May view of Stanford, Deerhorn and Vidette peak from Kearsarge Pass ~ 2015
Palisade Basin on the way to Potluck Pass ~ 2013
Chuck Timchalk - Shepherd Crest ~ 2019
Late September new snow on Deerhorn ~ 2015
Evening Tablelands Basin ~ 2015
Sunset view from Buck Creek ~ 2017
Tarn near jct of Rock Island and Mule Pass Trails ~ 2018
Fall sunset on Tyndall ~ 2019
Morning Hell for Sure Pass - Goddard Canyon ~ 2019
Looking down the South Fork of Tuttle Creek after an all night storm ~ 2015
Lower slopes of the northeast peak of Goethe ~ 2009
Evening Reflection Lake ~ 2015
Jay Wilson on an attempt at a winter new route on Angels Wings ~ 1981
Sunrise on the East Face of Mt Sill ~ 1979
Storm clearing at Trail Lakes ~ 2017
Mart Whiton belaying near the top of the Harding route on Conness ~ 1979
Laurel Creek and Red and White Mt ~ 2017
Mary Erdei bailing on the Williamson Bowl in a white out ~ 1981
The 2nd chockstone, Humphreys direct approach ~ 2013
Rob Garneau on the long approach to Dade's North Face ~ 2011
The Fin section of the North Ridge of Lone Pine Peak ~ 2011
Morning view on the way to Longley Pass ~ 2015
Drainage from Merriam Lake headed for French Canyon ~ 2012
Morning on north side of Silver Pass ~ 2017
Sunset Davis Lake ~ 2016
Late spring sunrise Sawtooth Crest ~ 2012
Taking the high trail to Bullfrog Lake in May ~ 2015
Sunset over the Big Arroyo ~ 2017
Descending northeast peak of Goethe to Alpine Col ~ 2009
Climbing on the east face of Abbot ~ 2012
Morning magic on the long but mellow approach to Abbot and Mills ~ 2012
Spring time approach to University NW Face ~ 2014
Sunset and tarn north of Shout of Relief Pass ~ 2017
Kaweah Peaks at sunrise ~ 2014
Lupine in Lone Pine Creek drainage ~ 2014
Campsite at Lower Palisade Lake ~ 2013
Sunset LeConte Divide from Six Shooter Lake ~ 2019
Red Slate Mt from Dorothy Lake ~ 2018
Evening view of Palisades to Tom Ross from Larmarck Col ~ 1981
Sunrise Bear Creek Spire ~ 2013
Sunset over Thunder on the GWD ~ 2014
Great Western Divide from Upper Kern River Basin ~ 2019
Sunset at piute lakes ~ 2009
Sunrise from lower Lamarck Lake ~ 2012
Stormy sunrise on Minaret Crest from Summit Lake ~ 2018
Sunset at Kaweah Gap ~ 2017
Early morning start for McGee Pass ~ 2017
Campsite at the top of Cloud Canyon ~ 2015
Basin at the head of the North Fork of San Joaquin River ~ 2016
Storm front from Onion Valley Road ~ 2018
Mary Erdei on the way to the East Face of Mt Stanford ~ 1979
LeConte Divide - Hutton Peaks and Horseshoe Lake ~ 2019
Summit Ridge of Tyndall in May ~ 2014
Stormy monring at Panther Gap ~ 2015
North side of Haeckel ~ 2012
Sunrise on the North Face of Gilbert ~ 2012
Pourover in Lower Dusy Basin ~ 2013
Sunrise view from the north ridge of Lone Pine Peak ~ 2011
North side of Whitney from Russell ~ 2014
Sunrise at New Army Pass ~ 2013
Palisade Glacier from top of Starlight ~ 2018
Fir cone on forest floor ~ 2015
Storm view south of Tuttle Creek ~ 2014
Steel bridge over South Fork of San Joaquin River ~ 2016
Kaweah Peaks from the Tablelands ~ 2015
North Peak at sunrise ~ 2019
Evening view below Skyhaven ridge from the small tarn above Baker Lake ~ 2015
Storm clearing on the sw side of humphreys ~ 2009
Sunset Middle and Disappointment from Palisade Lakes ~ 2013
Sunset hikers Darwin Canyon ~ 2016
Campsite below New Army Pass near Long Lake ~ 2013
Fall color in Darwin Canyon ~ 2016
Upper Twin Island Lake ~ 2016
South Fork San Joaquin in Goddard Canyon ~ 2016
Sunrise Shepherd Creek above Anvil Camp ~ 2019
Late day view of lower Sawmill Canyon ~ 2014
Late afternoon view of Merriam Lake ~ 2012
Magee Pass Trail above Big Magee Lake ~ 2017
Big granite in Tuttle Creek drainage ~ 2015
Looking down at the jct of the Lyell Fork and Triple Peak for of the Merced ~ 2016
Brief storm clearing in the South Fork of Tuttle Creek ~ 2015
Northern Palisades - Sill to Winchell from Baker Lake Trail ~ 2015
Brainard Lake ~ 2015
Evening Kaweah River Valley from Pine Creek ~ 2017
Bear Paw Lake and Feather Peak at sunset ~ 2012
Glacier Divide from campsite above Mesa Lake ~ 2012
Ritter Range and Minarets from Bench Canyon ~ 2016
Frost Davis Lakes drainage, Ansel Adams Wilderness ~ 2016
North Pal, Starllight and Thunderbolt at sunrise ~ 2013
The Pothole - Shepherd Pass Trail ~ 2014
Campsite near Kaweah Gap ~ 2017
Pine cones in grass ~ 2018

What is it about the Range of Light that some people find so irresistible? Like any other alpine mountain range, the High Sierra is a land of extremes. Cowboy camping above the trees and under a blanket of stars happens all the time. But two of the most violent storms I've ever been part of have also happened here in the Sierra. Soft easy to follow trails through forest and meadow are often complimented by endless scree and rock hopping. To know these mountains well, you will certainly get a dose both the arduous and the sublime. Long, cold nights in the fall or short nights and hot days in early summer - it's all part of the package.

I can only answer for myself, but after all these years, being there appears to be the only thing I want to do with my vacation time. That might be saying alot since I live in New Hampshire.

This website is by no means a comprehensive guide to all things Sierra. There are other websites more qualified to wear that label. My hope is that the content here may be of some service to people who are interested in exploring and climbing in the High Sierra and might find that book marking this site will add to their knowledge of what's possible.

The ESA Gallery contains 3173 images gathered over many day trips and 171 nights out in the backcountry.

You can access on them in a number of ways. There is:

an interactive Image Map
a Flickr like list of Albums
a linked timeine of climbs by year.
a list of peaks climbed and
a search page with tag cloud

Some albums have a link to a map that shows campsite locations and if applicable, a fairly accurate overlay of cross country travel.