In Ansel's Footsteps

Precipice Lake, Sequoia National Park, California, August 1985

If you are familiar with the photography of Ansel Adams, you will immediately recognize this blatant attempt to copy his classic 1932 photograph "Frozen Lake and Cliffs." But that is just the beginning of the story.

A great admirer of Ansel Adams, my friend Rick Scott had gotten the idea to visit the lake where Adams had taken his famous photo. Upon discovering that it was named Precipice Lake, and was several days walk from the nearest road in Sequoia National Park, Rick hatched a grander plan: to cross the entire Sierra Nevada on foot through the park, visiting the lake on the way. In this way, a photo in a book became the impetus for a nine-day, eighty-mile hike. Six of us, full of the stamina of youth, hoisted our packs and set off down that trail.

During those nine days, we swam in crystal-clear lakes, gazed into rushing river waters at the trout within, watched deer cautiously cross pristine meadows, soaked our muscles in hot springs ... and relived it all each evening around a crackling campfire. Yes, we saw Precipice Lake, with its dramatic granite cliffs dropping straight into the water. And standing there, in the same spot where Ansel had stood, I was compelled to take my own humble imitation of his photograph. But we saw so much more. The real lesson of a great wilderness photograph is that there exist wild places beyond, unknown and unseen, and they call to us.

Rick, Warren, Pete, Doug, Rod ... gallant lads all ... I will never forget you, nor the adventure we shared all those years ago.