The Eastern Sierra is often referred to as “the other side of California." California's High Sierra Region's eastern kingdom is filled with some of the Sierra's most rugged and magnificent terrain. The eastern Sierra stretches from Lone Pine in the south to the Nevada line in the north and contains many of the Sierra's most awe inspiring settings. From the highest mountain in the lower U.S., Mount Whitney to the eastern entrance to Yosemite National Park, this side of the sierra is truly remarkable.
A fresh snow blankets a forest of Ponderosa Pines near Mammoth Lakes, California. Ponderosa Pine is perhaps the most beloved of the Western pines. Its soft texture and light color distinguish it from the Southern pines; its wood is among the most beautiful of all pines. Withstanding of high winds and generally fire resistant, the ponderosa pine is the most widely distributed species of its genus in North America. The prolific ponderosa reproduces through seeds in cones and takes about two years to fully mature. Ponderosa pines can be found all across the country -- from Yosemite National Park in California and Hells Canyon Wilderness in Oregon to Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota and Colorado’s Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.
