Mt. Whitney From Cottonwood Lakes

The alpen-glow overtakes Mt. Whitney as dusk nears.

The Alpen-glow

Mt. Whitney Trip from Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead. June 2000.

After a stroll around the lake and a few pictures, I returned to my laundry and my chair for a relaxing afternoon. Dave also visited the pond, but decided against a dip in the clear waters of the pond. The Ranger for the area came by for a visit and we all talked for a while until she eventually departed for her cabin. Eventually it was time to fire up the stove, and as we finished dinner we admired the alpen-glow on the surrounding peaks, especially Whitney, which finally revealed its jagged and fluted sides in the evening light. We were on the western slopes and over 11000 feet, so we enjoyed the very last dregs of sunlight and evening afterglow. We had a fire-pit nearby supplied with wood, but we almost never have fires at that time of year, and this trip was no exception. So when it was finally dark and we were tired of reading in our chairs, we retreated to our bags to read some more before sleep finally overtook us beneath the stars.