Rime ice in San Diego? Yeeup.

scole

For the better part of a month, I've been unable to go out and shoot due to other obligations. I've been dying to get out but the week of Christmas found me in my hometown of San Diego. I decided that I did have enough time to squeeze in a hike while down here so I picked a hike up to the top of Cuyamaca Peak in the Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. Located about 50 miles east of San Diego, the landscape normally consists of oak woodland in the valley and a largely pine forest at the highest elevations (including 6,512' Cuyamaca Peak).

I say "normally" because the area was extensively burned in 2007. I thought this might present some unique photo opportunities (especially since I had done this hike way back in 1992). The day I headed out was clear, cool, and sunny with an added bonus of a light dusting of snow on the ground. The day or two prior to my arrival brought extreme winds and precipitation to the mountains which brought about the development of the rime ice I referred to in my post title.

I ended up processing quite a number of photos from my outing so there's a fair number of photos to follow...

1. Green Valley


2. Green Valley


3. Murder of Crows


4.


5. Dead trees everywhere


6. Snow filled bark


7. Life and death


8. Snow pocket


9.


10. Before and after from approximately the same general area. Stonewall Peak in the distance


11. Icy grip


12.


13. Very burnt


14. Snow and rime ice


15. Starburst


16. Moonrise and rime ice


17. Watching over


18. Summit panorama looking north and northwest


19. Summit panorama looking northeast and east


20. Summit rime ice


Thanks for looking. Happy Holidays!

Cuong

Steve, these are fantastic.

Cuong

scole

Appreciate the compliment, Cuong. It was a different environment than what I'm used to.