoon thunderstorm, casting dramatic shadows across the peaks. I remember the air was cool and crisp, a welcome change after a long climb up the rocky trail.

Sierra Nevada, California · 2026