Dan's Outside

I go, I see, I do, I walk, I think, I like…

White Mountains Photographs

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StormWhiteMtns2005|08|06: Thunderstorm. White Mountains, California. August 6, 2005. © "Copyright G Dan Mitchell". ("sales") keywords: white mountains thunderstorm thunderhead high desert clouds sierra nevada black and white photograph california

Thunderstorm over the Sierra Nevada. White Mountains, California. August 6, 2005. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell. (Sales)

BristleconeForest2006|08|06: Bristlecone Pine Forest. White Mountains, California. August 6, 2005. © "Copyright G Dan Mitchell". ("sales") keywords: bristlecone pine forest white mountains clouds california color photograph

Bristlecone Pine Forest. White Mountains, California. August 6, 2005. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell. (Sales)

WhiteMountains2005|08|06: White Mountains. August 6, 2005. © Copyright Dan Mitchell.
White Mountains. August 6, 2005. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell.

BristlePineGrove2005|08|06: Bristlecone Pine Grove. White Mountains. August 6, 2005. © Copyright Dan Mitchell.
Bristlecone Pine Grove. White Mountains. August 6, 2005. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell.
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August 9, 2005 Posted by | Commentary | Comments Off on White Mountains Photographs

Visit to White Mountains and Bristlecone Pine Forest

One of the positive results of ending my pack trip early was the opportunity to spend most of a day in the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest in the White Mountains above Lone Pine and Bishop.

WhiteMountains2005|08|06: White Mountains. August 6, 2005. © Copyright Dan Mitchell.
White Mountains. August 6, 2005. © Copyright Dan Mitchell.

After grabbing the obligatory Schats breakfast in Bishop I headed down to Lone Pine and then up into the White Mountains, turning left at the road to White Mountain (14,000+) where the University of California operates high altitude research facilities, or so I’ve been told. The road (paved until the Schulman Visitor Center) provides unbelievable views of the Sierra Nevada range across Owens Valley to the west.

After the visitor center the road turns to dirt, gravel, and rocks. Although I saw some people driving parts of this in minivans (!) I was very glad to have a sturdy four wheel drive vehicle for the 12 mile drive out to the furthest bristlecone pine grove at something over 11,000 feet of elevation. I could have driven another 4 miles on this “road” to a locked gate that is higher and closer to White Mountain, but I’d had enough by that point.

BristlePineGrove2005|08|06: Bristlecone Pine Grove. White Mountains. August 6, 2005. © Copyright Dan Mitchell.
Bristlecone Pine Grove. White Mountains. August 6, 2005. © Copyright Dan Mitchell.

A friend had described the terrain up there as a moonscape and I now see why, though it certainly has a stark beauty of its own. There is no flowing water whatsoever and many sections have only short brush growing. There were a lot of wildflowers in bloom. Oddly enough, I was reminded of areas of Alaska – perhaps due to the plants growing at the edges of existence and the vast spaces on this ridge.
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August 9, 2005 Posted by | Commentary | Comments Off on Visit to White Mountains and Bristlecone Pine Forest

Thank You!

Special thanks to “Mike” for a ride back to Mammoth Ski Area and my car this past weekend.

I was on the fifth day of a planned fourteen day pack trip between Agnew Meadow and South Lake when I felt a bit under the weather. I wasn’t sure if I was getting sick or not, but I made the cautious decision and left the trip, exiting from Purple Lake over Duck Pass rather than continuing on into the more isolated area around Silver and Selden Passes.

Fortunately (or unfortunately?) I was absolutely fine by the time I got out, hiking over Duck Pass in light rain with no problems at all. But by this time it was too late to turn around and catch up with my friends who had gone on and would now be two full days ahead of me.

In any case, I arrived at the Duck Pass trailhead and hiked through the campgrounds toward Lake Mary, trying to hitch a ride back to my car as I walked – and having no luck at all. I made it down to the paved road around the lake where there was more traffic, hopeful that someone would pick me up here. Still no luck. When I got to the main Lake Mary Road into Mammoth I was sure someone would give me a lift. Wrong.

Soon it began to rain. Ironically, I thought this might increase my chances of getting a ride. Who could let a solitary backpacker walk down the roadside in the rain. Lots of people, it turns out… ;-)

Shortly after I had resigned myself to simply walking the 3 1/2 miles into town where I could pick up a shuttle to the ski area, a familiar looking vehicle came back up the road and pulled over. Mike said that they had passed and felt bad, and had come back even though there was barely any room in the back under their camper shell. I was very happy to squeeze into the back of their truck, and I was even happier when they took me all the way up to my car!

So, thanks again, Mike!

(One funny – to me at least – note. As I was being passed up by all of those cars I had an odd realization. I must have looked scary to these people! Sort of funny to me, a 50+ year-old college music teacher, to think of myself that way.)
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August 9, 2005 Posted by | Trips | Comments Off on Thank You!