Event Details

Tectonic activity has lifted the Sierra Nevada Mountains to form massive barriers penetrating into a rarified atmosphere. We celebrate the stunning diversity of microclimates and life zones encountered at each elevation. We will travel from the rain shadow slopes just above 6,000’, up to Tioga Lake near 10,000’, to sense the dizzying array of rock formations, landscapes, climates, and plant communities. We will even make birding stops when you insist. What surprises might we encounter as we ascend such spectacular rock walls? We will test our skills at forecasting short-term changes in the weather and speculate about how climate change is rewriting the natural history script. How do birds and other plant and animal life adjust to such changes in these challenging environments?

(est. driving miles: 30; moderate walking, 3 miles)