Hot Creek winding through its gorge, faint steam over the water and morning light on Mammoth Mountain, California.

August Steam

Hot Creek Geological Site, Mammoth Lakes, California

August mornings at Hot Creek are warm, but the water is hot enough that it still steams at sunrise, and that steam was the whole plan. I wanted the vents smoking in the bends of the creek while first light landed on Mammoth Mountain behind them, so I was on the rim above the creek before the sun cleared the ridge. The window is short — as soon as the air warms up, the steam thins to nothing.

Nikon Z 7_2 · NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S · 34mm · f/11 · 1.6s · ISO 31

August 12, 2026

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