Rocky outcrop on Mt Tam

Following-up on my previous post, after being swallowed into the sea of gray at my first location, I drove out of the cloud and stopped at a rocky outcrop that was still above the fog. Despite being on opposite coasts, the texture and patterns in the stone reminded me of the glacier-scarred granite of Cadillac Mountain in Acadia (a place where I have unsuccessfully tried to photograph a similar vantage above the fog). The leading lines in stones like this capture my imagination, though I had trouble finding the right vantage to include both the stone and the distant rising fog.

Enveloped by fog, Mount Tamalpais State Park

In contrast to my 2014 trip, when I was scrambling to find the right pullout before missing the sunset, I arrived with plenty of time to spare on this trip. I chose my spot and sat on a rocky outcrop with enough time to meditate in the evening sunshine. Unknowingly, I selected a vantage point that was a little too low in elevation for the day’s weather conditions. I enjoyed watching the rising fog creep up the valleys and lap up against the lower outcrops of pines. Suddenly, something changed and the fog rapidly rose and fully enveloped my position. I went from warm sunlight and colors to being submerged in cold windy gray in just a few moments. Despite my best intentions of selecting one place for the sunset, I now had to race down the narrow trail of the hillside in thick pea soup to find my rental car so that I could drive to a higher elevation to take advantage of the remaining light somewhere else.

Island in the fog, Mount Tamalpais State Park

The lure is strong to be above the coastal fog for a sunset when I manage to make it back to California for photography, and I've tried to plan for one evening each trip to be on Ridgecrest Blvd in Mount Tamalpais State Park. I love watching the dynamics of the rising tide of fog filling the valleys, and in this case, forming small hilltop islands set in a sea of roiling moisture.

Last rays of sunlight above the fog, Mount Tamalpais State Park

As I mentioned in my previous post, I am enamored with landscape photographs that take place above the fog. I've seen so many glorious images of the Golden Gate Bridge draped in fog over the years, and I recall a specific image from this area of Mt Tam that appeared in a CSPF bulletin a few years back. I had always wanted to try to capture such an image myself, but regrettably never made the opportunity for myself while living in California. It took until my trip back to the west coast last summer to finally be present with the right conditions. Though as I wrote about last year, I still ended up pulling into a turnout different than I had intended as time was running out.

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Island in a sea of fog, Mount Tamalpais State Park

I've previously written about my experience of chasing the sunset above the marine layer on my summer trip to California this year. It was a spectacular experience, and something I wish I had taken the time to do more often back when Mt. Tam used to be visible outside our kitchen window! I took a variety of images from the few pullouts I had time to stop at that day, and I think maybe this one is my favorite. I strongly considered it for my Favorite Photographs of 2014 post, but ultimately it was just outside my top ten.

View more landscape photographs from Marin County, California.

Sunset above the fog, Mount Tamalpais State Park

The last rays of golden light illuminate hillsides above the marine layer on Mt Tam

On my summer trip to Point Reyes, I included a single sunset in my schedule to photograph the Golden Gate Bridge, which I had hoped would be bathed in partial fog. I spent the afternoon photographing quail in Tennessee Valley and drove to the bridge for the golden hour. To my dismay, the entire scene was completely fogged in, enough that I couldn't even see the bridge from the first pullout on Conzelman Road. Instead of waiting for the slim chance that the fog might lift, I made a last-minute change of plans to get above the marine layer along the crest of Mount Tam. I ascended the mountain under heavy gray, and eventually burst into the warm colors of sunset as I drove for the pullouts on Ridgecrest Boulevard. I was pressed for time with the sun already close to the horizon, but what a sight to see the warm colors of sunset offset by the cool fog. It was breathtaking, and Marin yet again delivered another of my favorite experiences.

Trees frame a fairly tale scene above the fog