Mono Lake in California, U.S.A., is truly a unique site. In order to protect this fragile environment, an act of Congress was passed in 1984 that designated the Mono Basin as the first ever National Scenic Area. Limestone tuft columns, or “towers,” rise from the highly saline,(greater than most oceans,) and alkaline lake water (there is no natural drainage.) Huge flocks of seagulls nest here, but the real “stars” of this scenic area are the tufa formations. Some look like stalactite or stalagmites you would see in caves; others look like petrified animals, or other mythological creatures.
In the following, I’ve created a show of my personal photographs of the area that emphasize the topsy-turvy nature of the limestone tufa. I’ve put them to music that also twists and turns, forwards and reverse, inside-out. Similar to the columns, it’s hard to tell the top from the bottom. Visit this area off of Route 395 if you ever get the chance.