California! Nevada! Utah! Oh!
Hey Guillaume,
Nothing ventured, nothing gained. If it doesn’t cost anything, might as well give it a try.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained. If it doesn’t cost anything, might as well give it a try.
California! Nevada! Utah! Wow!
I'm picking up where I left off with Day 26: Friday, June 7.
The Mono Basin Visitor Center in Lee Vining has a commanding view over the lake. View of the northern part of the lake from the Visitor Center (the part behind the black cliffs is called "Blackpoint").
Mono Lake is part of the Great Basin, so it's a low point. It's famous for its "tufa towers," clay towers cemented together by freshwater springs bubbling up into the lake's salty, alkaline waters. These towers became visible when the lake level dropped: in 1941, tributaries feeding the lake were diverted to supply Los Angeles, and the level started to fall. I check out the northern part, Mono Lake County Park (3 km north of Lee Vining via US-395), where there's a small cluster of tufa towers that isn't the most interesting. Right after, I head to South Tufa Area—5 km south of Lee Vining, take Route 120, drive about 5 km, and you're there. At the start of the walk, there's a sign marking 6,392 feet ??? The locals weren’t happy to see the lake level drop: they mobilized, and in 1994, a decision was made to save the lake and raise its level (by stopping the diversion of tributaries). 6,392 feet is the target level for the lake—25 feet below the 1941 level, but it hasn’t been reached yet. So, you can walk along the shore and admire the tufa towers with the Sierra Nevada (west) in the background for some and the desert (east) for others.
When the target level is reached, these towers will be farther from the shore (others, dry today, will appear between the shore and these). Which parts will stay visible? The top, but how much? I didn’t find the lake’s current level in the visitor info, so it’s still a bit of a mystery to me.
After Mono Lake, Crowley Lake, lined with stone columns. I head south, leave the Great Basin, and return to the Owens River Valley. About 5 miles southwest of the Mammoth Lakes junction, Benton Crossing Road turns left, crosses the Owens River, heads south, and approaches Crowley Lake. Suddenly, it turns due east and moves away from the lake. I count 2 miles, and on the right, a track (03S151A) branches off and runs alongside the road for half a mile. From this section, the track (03S151) leads to the edge of Crowley Lake. Unfortunately, the sedan’s undercarriage scrapes the ground within the first few meters—I decide not to go any farther (I think a 4x4 is necessary). Plus, it’s too late to hike the 2.5 miles to the lake’s beach, explore the site, and return. I’m disappointed—I got the detailed info this morning in Mammoth Lakes. If I’d known the track wasn’t sedan-friendly, I could’ve visited Crowley Lake first on foot and then gone to South Tufa Area with a bit less leisurely pacing. I can’t come back tomorrow because the improvised part of my trip is over—I need to be in Yosemite (reservation) tomorrow evening. There’s also the fact that I’m writing in feet and miles now—I won’t do that again. Hill Top Hot Springs will replace Crowley Lake. These hot springs are located near Benton Crossing Road, just under 5 km from the US-395 junction. At the foot of a hill, a short track leads to a small parking lot (200 meters from the road). On foot, via a wooden boardwalk, I reach the pool—a big bathtub for about 6 people. Four Californians are already there, sipping cans. They make room for me, and I end up staying for an hour, chatting. "Driving around the area, finding a hot springs site, and spending the day in the hot water gazing at the Sierra"—that’s the Californian *dolce far niente*. Leaving the hot springs, I head back to the foot of the mountain to see one last lake nestled in a valley: Convict Lake. The setting is wild—the other end of the lake, accessible on foot (1.5 km away), is right below Laurel Mountain’s cliffs. The lake is at 7,546 feet, the temperature is cool, and it’s windy.
Back at Crowley Lake BLM Campground. The sun is setting, the campground is already in the mountain’s shadow, but Crowley Lake isn’t yet.
The Mono Basin Visitor Center in Lee Vining has a commanding view over the lake. View of the northern part of the lake from the Visitor Center (the part behind the black cliffs is called "Blackpoint").
Mono Lake is part of the Great Basin, so it's a low point. It's famous for its "tufa towers," clay towers cemented together by freshwater springs bubbling up into the lake's salty, alkaline waters. These towers became visible when the lake level dropped: in 1941, tributaries feeding the lake were diverted to supply Los Angeles, and the level started to fall. I check out the northern part, Mono Lake County Park (3 km north of Lee Vining via US-395), where there's a small cluster of tufa towers that isn't the most interesting. Right after, I head to South Tufa Area—5 km south of Lee Vining, take Route 120, drive about 5 km, and you're there. At the start of the walk, there's a sign marking 6,392 feet ??? The locals weren’t happy to see the lake level drop: they mobilized, and in 1994, a decision was made to save the lake and raise its level (by stopping the diversion of tributaries). 6,392 feet is the target level for the lake—25 feet below the 1941 level, but it hasn’t been reached yet. So, you can walk along the shore and admire the tufa towers with the Sierra Nevada (west) in the background for some and the desert (east) for others.
When the target level is reached, these towers will be farther from the shore (others, dry today, will appear between the shore and these). Which parts will stay visible? The top, but how much? I didn’t find the lake’s current level in the visitor info, so it’s still a bit of a mystery to me.
After Mono Lake, Crowley Lake, lined with stone columns. I head south, leave the Great Basin, and return to the Owens River Valley. About 5 miles southwest of the Mammoth Lakes junction, Benton Crossing Road turns left, crosses the Owens River, heads south, and approaches Crowley Lake. Suddenly, it turns due east and moves away from the lake. I count 2 miles, and on the right, a track (03S151A) branches off and runs alongside the road for half a mile. From this section, the track (03S151) leads to the edge of Crowley Lake. Unfortunately, the sedan’s undercarriage scrapes the ground within the first few meters—I decide not to go any farther (I think a 4x4 is necessary). Plus, it’s too late to hike the 2.5 miles to the lake’s beach, explore the site, and return. I’m disappointed—I got the detailed info this morning in Mammoth Lakes. If I’d known the track wasn’t sedan-friendly, I could’ve visited Crowley Lake first on foot and then gone to South Tufa Area with a bit less leisurely pacing. I can’t come back tomorrow because the improvised part of my trip is over—I need to be in Yosemite (reservation) tomorrow evening. There’s also the fact that I’m writing in feet and miles now—I won’t do that again. Hill Top Hot Springs will replace Crowley Lake. These hot springs are located near Benton Crossing Road, just under 5 km from the US-395 junction. At the foot of a hill, a short track leads to a small parking lot (200 meters from the road). On foot, via a wooden boardwalk, I reach the pool—a big bathtub for about 6 people. Four Californians are already there, sipping cans. They make room for me, and I end up staying for an hour, chatting. "Driving around the area, finding a hot springs site, and spending the day in the hot water gazing at the Sierra"—that’s the Californian *dolce far niente*. Leaving the hot springs, I head back to the foot of the mountain to see one last lake nestled in a valley: Convict Lake. The setting is wild—the other end of the lake, accessible on foot (1.5 km away), is right below Laurel Mountain’s cliffs. The lake is at 7,546 feet, the temperature is cool, and it’s windy.
Back at Crowley Lake BLM Campground. The sun is setting, the campground is already in the mountain’s shadow, but Crowley Lake isn’t yet.
