Mount Whitney and Moon

Moon sets over Mt. Whitney early morning. Mount Whitney is the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States at 14,505 feet. It is also a popular day hike (one of the hardest day hikes you can do). This photograph was taken from Alabama Hills area. Alabama Hills has been the location of various movies including Iron Man, Django Unchained and many westerns. Mount Whitney is also the destination of two of the popular long hikes, the John Muir Trail and the High Sierra Trail.

March in the Eastern Sierra, and the full moon was rising just to the east of Mount Whitney. I was hoping for a clear view of the peaks, but a thin layer of clouds diffused the moonlight, giving the scene a soft glow. The snowpack was still deep after a heavy winter.

Mount Whitney, California · 2011