Busy times.... Mono Lake, Tioga Pass, Yosemite, Mammoth Mountain Skiing in June

A Stunning View Through Tioga Pass to Mono Lake and the Valley Below

Roger here... Yesterday, we decided to take a Jim and Ann car trip.  Jim and Ann were my parents.  I was blessed to have them.  They both felt that travel was an important part of my upbringing.  They even insisted that I take a trip with them to the Canadian Rockies when I was twenty.  You will hear more about that trip in August.  

Mom and Dad loved taking my brother and I on long vacations via automobile.  I always wanted to get out and explore.  Mom and Dad wanted to stop, take pictures, and move on.  I honestly now enjoy doing both. 

MONO LAKE...

Since our intent yesterday was to travel in the car to see things we had never seen before with no intent to spend much time out of the car, this was a Jim and Ann trip.  Our first stop was the green (and very salty) waters of Mono Lake.

We intended to go to the Visitors Center on the north side of the lake, but mistakenly turned at a sign post that directed us to the south side of the lake.  It was a good mistake.

After a five-mile drive while second-guessing the wrong turn, we arrived at a one-mile informative trail along the shore of the lake --- a good opportunity to stretch our legs and walk the dogs.

The most recognizable features of the lake are the tufa formations.  These interesting structures were formed when spring waters underneath the lake, highly rich in calcium, mixed with the lake waters forming calcium carbonate (limestone).  As the lake receded the structures became visible.  Sorry, always the science teacher. 

The lake itself is VERY salty --- three times saltier than the oceans.  Fish cannot survive in the waters, but brine shrimp that attract gulls thrive.  Tequila got a good slurp of the water.  We wish we had gotten a picture of her face.  She shook her head and licked her lips continually until we got her some fresh water back at the car, which she drank vast quantities of.  

TIOGA PASS....

Our next Jim and Ann activity was a drive through the Tioga Pass, the highest pass in the Sierra Nevadas --- nearly 10,000 feet.  Our Toyota handled the twisty climb well, in 3rd gear.  Look closely at the colorful picture below and you can see the roadway that was cut into the side of the mountain.

The Tioga Road is closed ninth months during each year due to snow, sometimes reaching depths of thirty feet.  It was actually still closed a couple of weeks ago when we were down the road in Lone Pine.

This is a vertical view of the rocky face of the pass that was taken from the car.  It is amazing that trees can grow out of that solid rock.

Flowers too...

As we neared the highest levels of the pass, a spectacular waterfall appeared, plunging into the abyss below.

We were soon driving between patches of snow.  Our south Texas dogs had never experienced snow before.  Bandido was fearful at first.  A little later, the fear abated, but he really wanted to warm up his paws.  Tequila's reaction was a little different.  She perceived it as a gigantic snow cone.

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK...

We soon entered Yosemite.  We had been there before, but spent most of our time in the iconic Yosemite Valley.  We had not ventured to the east side of the park.  

This rushing mountain stream next to the roadway led us to the very green and lush Tuolumne Meadow.  The way the stream in the pictures below meandered through the meadow at the level of the grass was so interesting.

In springtime this meadow is filled with wildflowers.  Unfortunately for us, we were a month early.  Spring at this altitude in Yosemite does not happen until July.

Soon, we were driving by rocky domes that had been smoothed by glaciers.

Lunch time was approaching.  We had bought overpriced deli sandwiches just before ascending the Tioga Pass.  It was time to eat them.  Since we were now in the national park, the dogs were not allowed in the picnic areas.  It was also chilly, so we ate in the car.  It was not too much of a hardship since our view was of Tenaya Lake.

Lunch with a View

The picture below shows Bandido and Tequilas' lunchtime view.

After lunch, we drove on to what I believe is the best view in Yosemite (outside of the Yosemite Valley on the west side) --- Olmsted Point.

The dogs were not allowed to explore the trail in the picture below, so we confined our viewing to the parking area in true Jim and Ann tradition.

Science teacher alert... As the glaciers receded, smoothing granite surfaces, they left behind the giant boulders that they had been slowly moving.



I was not able to restrain myself.  There I was in the middle of all those easily-climbed rocks.  I had to go climbing.

Look!  There is Tenaya Lake, where we had lunch.

One of the best features of Olmstead Point is a clear view of the back side of Half Dome.

I was not going to use the picture below of a wind-blown Dianne with Half Dome in the background because it was fuzzy.  Dianne informed me that people our age look their best in fuzzy pictures :-).  So....

A little air-brushing never hurts....

Here is one last shot of Tenaya Lake (in the valley) before our return trip.  A fitting end to the Jim and Ann tour.

See Tenaya Lake and our curvy road on the left

MAMMOTH MOUNTAIN SKI LODGE...

We intended to go on a hike in the mountains the next day, but it was cloudy and chilly with the possibility of rain.  Trudging through the snow and mud with wet dogs did not appeal to us.  Plan B....  We drove up to the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area in search of coffee.  Coffee in a lodge --- something Ann would like.  When we arrived, we actually needed to search to find a spot in the very full parking lot.  Hey, are those people actually carrying skis on June 11?  Surely not.

As we approached the lodge, it was evident that the ski lifts were running and that skiers were gliding down the mountain.  We walked to the third floor of the lodge, bought some very overpriced coffee, and watched the early summer fun on the mountain.

Gondolas, Chair Lifts, Skiers, and Snow Boarders

Other activities in this busy outdoor area included zip-lines, bungee jumps, and a climbing wall.

Below is a picture of the Mammoth Statue of Mammoth Mountain next to the climbing wall.

I can't forget to mention what seems to be the major summer outdoor activity in Mammoth Lakes.  BICYCLING, not only along the pervasive paved paths throughout the town of Mammoth Lakes, but also down the steeply sloped paths of Mammoth Mountain.  Buses actually transport bicycles and their riders to the ski area so they can ride the treacherous paths through the pine forests and down the mountain.  I wish I were a little younger.

Bus with trailer full of bicycles

By the way.  It did begin to rain as we walked back to the car.  We got wet despite our efforts to stay dry. 

After our morning on the mountain, we took the dogs for a walk along one of the hike/bike trails in town.  When the rains seemed imminent and the top of Mammoth Mountain disappeared in snowy clouds, the picture editing and blog writing began.

The forecast for tomorrow --- 80 percent chance of rain and/or thundershowers.  We have been so lucky with weather thus far.  A quiet reading day in the motor home does not sound so bad.  

The pet picture of the day shows Tequila posing (or being posed) between a hole in one of the tufas at Mono Lake.

The Ultimate Bike Trail - Yosemite Valley!

Hi all -- Dianne here.  Wednesday we made our second long trek back to Yosemite National Park.  When we planned this trip to California, we were excited to see the Escapees Park of the Sierra Co-op on the map so close to Yosemite, our destination.  (Being Escapees members, we can stay at these parks very inexpensively). 


 Well, it may look close on the map, but the reality is that it is about a two-hour drive from our camp site to Yosemite Valley -- Not what we expected, but worth it nonetheless.  Part of the problem is the current road resurfacing within the park.  No alternative but to stop traffic and use a pilot car to help the lanes of traffic take turns on one open lane.  The normal wait for each construction stop is about 15 minutes.


(Roger here...  Every trip to the park involved at least four of these stops for the round trip.  A little frustrating on a long day, but a good time to look at maps and decide where to park the car.)


Another little detail we didn't take into consideration were the twisty-curvy steep hills and grades along the route, with speed limits to match. 

 Gotta say, though, if you have to be stopped for road construction, this isn't a bad place to do it!


Roger had researched and found that there are miles of bike trails around Yosemite Valley.  (R:  all flat and all paved :-)  Rather than just drive or take a bus and get off at the various sites, we decided it would be a lot more fun to take our bikes.  What a great idea that was!  We parked the car near the Curry Village rental tents and took off on our bikes. 

 Although the signage left a lot to be desired, [R: A LOT to be desired -- with my concrete sequential skills -- (disease) -- I could really help them with this], once we figured out where the bike path was, it was great.  The bike path was paved, and a large portion of it followed a road that was closed to all vehicular traffic but service vehicles and those with handicap license plates.  

The valley was as awesome looking up as it was looking down on it from Glacier Point the week before.


There were bike racks strategically placed near the points of interest so that we could park and lock our bikes, then hike to see the highlights.

One of the first was a short hike to Bridal Veil falls.  We were expecting it to be dry, but it was flowing.  I can only imagine what it's like in the spring going at full force!

While biking along, we also saw this trail of mules being led along a hiking trail next to the river.

Here are a few of the more famous sites, from the valley perspective.  (R:  Adding to the fun was the thrill of keeping your balance while staring straight up.)

You can't visit Yosemite without learning more about John Muir.  

According to this plaque erected near Yosemite falls, John Muir lived for two years in a cabin at this site while he studied the area.  The quote on the plaque was very appropriate on this beautiful autumn day.

We were also surprised to see water flowing at Yosemite Falls; we expected it to be dry this time of year.


The short hike to the Lower Yosemite Falls had another surprise. 

 Not only was it a lovely trail, but resting very close to the trail -- but not noticed by most who walked by -- was this beautiful buck. 

 In fact, we walked right past him without realizing he was there until we saw a group of people stopping and taking photos.  He certainly blended in with his surroundings!


We really enjoyed our trips to Yosemite.  After hearing tales of the nightmare traffic and crowds in the summer, mid-October seems a great time to go.  The weather was perfect and the crowds weren't too bad.  I can see how it could be a whole different story on a weekend in summer, though.  I doubt that we'd have been able to zip along on the bike paths like we did, if they were choked with foot traffic.  


One final view of the Yosemite Valley.

The whippet photo of the day is Chaplin having a good whippet stretch after one of his many daily naps.  These are long, tall dogs when they stretch out!