Exploring Little Known Gold Country Sites in the Sierra Foothills - Time Above The Inversion Clouds

In this video we make the trek Eastward to the Sierra Nevada foothills, and rediscover the long-lost sunlight we haven't witnessed in 21 days on the Central Valley floor. It's a unique weather phenomena, triggered by high precipitation that is followed by cold, clear night skies, high atmospheric pressure below in the Valley, and warm, high pressure air above. This unique set of conditions creates a thick cloud layer between 1,200 and 2,000 feet above the Valley floor, which acts like a lid, trapping the cold, moist air beneath. This phenomena is not uncommon in the Central Valley winters, but what is not common is for it to last more than just a few to several days. This year - lasted more than 21 days! As uncomfortable as the condition is to us living in the Valley below, it creates a very interesting and unique opportunity for photographers to capture some amazing photographs. In this video I attempt - and mostly succeed - to find the best locations for capturing images depicting these unique conditions. While canvassing the Sierra Nevada foothills East of Merced and near Highway 140, I explore some smaller and often forgotten Gold Country mining towns and sites, discovering what remains of these once active areas along California's Mother Lode region. The day was a fascinating journey through some often overlooked pieces of history, all the while capturing some 'better than average' images of a very unique weather phenomena. As always, we appreciate you joining us for this curious yet fun experience of chasing clouds through history. #Inversion #tulefog #goldcountry #sierranevada #motherlode #californiahistory