Areas Around Bishop in California, October and November 2024

Our home base in Bishop, California on the east side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains allowed us to visit mountain lakes, hot springs, sand dunes, desert, and ancient forests. The town of Bishop itself is lovely. It has a friendly, small town feel, but is bustling with activity and ... my favorite ... bakeries! With easy access to skiing at Mammoth, or rock climbing (apparently this area is a climbing mecca), or just enjoying alpine scenery, Bishop is a great base to work from. We camped for $5/night at the Pleasant Valley Pit Campground, and nabbed two end spots with enough separation from the other campers so Trixie was comfortable outside and for Jody, our Idaho friend, to walk Jazz.

Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest
	The Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest sits at 10,000 feet (3,050 metres) in the Inyo Mountains. The view from the road driving up is stunning, with the jagged Sierra Nevadas to the west (you can see snow and glaciers on top), and the Owens Valley below.
	These ancient trees grow where others don't because they can withstand a harsher, more alkaline soil composition. While many of the trees are still living, the dead ones are more interesting to photograph. Jody and I hiked the Discovery Trail Loop near the Visitor Center in the Schulman Grove, which only gained about 265 feet of elevation, but hiking at over 10,000 feet for me is very hard on my lungs that are more accustomed to breathing at 600 feet!
	I don't understand how a tree would grow so twisted, but it did! Bristlecone Pines live for up to 5,000 years. Image how long ago this tree might have started its incredible journey!
	Sorry, another dead tree. But isn't it beautiful?  This is the Methuselah Tree, and it is 4,856 years old!  I'm so happy that we were able to come up here, because the access road is not maintained in the winter, and is therefore closed. But, there has been no snow yet, so the road is still open. There is another grove (Patriarch Grove) beyond this one at the Visitor Center, but we opted not to drive up to it as it is 12 miles each way of rough, dirt road to get there. Maybe next time.
Convict Lake and Crowley Lake Stone Columns
	Jody convinced us to go to Convict Lake which she has been to before but we have not. It was a pretty windy day, but the trail around the lake was quite sheltered. The lake was beautiful, just as she had promised.
	I had seen photos of the Crowley Lake Stone Columns on one of my Facebook groups, and had added it to my list of places to visit. What a gem! Many people walked the 2 miles to the beach from a parking area off the highway because there is a steep road with extreme dips and ruts that are difficult to navigate. But thanks to Brad's (and our truck's) 4-wheel drive experience and capabilities, we opted to drive, eliminating 4 miles of hiking across boring, open desert. It is still a very steep hike down to the beach where the columns are.
	Jody, Jazz and me on the beach. The columns were created by snow melt from the mountains percolating into cracks of the still hot ash or tuff from a volcanic explosion over 700,000 years ago. The water boiled, creating "evenly spaced convection cells similar to heat pipes". The columns began eroding out of the soil when the reservoir (Crowley Lake) was created here in 1941.
	The columns are large enough to walk between, although the lake hasn't eroded them too far back, maybe 20 feet in some areas. We were lucky the water was low enough for us to walk on the beach. Some days, the beach is submerged and the only way to see the columns is by boat.
	Farther north on the beach, the column are still eroding, but notice the ones on the far left have collapsed onto their sides.
Petroglyphs and the Owens River Valley
	Spending a day closer to camp, we followed Chalk Bluff Road along the Owens River. Snow was expected to fall in the mountains overnight, and the clouds were rolling in from the west. The storm over the mountains created a beautiful backdrop, with the Owens River meandering through the grasses.
	The Chidago Canyon Petroglyphs. This native art, as well as the petroglyphs of Red Canyon, are easily accessible on a dirt road from Highway 6 northeast of Bishop.
	We actually had Trick or Treaters on Halloween night! This group of climbers all the way from Sweden walked up the hill beside our campsites, dressed in orange garbage bags, swinging red lanterns, and yelling "trick or treat!" Jody, Brad and I were outside having a fire, and they thought we looked approachable, even though Jazz went crazy barking at them. We invited them to our fire, Brad shared his honey whiskey and peanut butter whiskey (a huge hit!), and they shared their hot cocoa with us! We spent a couple of hours chatting and learning about each other, our countries, our cultures, our travels, our occupations ... In the morning on our way out for the day, we drove past their campsite for a photo for the memory bank! We still keep in touch. Kneeling in front - Molly and Martin; in back - Jody with Jazz, Henrik, Gustav, me and Brad.
Mammoth Lakes
	The scenic route at Mammoth Lakes begins at the Visitor Center in town. Continuing on Lake Mary Road from Highway 203 will take you past a series of small lakes. First up is Twin Lakes where there is a resort and a campground.
	Twin Falls, which flows from Lake Mamie up above into Twin Lakes. There is some snow on the ground as we are at about 8,700 feet (2,650 m).
	The next lake along the road is Lake Mary, which you can drive around. There is also a sideroad up to Lake George. Pictured here is Lake Mamie, the next lake along Lake Mary Road.
	Looking down onto Twin Lakes from the road right above Twin Falls.
	The last lake you can drive to is Horseshoe Lake. Signs just before reaching this lake warn of elevated levels of naturally occurring Carbon Dioxide gas, which leaches up through the soil and accumulates in low pockets and snow depressions. There are many other lakes in the area that you could hike to.
	The Earthquake Fault is really just a fissure that opened up within the last couple of hundred years, although an actual date is unknown. It is 10 feet wide and up to 60 feet deep. The crack runs north-south and lines up with the Inyo-Mono Craters and the dike that fed the Inyo Domes. This fissure is just off of Highway 203 which leads up to the Mammoth ski area.
	This is one of three Inyo Craters on Deer Mountain, between Highways 203 and 395. They were formed approximately 600 years ago during a steam explosion of nearby volcanic domes. Unfortunately, what we didn't get to see in this area is the Devil's Postpile National Monument, an area of hexagon-shaped basalt columns, as Rangers have closed that road for the winter due to icy conditions. Of course, that just means we have to return another year.
Hot Creek Geological Site
	Hot Creek is like a giant hot tub, although some of the water is boiling temperature so no entry is allowed. This is one of the steaming pools as seen from the overlook at the parking lot.
	The creek, looking downstream. The land around Hot Creek is arid with typical desert vegetation. There is evidence of cows along the creek, probably leased by local ranchers for grazing, although I doubt the cows drink from the creek. It smells only slightly sulphuric, but I doubt it tasted very good. Jody and I hiked downstream a little way and didn't see more boiling water or steaming pools, although more may exist as the creek winds through the canyon. Hot Creek empties into the Owens River.
	Looking upstream, you can see the steam from the hot pools, and Mammoth Mountain in the background. That is where this water originates, as snow melt and rain seep into cracks in the earth, and get heated by the magma which is relatively closer to the surface here. The heated water then percolates back up to the surface, and has formed Hot Creek and it's geothermal pools.
Aspendell and Lake Sabrina
	A short drive west on Highway 168 from Bishop took us up to the small village of Aspendell at an elevation of 8,500 feet (2,600 m) and ultimately Lake Sabrina. The road follows Bishop Creek, which is dammed in several places, created small reservoirs, like this one. The aspens here were displaying their golden fall foliage, unlike the trees farther up the highway where they have already lost their leaves.
	This beautiful, but unfortunately named lake is Intake II. As part of the dammed reservoir system, I guess it wasn't important enough to give it a better name. The Sierra Nevada peaks provide a stunning backdrop. The lake is popular with fishermen who catch rainbow, brown and brook trout.
	At the end of the road is Lake Sabrina. Brad is sitting on the rocks on the lower right, enjoying the sunshine and the view. The water level looks pretty low, although maybe that's because it's fall. All of these lakes and stream are popular for trout fishing.
	A side trip on a good dirt road led up to North Lake, pictured here. I think the highest elevation on this day though, was another side trip to South Lake which is at an elevation of 9,768 feet (2,977 m). We were fortunate to have such sunny, warm weather during our stay as many of these roads are closed for the winter.
Eureka Dunes in Death Valley National Park
	Our last day trip was to the Eureka Dunes in the remote north part of Death Valley. After all of our mountain adventures, it was nice to be below 3,000 feet (900 m) for a change. Death Valley Road off of Highway 168 from Big Pine is mostly paved, except for the last 17 miles (27 km), which is covered with horrific washboard. Those last 17 miles took us about an hour to drive! But the dunes were worth every second on that brutal road!
	The Dunes rise about 700 feet (215 m) from the desert floor. There is a primitive campground at the base, where this photo was taken.
	I hiked along the crest of one of the lower dunes. Thought this view was interesting. You can tell how steep the dunes are as the sand avalanches down the left side.
	We had read that F18s from the China Lake Naval Base in Ridgecrest often fly out here, especially during the morning when the weather is cooler. We could hear a couple of jets rumbling towards us, so when I finally spotted them, I just kept firing the camera, and I got this lucky shot of a jet flying between the dunes and the mountains. Jody was near the top of the highest dune, and the jets were below her. They were probably flying at around 300-400 feet altitude. The roar as they passed us was thunderous!
	A short drive through Hanging Canyon (which was beautiful, but I took no photos) led us to an abandoned sulphur mine only a few miles from the turnoff to the Dunes. You can see how yellow the ground is from the sulphur, although there is only a slight odor. Brad is checking out the rusted tanks.

 

Lake Tahoe in Nevada and California, October 2024

Our first destination this season is at Lake Tahoe, which borders California and Nevada. Tahoe is famous for its clear waters, incredible scenery, and epic skiing. We stayed at Zephyr Cove RV Resort and Campground on the Nevada (east) side, just north of South Lake Tahoe. Our elevation here is about 6,000 feet (1,800 metres), so nights are cold, but days are warm and sunny. The dry air and the smell of the huge pines are a welcome reprieve from the east's humidity and crowds.

Truckee River Bike Path
	Our friend Jody from Idaho joined us for the beginning of our trip. We are pictured here at an overlook on the drive up to Tahoe City on the west side of the lake, where the Truckee River Bike Trail begins. Jody is holding her little Yorkie/Shih Tzu mix, Jazz who is only 6 months old. Behind us is beautiful Emerald Bay and Fannette Island, on which there is a stone tea house built by Lora Josephine Knight in the late 1920s. Her castle, Vikingsholm, is on the shore of the Bay (not visible from this overlook) in what is now Emerald Bay State Park. Unfortunately, it is closed for the season.
	A gated bridge along the Truckee River. While the setting is peaceful and serene, Highway 89 follows the river, and hence the bike trail, so we always have some traffic noise. Oh well, it is beautiful anyway.
	We followed the 6 mile (10 km) trail to Olympic Valley Park. This sign commemorates the 1960 Winter Olympics, which were held here.
Virginia City
	We planned to go to Carson City and walk the Kit Carson trail, but realized it was just a walking tour around the historic part of town, and the buildings didn't look that old. So we opted to continue on to Virginia City where there was a tour of the Chollar Mine for Brad. As with most old mines, there is a lot of old equipment to walk around as well. This is an old stamp mill. A sign on the side reads "Five Stamp Mill Crushed gold and silver ores Yield 15 tons per day 1860 to 1920".
	The church behind me on the right is Saint Mary in the Mountains. There is another church behind it to the left called St. Paul the Prospector Episcopal Church.
	This town was fun to walk around, with many little shops, bars, restaurants and cafes. The Tahoe House Hotel was built in 1859. Samuel Clemens stayed here before he became Mark Twain. Rooms are still available to rent today.
Kayaking at Sand Harbor
	Brad overlooking the lake at Sand Harbor Beach. The water is so clear, in fact, it is 99.994% pure. Lake Tahoe is the second largest alpine lake in North America with 39 trillion gallons of water; the second deepest lake in the United States (averages 1,000 feet or 300 meters); and it never freezes over.
	The most exciting thing we wanted to do on Lake Tahoe was kayak in one of the glass bottom boats. There are several companies and tours to choose from. We chose Clearly Tahoe and the Bonsai Rock tour. Our guide was excellent, in fact, he took this photo of Brad and me.
	Another view from the beach at Sand Harbor looking northwest. It would have been prettier with snow on the mountains.

 

Palo Duro Canyon State Park in Texas, April 2024

For at least 10 years, we have talked about visiting Palo Duro Canyon State Park just south of Amarillo in the Texas Panhandle either on our way out west in the fall, or on our way home in the spring. This year, we finally made it happen.

Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge
	For $2/night, we camped at Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge. There is barely much water left in the "lake", but the grasslands are full of wildlife, including a small family of deer who came one morning to entertain our cat. The only caveat of this campground is that the gate to get in is automatically locked at night (time dependent on the season), so you have to be sure to arrive before this happens. There are no services other than pit toilets.
	Sitting outside after a day exploring at the state park, we were serenaded by this Western Meadowlark for quite a long time. We truly loved the peace, solitude and natural surroundings of this campground. There are about 15 sites, most suitable for large RVs, although branches across the access into the sites from the (dirt) road may be a problem for high profile vehicles (ours is almost 13 feet high and we managed to easily find a site). There were only one or two other campers here during the 2 nights we stayed.
Palo Duro Canyon State Park
	They call this the Grand Canyon of Texas because at 120 miles (190 km) long, it is the second largest canyon in the country. Here is a view from the Visitor Center. There are several campgrounds in the park for RVs of all sizes. We really loved this park, and would definitely return one day.
	Along the shady Sunflower Trail, Brad stands beside the Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River that flows through the park. There are also layers of white gypsum in the red rock wall beside this trail for the rockhound.
	Near the start of the Lighthouse Trail, this pedestal stands atop the multicolored sandstone cliffs showing the different rates of erosion at work in this canyon.
	It was a very hot day, and the Lighthouse Trail is very exposed to the sun, so we only walked about half way to the iconic Lighthouse formation. This photo was taken with extreme telephoto, making it a bit blurry. Many people have hiked out to it, and they stand between the two pillars.

 

Sierra Vista in Arizona, March 2024

We have driven through Sierra Vista before, but this year we stayed for a couple of weeks because our friends, Tom and Dianne, have bought a house here, so we came for a visit and to explore the area. Due to its higher elevation of 4,623 feet (1,412 meters), Sierra Vista can be cooler than many other parts of Arizona. It is also surrounded by mountains peaking at nearly 10,000 feet (over 3,000 meters), providing for beautiful views especially when they are snow-capped as some of them were while we were here.

Ramsey Canyon
	On the way into Ramsey Canyon, we visited the Brown Canyon Ranch. Now an historic site with nature trails, it was built in the late 1800s and has been occupied by many ranching families over the years. On the property is the well-preserved adobe house, water system, corrals and a pond.
	There is a small fee to visit the Ramsey Canyon Preserve-Nature Conservancy at the end of East Ramsey Canyon Road, and we felt it was worth it. The trail follows the creek up into the canyon, where it connects to the Hamburg Trail which is steep and moderately difficult. We didn't do that. Usually there are many hummingbirds in the preserve, but we didn't see any as it was still a bit early for them to arrive. There were many other birds though, as well as historic cabins, and it was a very nice, easy walk.
Carr Canyon
	Brad at the Carr Canyon Waterfall Overlook. There is no water flowing now (even though there had been snow in the mountains a few days earlier), but the waterfall itself is at the top middle of the photo where you can see a small gap. The road goes to the top of the waterfall as well, although it is fenced off and sign warns of the dangers getting too close to the edge from where several people have fallen to their death.
	A view of Sierra Vista from an overlook on East Carr Canyon Road.  You can see the brown line which is the road winding up the canyon.
	Part way up the road is Reef Campground, which looked like it would be a really nice spot at any time of the year. We stopped for lunch in one of the campsites in the Ramsey Vista Campground at the top and the end of the road.  There was still a bit of snow up here, so maybe not a good spot for winter camping.
	After lunch, we hiked the Carr Peak Trail from the Ramsey Vista Campground for about a half-mile, just to get a nice view of the Peak. There are many trails around here, including a trail connecting to the Hamburg Trail and Ramsey Canyon.
Miller Canyon
	We drove up East Miller Canyon Road to the Upper Parking area. There were hiking trails from here, although we simply walked down to the dry creek and admired the open oak/juniper forest. This photo was taken somewhere part way up the road. The cliffs reminded us of Chiricahua National Monument, which is just to the northeast.
Coronado National Memorial
	During our first winter in the southwest, we passed through this area and spent a day at Coronado National Memorial. We came again and this time I hiked the Coronado Peak Trail at the end of West Montezuma Canyon Road in the park. In this view from the parking lot looking southeast, you can see the border wall (thin straight black line near the center of the photo).
	This is the view from Coronado Peak looking south into Mexico.
	The fruit on the cholla cactus is a beautiful bright yellow, and is edible. However, the thorns on the plant are pretty darn sharp!
Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary
Photo enhanced	We only visited the Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary just off of Highway 92 because I saw a pin on Google Maps. I am really glad we did. Benches are arranged around several small gardens, so we just sat and waited for the birds to arrive. I wish I could have gotten better photos, but I did see some birds I had never seen before. This is a Scott's Oriole. He is bright yellow, whereas I am used to our Baltimore Orioles which are bright orange.
	Here is an acorn woodpecker ensuring the stash of acorns is secure in this tree. Yes, almost every hole has an acorn in it. There were several of these woodpeckers working together to keep the stash full and safe. They are very interesting birds.
	Hummingbirds are my favorite birds, simply because they are fascinating to watch, and the males can be so colorful. This is a black-chinned hummingbird flashing his iridescent purple band. The docent said he had just arrived, as that day was a first sighting. Lucky us!
	A Mexican Jay perching on a dead yucca stalk. Although these birds are pretty common, I love their soft grey-blue coloring.