Bierstadt has approached this painting in a different manner than many of his mountain scenes.  He often uses ponds, lakes and other water features to anchor the foreground elements of the painting, but here we find ourselves in the midst of the Sierra Mountains.  Bierstadt may be trying to convey the impression that you might be faced with as you travel through the Sierras:  you top over a ridge, and, suddenly, you find yourself immersed in a mountain wilderness.