Mobius Arch from Dusk till Dawn

Once Hollywood’s favorite western location, the Alabama Hills Recreation Area provides a playground for photographers and outdoor enthusiasts. Twisted knobby rocks, arches, and the spectacular backdrop of the Sierra Nevada and the Inyo Mountains create a spectacular wonderland of strange alien shapes.

Located at the foothills of California’s tallest mountain, Mt. Whitney, the round granite rocks of the Alabama Hills contradict the jagged mountainous backdrop.

Many tourists have never heard of the Bureau of Land Management controlled park. You do not need to fight for space, even on a busy holiday weekend. The Alabama Hills are therefore the perfect getaway for stressed photographers. Plan an extra day during your next Death Valley tour and visit the Alabama Hills. You will not regret it!

How to get there

My car in front of Mt. Whitney

On the intersection of US-395 and CA-136 in Lone Pine, you will find a regional visitor center. Here you can pick up information regarding the Alabama Hills and many other fascinating places. The rangers are not always fully up to speed or motivated. You need to ask specific questions to get answers, but you can pick up a few printed pages showing the roads and some of the most prominent features.

Take Whitney Portal Road west from Lone Pine (traffic light intersection). Follow it about 2.7 miles to Movie Flat Road, which turns right. It becomes a dirt road after a short while, but you should have little problems with a passenger sedan in dry weather.

GPS position

Movie Flat Road Turnoff:

• 36°35’44.01″N 118° 6’31.72″W

Mobius Arch:

• 36°36’48.757″N 118° 7’32.541″W

Lathe Arch:

• 36°36’48.128″N 118° 7’33.248″W

Heart Arch:

• 36°36’43.206″N 118° 7’26.01″W

Eye of Alabama:

• 36°36’57.59″N 118° 7’0.54″W

Cyclops:

• 36°37′ 48″ N 118°08′ 07″ W

Charred Arch:

• 36°37’14.527″N 118° 6’36.275″W

How to photograph the Alabama Hills

Mobius Arch backlit

The picture at the beginning of the Article shows Mobius Arch during sunset, at night, and during sunrise. The light is very different for each of the photographs, yet each has its own special appeal. The top left shot is a sunset shot with the Inyo Mountains in the background. I took this picture about 45 minutes before sunset. Since the Sierra Nevada blocks the sun, you need to arrive at least one hour before sunset if you want light on the arch.

I took the top right photograph a couple of hours later, about 40 minutes after sunset. I combined several individual photographs, to deal with the high dynamic range of the scene.

The next two photographs are one hour further into the night. The shape of one snow capped mountain in the background is still visible. I used a powerful flashlight and painted the rocks with it. Both photographs are roughly from the same point of view. I moved with the flashlight. It helps to have a friend help you operate the shutter, especially when you are on the opposite side of the rock. A wireless remote control may work too.

I took the next photograph at dawn, as the first light hit the mountains. In this photograph, I framed Mt. Whitney using the arch. This required me to lay almost flat with the tripod legs bent nearly 180 degrees.

The last photograph of the collection shows the arch just as the first rays of the rising sun hit it. The deep red light on the Sierra Nevada has already started to fade, as the new day is now nearly one hour young.

Alabama Hills Wash HDR

During the day, the landscape looks flat. The warm hues of sunset and sunrise bring out the color in the rocks and the nearly horizontal vertical angle adds a three dimensional quality. The reddish hues of the stones contrast favorably with the blue sky.

Pay attention to the light and you can create good photographs even during the day. In the image of Charred Arch below, I used its strong shadows to frame the hills in the background. Look for shadows and think about ways to use them to your advantage! Sometimes an object casts a shadow onto a canvas that looks even more interesting due to the form of the canvas.

Go where there are no people! An entire bus of tourists visited Mobius Arch during my second night. Instead of competing for space, I decided to get a closer view of Heart Arch (below) and take advantage of the low angle of the sun. On my way back, I discovered the fascinating light and shadows in a small wash (image above). I used a white angle lens to create the star like form of the sun. Then I set up my camera on a tripod to create several exposures. This allowed me to keep sufficient detail in the shadows and highlights. I used HDR Photostudio to create this image.

I would not have discovered this place if I had not wandered around. If you have time, it is always a good idea to stray from the beaten path. An early arrival gives you the best chance to scout out good locations and alternatives. Make mental notes of locations and keep them in the back of your mind in case your primary location does not work out.

Charred Arch

Over 400 undocumented arches and features hide in those wonderful hills. Many of them are very hard to find, like Charred Arch (above). The arch is barely visible against the rocks. To take a photograph, you have to wedge yourself between the arch and the rocks and lean back as far as possible.

Nevertheless, you can use these features to create beautiful images. If you follow the GPS coordinates above, you will get to exactly the same places I stood when I created some of the images here. To see more images, follow the gallery link below, where you will also find a link to a site with 400 coordinates.

Heart Arch

Add the Alabama Hills to your list of must-see places and visit this spectacular landscape. You will be rewarded with a uniquely fascinating shooting opportunity.

Best Time of the Day and Best Season

Sunrise offers the best light. The Sierra Nevada will still have a snow crown in late spring and early summer. Summer months are hot.

Time required

You can spend one hour for a quick tour or up to two days, exploring the hills in depth. I recommend at least half a day. More is better.

Equipment

• Wide-angle lens
• Zoom lens
• Tripod and cable release
• CP filter
• Split ND filter
• Warming filter
• Flashlight
• Headlamp
• Duster and camera cleaning equipment
• Water (lots of it)
• Knee pads or a small pillow

Fees

There is no entrance fee.

Close Locations

• Cerro Gordo
• Darwin
• McGee Canyon
• Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest
• Trona Pinnacles
• Ballarat Ghost Town
• Darwin Falls
• Aguereberry Point
• Saline Valley
• Harrisburg Ghost Town
• Red Rock Canyon State Park
• Randsburg Ghost Town
• Silver City Ghost Town

Useful Resources

• AH on Bureau of Land Management Site
• Extensive List of Arches in Alabama Hills
• Alabama Hills Gallery

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Trona Pinnacles

The Trona Pinnacles are a strange and alien landscape of giant tufa formations stretching skyward. Strange enough, to serve as the “Planet of the Apes” in the 2001 remake of the movie.

The calcium carbonate tufa rocks are similar to those you can find in Mono Lake, only much larger. When you are standing in the punishing heat of this desert, it is hard to imagine that this area was under water many centuries ago.

Owing to their bizarre nature, the Pinnacles provide a wonderful opportunity for photography. The remote location makes it a good place for those who seek solitude.

How to get there

Car at the Trona Pinnacles

The dirt road to the pinnacles starts at Highway 178 at GPS marker: 35°40’53.64″N 117°23’28.83″W. You can drive the 5-mile long dirt road with a passenger car during dry weather. A few years ago, when I first came here in a Mitsubishi Eclipse, there was a large rut at the end. During my last visit, the road was far smoother and even a primitive restroom is now available at the pinnacles.

GPS position

• 35°37’8.22″N 117°22’22.09″W

How to photograph the Trona Pinnacles

Trona railroad tracks

After about 1.2 miles on the dirt road, you will get to a railway crossing. A good composition includes the rails, leading into the distance toward the pinnacles. Technically, you are on the railroads property and not supposed to walk on the tracks, but as you can legally cross the track on foot, nobody can prevent you from taking a photo while doing so. Use a medium telephoto lens to bring the distant pinnacles closer to the track. The focal length of the image above is 90mm and I used a Canon 7D.

Take your time at the pinnacles. Wear a hat when you walk around and take water with you, even for short distances. It can get very hot, but it is also worth it to explore the area and take a short walk to a higher elevation vantage point. Look for interesting rock formations in the foreground that either mimic or complement the background rocks, that help you frame a shot, or that simply draw the viewer into the picture.

Trona Pinnacles Tunnel View

Drive around to get a better sense of this place. Change your vantage point. Walk up to the base of a giant tufa or crouch down and shoot the spires from below.

Always frame horizontal and vertical shots. Sometimes the results can surprise you.

Best Time of the Day and Best Season

Clearly, sunrise or sunset is best to bring out color and texture in the rocks. Unfortunately, the location of the pinnacles makes this hard, unless you stay in Ridgecrest, which you shouldn’t.Avoid the summer, which is gruelingly hot at the Pinnacles. Temperatures can reach up to 120 degrees F (49 degrees C).

Time required

The drive takes about 30 minutes each way from Highway 178. Two hours are sufficient for photography.

Equipment

• CP filter for your lens
• Zoom Lens
• Tripod and Cable release
• Flashlight (light painting the pinnacles)
• Headlamp (keep your hands free)
• Water, Water, Water
• Polarized Sunglasses (great to gauge the effect of a CP filter)

Fees

There is no entrance fee to visit the Pinnacles.

Close Locations

• Ballarat Ghost Town
• Red Rock Canyon State Park
• Randsburg Ghost Town
• Silver City Ghost Town
• Fossil Falls
• Darwin
• Darwin Falls
• Aguereberry Point
• Father Crowley Viewpoint
• Saline Valley
• Harrisburg Ghost Town
• Skidoo Ghost Town
• Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest
• Calico Ghost Town
• Kelso Dunes

Useful Resources

• Trona Pinnacles on the BLM Website

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