Have you ever heard of the Altamont Pass Wind Farm? We went for a drive the other day and I took a few pictures of it. The road we were on called Patterson Pass was SO BUSY! It was just before commute time and those who live in the Bay Area know how bad the commute is around there. There were very few places to stop especially at that time, so I’d like to go back on a weekend at sunset to see if it’s less busy.
Altamont Pass Brief Description:
It is located in the Altamont Pass of the Diablo Range in Central California, and it’s one of the earliest wind farms in the United States. The first wind turbines were placed on the Altamont by Fayette Manufacturing Corporation on land owned by cattle rancher Joe Jess. The wind farm is composed of 4930 relatively small wind turbines of various types, making it at one time the largest farm in the world in terms of capacity. Altamont Pass is still the largest concentration of wind turbines in the world, with a capacity of 576 megawatts (MW), producing about 125 MW on average and 1.1 terawatt-hours (TWh) yearly. They were installed after the 1970’s energy crisis in response to favorable tax policies for investors.
You can find out more about the Altamont Pass Wind Farm by clicking on the hyperlink.
Altamont Wind Farm
Please check Leanne Cole’s blog out later today for the entire gallery.
Laura Macky Photography 
March 17, 2015 at 2:20 am
No, I’ve never heard of it. But now I know. Very interesting report and amazing pic!!
Greetings from Oviedo, Asturias, Spain.
Jose Yebra
March 17, 2015 at 7:24 am
Glad you enjoyed reading about the Altamont and that you liked the pic! Thank you Jose!
March 17, 2015 at 2:40 am
Wow Laura .. What a great shot! Clever you 🙂
March 17, 2015 at 7:24 am
Thank you! You know me, always trying to come up with something different! 🙂
March 17, 2015 at 2:49 am
Nice shot! 🙂
March 17, 2015 at 7:24 am
Thank you!
March 17, 2015 at 2:53 am
The photo looks almost un real… and that means it’s brilliant…
March 17, 2015 at 7:25 am
Aw thanks Rob! I appreciate it!
March 17, 2015 at 2:56 am
Magnificent!!!!
March 17, 2015 at 7:25 am
Thank you itseme! I’m glad you liked it. 🙂
March 17, 2015 at 3:29 am
Really effective Laura and so interesting, nice capture 🙂
March 17, 2015 at 7:25 am
I’m glad you liked it and thank you. I wondered about it truthfully but then I thought oh what the heck! 🙂
March 17, 2015 at 6:01 pm
Best way to think Laura, 🙂
March 17, 2015 at 5:13 am
Have never seen this perspective. Great shot Laura!
March 17, 2015 at 7:26 am
That Patterson Pass is a great place….next time at a non-commute time though! Thanks much Ravi. 🙂
March 17, 2015 at 6:10 am
Its breath-taking! beautiful article.
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March 17, 2015 at 7:26 am
Thank you faisal. I’m glad you liked it. Welcome to word press!
March 17, 2015 at 6:13 am
Stunning
March 17, 2015 at 7:27 am
Rosie, thank you!
March 17, 2015 at 6:31 am
It’s crazy that people don’t want these in the countryside becuase they’re apparently ruining the beauty of the countryside, but really I think they’re just a different kind of pretty!
March 17, 2015 at 7:28 am
I’m glad you think that way Becky. For this kind of thing which is much needed I think it’s a great use of the land. Thank you for your comments. 🙂
March 17, 2015 at 7:09 am
A lot of good knowledge… Didnt realize there were so many…
March 17, 2015 at 7:28 am
Isn’t it amazing? In my prior life, I went inside one of the bigger windmills once. They’re quite high tech inside! Thanks Juan.
March 17, 2015 at 7:54 am
Wow im impressed.. There is a ladder?
March 17, 2015 at 8:00 am
well yes to get to the top but all the technology is inside at the base. The big ones have little doors at the bottom.
March 17, 2015 at 7:15 am
So effective in Monochrome Laura 🙂 They are so huge, such a presence when you are up close to them. There is a strength to their structure and hope to what they are producing (and how) that I just really admire these wind farms. Great capture.
March 17, 2015 at 7:29 am
Thank you so much for your thoughtful observations Carrie. They really do have a presence about them. I think travelers often stop but they’re on the main road which isn’t quite as impactful as this smaller road on the backside. I’m going to go for a sunset shot next time!
March 17, 2015 at 7:42 am
I have walked directly under them on the Pacific Crest Trail outside of Palm Springs, they make a chest humming whir. At sunset will be brilliant!
March 17, 2015 at 8:00 am
Oh cool Carrie. I remember I went inside one of these windmills once because of my job back in the day and they are quite high tech. I remember the feeling what you describe too.
March 17, 2015 at 7:38 am
Very nice photograph. I have seen big wind mills driving outside of Chicago. Have not been able to photograph since they are along the highway.
March 17, 2015 at 7:41 am
Thanks so much. I wasn’t on the freeway but people are always stopping on the freeway to take pictures of them too but the vantage point there isn’t as good as it is on this smaller road behind the hills. I need to go at sunset next time and not at commute hour. The back road is nuts! There is also a huge wind farm near Palm Springs.
March 17, 2015 at 8:20 am
The wind farm I have seen is not as big as the one in your photo. Plus is far away from the highway. I don’t have a 70-200 or other long lens so it’s difficult to photograph. Thanks for sharing. And would like to see what you come up with at sunset
March 17, 2015 at 8:48 am
Will do, thanks! As soon as I get over this month-long cold…. geez
March 17, 2015 at 8:07 am
Beautiful wind farm via your lens, Laura! Thank you for sharing the info.
March 17, 2015 at 8:08 am
Thank you Amy. Glad I could share it! 🙂
March 17, 2015 at 8:59 am
El superbo! Or, in native Greek – BetaDelta ThetaGammaZeta!
March 17, 2015 at 9:24 am
Efharistò Raj! You are so funny. 😀
March 17, 2015 at 8:10 pm
Oh blimey! You speak Greek? I must try Chinese next time!
I do speak a bit of Chinese, actually!
March 17, 2015 at 8:41 pm
I know only food items…chow mein, wonton, fried lice..I mean rice… Terrible I know lol.
March 17, 2015 at 10:23 pm
Knowing the people of South China, they may also eat fried lice;)
March 17, 2015 at 10:36 pm
lol we are so bad
March 17, 2015 at 10:45 pm
True, true!
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March 17, 2015 at 10:06 am
This is fantastic, excellent photo!
March 17, 2015 at 11:01 am
Thanks so much John!
March 17, 2015 at 10:14 am
I love this in B&W- totally made for this treatment.
March 17, 2015 at 11:02 am
Thank you Vannillarock. It was pretty in color but not as nice as the B&W.
March 17, 2015 at 11:21 am
love what you have done here!!
March 17, 2015 at 1:13 pm
Thank you!
March 17, 2015 at 11:40 am
That’s not a farm….it’s a forest
March 17, 2015 at 1:13 pm
LOL true. 😉
March 17, 2015 at 11:45 am
Great photo… God, these things terrify me… I believe, one day, they may uproot themselves and start marching 🙂
March 17, 2015 at 1:13 pm
LOL…now that is a scary thought!
March 17, 2015 at 12:32 pm
Wow! Fabulous shot! I know that there is varied opinions about these wind turbines (all over the world). When I see then – usually in a mountainous region on Italy (especially) they really are amazing to see and do not harm natures landscape (in my opinion). Beautiful!
March 17, 2015 at 1:14 pm
Thank you! It’s nice that we humans try to save the planet.
March 18, 2015 at 9:39 am
Yes it is and we all need to try and do what we can to save it.
March 18, 2015 at 9:49 am
Agree completely!
March 17, 2015 at 2:30 pm
Great picture, I love the way you have captured the essence of wind in the image.
And by the way “…Pass Wind Farm” doesn’t anyone else find that funny?! 😉
March 17, 2015 at 2:32 pm
hahahahahaha omg I am cracking up! Nice catch Katie! lol
March 17, 2015 at 2:33 pm
Sorry for the infantile humour! 😉
March 17, 2015 at 2:34 pm
No no, it’s fine…cracked me up, thank you!
March 17, 2015 at 4:42 pm
Fab stuff
March 17, 2015 at 6:32 pm
Thank you Alex!
March 17, 2015 at 7:23 pm
whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh…
March 17, 2015 at 8:39 pm
LOL! That’s about it!
March 18, 2015 at 11:19 am
With that many, the ground is going to fly away. 🙂
March 18, 2015 at 12:05 pm
LOL!! I’m glad I didn’t get swept up in it!
March 18, 2015 at 12:30 pm
I really like wind farms 🙂 Something very peaceful about them! Great image Laura, so many layers and levels!
March 18, 2015 at 1:44 pm
Thank you! I can’t wait to go back for sunset some time.
March 18, 2015 at 3:46 pm
Great photo.
I wish there were many more wind farms around the world!
March 18, 2015 at 3:57 pm
Thank you Truels. I feel the same!
March 20, 2015 at 12:04 am
Very cool shot. It has a ghostly feel to it.
March 20, 2015 at 7:08 am
Thank you. Good observation. It does indeed.