UPLAND

Equal parts harsh and majestic, California’s high sierra region inspires awe at every turn. Formed at a glacial pace over millions of years, its pristine vistas stand as a striking monument to the supreme power and beauty of nature. In the quiet solitude, we reflect and meditate, breathing in the cool mountain air, perfumed with the fresh, coniferous aroma of the jeffrey pine. On the breeze, the faintest hit of the bracing, herbaceous scent of juniper berry. Beneath your feet you feel the crunching of pine needles and broken twigs. The intoxicating aroma of damp earth and pinecones fills your lungs. Higher still, the great conifers begin to give way to sweet grass and wildflowers. They line the banks of glacial lakes—remarkably blue and impossibly still. Here, the scents possess an almost kaleidoscopic quality as they pull apart before snapping back together in infinite combinations.