High Sierra

Along the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada mountains, Inyo National Forest sprawls in a long, narrow band, encompassing nearly 3,000 square miles of mountain forest, canyons, glaciers, lakes, and meadows. Camping at high elevation in the remote region of Big Pine Canyon, I enjoyed being awakened at dawn each day by the cackling, chattering voices of Steller's jays and acorn woodpeckers outside my tent.