During what's rumored to be a poor year for Fall color spotting, we head off to the Sierras anyways to search for ourselves.
We clamor around the lake edge, hoping to find some hidden patch of trees rebelling against this year's apparent lack in color.
At first, we see little sign of the peak foliage these mountains are known for.
As we climb a reddish Foxtail Pine we scope out patches of mostly golden & green leaves, but none of the orange, red & rare purple we hoped for.
Further up we find small group of orange leaves.
After searching for awhile we turn back with plans to visit a pond we think might be have better results.
While nothing magazine cover worthy, the pond offered the best scenery yet, as a vibrant band of yellow trees rimmed the water's edge.
Hopping along the rocks for awhile we brainstorm our next move.
We try our luck at another lake, but strike out. Even though the color's continue to elude us, this is what makes Fall color spotting so addicting; its unpredictable.
Pulling out a last resort option, we venture towards a meadow notorious for putting on a good display even during the worst years. And the move pays off.
Leaving the leaves behind, we wander towards the spacey Mono Lake with its alien-looking tufa towers.
Perhaps one of the most undervalued aspects of Autumn is the yellowy sage hue the grasses change to.
On our way back to camp we stop by a granite canyon for the tail-end of sunset. Wasn't much later when we hopped in our tent, worn out from the day's misadventures.
Having gone to bed early, waking up for sunrise was less of an effort than normally required. The still glass-like lake glowed as the morning birds began their daily ritual of singing & feeding.
Peaking just above the foothills, the Sierras cloaked themselves in a peachy alpine glow.
Growing up far removed from small town normalities, even something as simple as a roadside horse seems like a sight to behold as we drive to a BLM Wilderness for some more exploring.
The Sierras were born in a volcanic age & if you know where to look, you can find remnants of that geologic story.
A mixture of red & black volcanic sand forms a small series of desert dunes.
Resembling something like the surface of Mars, the whole "explore like a Cosmonaut" idea starts to take on a literal feel. Earth may be only one planet, but it harbors a multitude of worlds.
Drawn in by the alluring space-age scenery we wandered about, cloaked in near silence.
Nearby a water-carved lava canyon presents yet another reminder of the Sierra's volcanic past.
Perfect circles shaped by whirlpool-like water erosion created a fun opportunity to climb inside the rocky capsule.
Scattered about for miles, the black lava rock testifies to the colossal magnitude the volcano erupted with.
Unable to resist the temptation, we climb down into the water-slick lava rock canyon.
This canyon was created when a volcanic eruption temporarily redirected a river over a bed of hardened lava rock from an even older eruption.
Sometimes the most unlikely combination of events coalesce to form a one-of-kind spectacle.
With the scarlet cinder cone looming in the distance, we wander through a field of scattered lava rock back to the car as yet another Misadventure comes to a close.