As a long-time local, I can’t even begin to count the number of times I have searched over the years for a good image of Mammoth Mountain with autumn colors. There have been many drives up and down Sherwin Creek Road, and of course an equal number of strolls all throughout the Snowcreek meadows area. I had stopped by this pond several times, but was always bothered by the cut grass around the edge. The light here is also best during mid-day, and I had trouble navigating that with the image. Ultimately, the image here came in October of 2013, after we had a light snowfall mid-month during peak colors in Mammoth. I thought of this spot and made an attempt at sunrise, but the morning light never happened. The second attempt there was perfect soft light from the east and a light dusting of snow to cover the manicured grass around the pond -- plus, there weren’t any of the usual ducks, leading to a near-perfect reflection of Mammoth Mountain!
