
Hot Creek hydrothermal system is in Mono County in the eastern Sierras in California. It is yet another gem on the Eastern Sierra. Mammoth Creek winds its way through the high valley with 11,000-foot peaks all around. While the primary water source is snow melt from the surrounding mountains as the water seeps into the ground it is heated by a hydrothermal system and through several springs comes back to the surface very warm.
In the valley in this VAST photo the hot springs form from two faults underground which discharge super heated water to the gorge. The area is very active and known to have sudden changes in geothermal activity. Some areas around the springs suddenly began shooting water up to 6 feet in the air. Other time steam vents have been known to open (or close) at random.
I created this image in the early morning just after sunrise. As it was very late in the summer the mornings were very cool and the steam from the vents could be easily seen. The green gorge and meandering river lead the view into the distant mountains that are just receiving the first light from the east.
Date & Time | August 29, 2021: 6:39am |
Location | Mammoth Lakes, California |
Coordinates | 37.663790, -118.826886 |
Focal Length | 135mm |
Aperture | F/11 |
Shutter | 1/80 |
ISO | 200 |
Num of Exposures | 18 |
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Total Pixels | 439,151,220 px |
Width | 24,867 px |
Height | 17,660 px |
Aspect Ratio | 1.41 : 1 |
Date & Time | August 29, 2021: 6:39am |
Location | Mammoth Lakes, California |
Coordinates | 37.663790, -118.826886 |
Focal Length | 135mm |
Aperture | F/11 |
Shutter | 1/80 |
ISO | 200 |
Num of Exposures | 18 |
Here are some rough guidelines for this specific photo: