Shhh... listen closely. There is a sound that accompanies a rising sun. Not the rush of wind in the trees, or birds celebrating dawn, but the unmistakable and energetic sound of a new sun. It is heard in special places. From the backyard tree, or a grandparent's porch; along the shore, or high in the mountains. It echoes through your heart, and mind, and rejuvenates your soul! It renews your view of the world. More...

Shhh... listen closely. There is a sound that accompanies a rising sun. Not the rush of wind in the trees, or birds celebrating dawn, but the unmistakable and energetic sound of a new sun. It is heard in special places. From the backyard tree, or a grandparent's porch; along the shore, or high in the mountains. It echoes through your heart, and mind, and rejuvenates your soul! It renews your view of the world.

This Kodachrome photograph was taken near the junction of highways 203 and 395, near Mammoth Lakes, California. If you were to turn the camera 180 degrees you would see Mammoth Mountain basking in the early morning sun.

You could have captioned this photo "Long Valley Caldera, South Moat." The area in the photograph borders the southern edge of the caldera and is the site of many of the earthquakes and microquakes affecting the Mammoth Lakes region. The USGS Long Valley Caldera site underscores the importance of the USGS and its programs by providing timely information about past, present and future volcanic activity in the Mammoth Lakes and Mono Lake area.