Little Lakes Valley – May 31-June 1, 2025
I usually only post duplicate trip reports when the second trip has an interesting feature missing from the prior report. In truth, this was a very last minute trip with the only goal being astrophotography. I had tried to capture the Milky Way above Bear Creek Spire last September, but it was too late in the year and I had brought the wrong lens. This time, armed with much more technical skills, I was successful.
I used this trip primarily as a way to allow my body to acclimate to the high altitudes again without too much physical effort. I only hiked a couple of miles to camp at Heart Lake and truthfully spent most of the day reading and sleeping. A rainstorm moved in at sunset but left me with the most spectacular pink hues. I was able to use my star tracker to get a very clean shot of the Milky Way core over Bear Creek Spire as well as a reflection on the lake. Included below is also a bonus shot from Hot Creek site the evening before.
—Justin
