Endless adventures await on the East Side of the Sierra Nevada mountains, or what John Muir referred to as The Range of Light. It’s a day built for exploration, relaxation, and easy epic portraiture in the juniper and sage scented high desert nestled in between the unparalleled beauty of the Sierra Nevada Range to the west and White Mountains to the east. This package is an eclectic, geology-focused odyssey across the surreal beauty of the northern Eastern Sierra, based near Mono Lake along the endless desert beauty of Highway 395.
The Eastern Sierra is not just a landscape; it is a geologic memory, a place where the earth speaks in the language of salt, sage, and fire. We begin this odyssey not with the rush of a schedule, but with the warmth of gourmet mochas at our rig at South Tufa Reserve, fueling up before we take the short walk to the water’s edge. We provide a sanctuary from the elements—a spacious tent for you to change—so you can step out into the dawn at the edge of Mono Lake. This is a truly unique, alien backdrop beneath dawn’s glow washing over the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range.
Here, amidst the tufa towers that rise from the water like calcium ghosts, you share your first look. The silence is absolute, broken only by the call of migratory birds as the sun washes the Sierra Nevada in alpenglow. We launch our canoe from nearby Navy Beach into the glassy water, paddling through this alien world to capture portraits that feel less like a wedding and more like a landing on a new planet.
As the sun climbs, we leave the water for the dust, rambling into the high desert to hike among ancient sagebrush and wildflowers. We guide you into the Black Fissures, deep volcanic scars formed under an ancient forgotten sea that offer cool shade and a profound sense of intimacy, where your vows can echo off walls formed by the earth’s own heat. From the depths, we rise to the heights of Black Point to enjoy a celebratory toast, a first dance, and perhaps joyfully fly a kite in the basin breeze, overlooking the cinder cones and the vast Mono Lake, the saltiest of the lakes in the west.
As evening approaches, we stand among the wind-sculpted silent stone witnesses of Conway Summit for a sunset picnic and final portraits, before retreating through the open desert to the rustic embrace of Benton Hot Springs. There, under a sky crowded with stars, you end your day soaking in private mineral tubs, held by the warm water and the vast, dark quiet of the desert. This is not just a day; it is a crossing into a deeper world, together.
For extended trips, you may opt to book a stay in the historic, rustic charm of Benton Hot Springs, nestled in the high desert oasis valley. Your reception and celebratory soak could take place in this secluded, thermal oasis, providing a unique blend of adventure, history, and deeply relaxed intimacy. Here, you and your guests might unwind for a sunset or evening celebration. We would capture relaxed, celebratory moments, culminating in intimate, near-dark portraits as you soak in the mineral-rich private tubs beneath the incredible high-desert night sky. Starry night photos against the backdrop of the White Mountains and couple’s boudoir session available to add to this package.
This trip is easily expandable to a full day or multi-day package to explore natural wild hot springs in the Long Valley Caldera, 4×4 adventure up to the tippy top of Mount Patterson at 11k+ feet or a technical ramble up to Boy Scout Ridge, walk the ancient paths to observe prehistoric petroglyphs, explore the ghost town of Bodie, hike up the obsidian studded slopes of Glass Mountain, hike around Convict Lake, visit locations in Mammoth Lakes, or ascend into the White Mountains to stand amongst the Bristlecone Pine trees in the Methuselah Grove or the Patriarch Grove. There is SO MUCH to explore in this favorite back yard region not far from our home in the Sierras and we would be thrilled to take you on tour!
