January 2008 Archives
Administered by: Whitney Ranger District / Inyo National Forest
Elevation:
Season Length: 5/26-10/10, subject to weather conditions
Contact: Inyo National Forest. http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/inyo/ 760-873-2400
Number of sites: 18 walk-in camp sites for hikers entering the John Muir Wilderness and the Golden Trout Wilderness; 10 equestrian sites at the trail head provide corrals and hitching posts
Fee: $6 for walk-in campsites; $12 for equestrian camp sites.
Toilets: Vault Water: Yes Picnic tables and fire grills
Nearest town: Lone Pine
Nearby facilities: Pack Station
Nearby fishing: Although the creek is very small, Tuttle Creek is stocked with 6,000 Rainbow trout a year. (See Highway 395 Fishing Category)
Reservations: Reservations are not accepted for equestrian camp sites; trailhead reservations for wilderness stays are required.
Additional information: Inyo National Forest Listings: Please note that the dates and prices below are subject to change and reflect 2007 data. If listed, the campground opening dates are approximate due to weather conditions.
Directions: From Highway 395 in Lone Pine, turn west on Whitney Portal Road and drive 3.5 miles and turn left on Horseshoe Meadows Road. Drive 19 miles to the trail head.
Campground Name: Pleasant Valley Pit Campground Area:
Administered by:
Elevation:
Season Length: Generally opens November 1 through mid May; subject to weather conditions
Contact:
Number of sites:
Fee:
Garbage: containers Pack-it-out!
Toilets: Pit Water: No Potable Water fire pits
Nearest town:
Nearby facilities:
Nearby fishing:
Reservations: No
Additional information: The camping area is in a borrow pit. It is popular with rock climbers, and it is one of the few winter public camping spots in the entire region.
Directions:
Highway 395, 25.2 miles north of Lee Vining and 112 miles south of Reno, Nevada
Photo Gallery
Services and Accommodations
Restaurants and Eateries: Bridgeport Inn; Burger Barn; Pops Galley; Rhino’s Bar and Grill;
Public Internet Use Facilities:
Museums and Point of Interest:
Events and Festivities: April 26: Opening Day for
the General Trout Season); June 21:
Summer Recreation: Biking, Birding, Camping, Fishing, Golfing, Hang Gliding, Hiking, Horseback Riding, Mountaineering, Photography, Rock Climbing
Winter Recreation:
Sporting Goods Stores: Ken’s Sporting Goods
Fly Shops: The Angler’s Edge,
Nearby Fishing:
Nearby Camping:
Bridgeport Chamber of Commerce
Community Parks:
Weather:
Fast Click for Relevant Articles on the Area:
Recreational Contacts:
Government Contacts:
Bureau
of Land Management (Bishop Office)
Department of Fish and Game: Season dates, licenses, restrictions, fish stocking
To provide corrections or offer suggestions, email David Archer
Companion Web Sites
Fishing Tips 101 (A compilation of “Mastering the Basics Series”)
Glacier to Yellowstone (A complete guide to fishing
and camping in
Bass and Trout Fishing Digest (Dave’s fishing adventures
in Northern California and
Highway 395, 25.2 miles north of Lee Vining and 112 miles south of Reno, Nevada
Photo Gallery
Services and Accommodations
Restaurants and Eateries: Bridgeport Inn; Burger Barn; Pops Galley; Rhino’s Bar and Grill;
Public Internet Use Facilities:
Museums and Point of Interest:
Events and Festivities: April 26: Opening Day for
the General Trout Season); June 21: Bridgeport Trout Tournament
(Chamber); July 3-4: I.P.R.A Rodeo; 4th of July Turkey Shoot;
October 12: Annual Bridgeport Reservoir-East Walker River Catch and
Release Fly Fishing Tournament; November 15: General Trout Season Closes
Summer Recreation: Biking, Birding, Camping, Fishing, Golfing, Hang Gliding, Hiking, Horseback Riding, Mountaineering, Photography, Rock Climbing
Winter Recreation:
Sporting Goods Stores: Ken’s Sporting Goods
Fly Shops: The Angler’s Edge,
Nearby Fishing:
Nearby Camping:
Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Links: http://www.bridgeportcalifornia.com/ P.O. Box 541, Bridgeport, CA 93517 760-932-7500
Community Parks:
Tours and Side-Trips: Bodie State Historic Park (ghost town) (760) 647-6445
Weather: http://mammothweather.com
Fast Click for Relevant Articles on the Area:
Recreational Contacts: Virginia Lakes Pack Outfit (760) 937-0326
Government Contacts:
Bureau of Land Management (Bishop Office) 787 Main Street, Suite P, Bishop, CA 93514
Department of Fish and Game: (www.dfg.ca.gov/fishing) Season dates, licenses, restrictions, fish stocking
Photo Credit/Copyright: Any photograph submitted to guidetohighway395.com remains the property of the photographer or web site owner. The photograph will be removed from the site with an email request. All published photographs will be given credit such as (Courtesy of Full Name + link to web site) or (Photo copyright Full Name, Year + link to web site).Photo Subjects: Photographs (unless sent for a business ad) must be of high quality and feature the flora, fauna, mountains, lakes, or people engaged in recreation etc. They may be submitted by professional photographers, guides, business owners or family members chronicling a family trip.
Photo Placement: Placement of a submitted photograph will be the sole discretion of David Archer. For the most part, I will try and place a photograph under a corresponding entry or category (i.e Crowley Lake Fishing; Twin Lakes Campground; Devil's Postpile etc.) Later I will create a separate category for my favorite photograph submissions, but that is in the future.
Thank you for your support.
Dave Archer
541-783-3796
Adding your business information to www.guidetohighway395.com, a recreational guide to the West's favorite highway, is EASY and FREE! As you undoubtedly know, Google placement is primarily based on the number of relevant web sites that are linked to your site. It is to our mutual benefit to exchange links. To add your business on this page for this town with a link back to yours is Free! I ask for nothing but a reciprocal link to my site. Please provide the information to the form below, and reply back to me. I will then cut and paste the information to the Services and Accommodations section or other pertinent category and email you when it is posted. You may even add two photographs to your business listing; however, they must be sent to me as jpegs. I do have a small fee of $10 per photograph, which will be waived if you have a quality photograph of flora, fauna, mountains, fishing etc. Naturally, any additional photographs that I select to add to my site entries will include the words, "Courtesy of..." PLUS another link to your site.
Step 1: Add a link on your site to my web site. You may use www.guidetohighway395.com , or you may use a description with a link. Send me an email asking for a reciprocal link, along with a browser address to where I may find the link to my site.
Step 2: In your email include the following form with your business information.
Closest Town (See town listings under categories):
Type of Business:
Name of Business:
Business Address:
Contact Person:
City:
Zip Code:
Telephone:
Email:
Web Address:
150+ Word Description of Business:
Step 3: Include in this email which 2 photographs that you want me to down load from your site to use on your business listing. Each photograph will be sized to a 4-inch width. One photograph will be posted under your business name and the other will be posted at the bottom. Please specify which order you want. Use this description example: Photo1: Use the first photograph of the lodge on my home page. Photo 2: Go to "About Us" and use the photograph of my wife and I on the front porch. (Please send a check for $20 for adding photographs or send along some quality photographs that you will give me permission to use in lieu of the $20 fee. Your submitted photographs with permission to publish will waive the fee regardless of whether or not I use the photograph.
Placement: Your business will be listed under a category name (i.e.: Lodges). The order of businesses will not be alphabetical but based on the order in which I received the request for a business listing. The category "Services and Accommodations" for each town requires you to select a town (or the nearest town) from the established list of towns on my category list (Home Page).
If you are a guide or outfitter, don’t forget that you may submit an article for
consideration on my Guide to Highway 395 web site or my http://www.fishingtips101.com site, which will be linked to the Highway 395 site. Additionally, you may also submit a single fishing tip to my www.guidetohighway395.com site. The tip may include an accompanying photograph attachment of yourself, as well as a photograph relative to the tip. At the bottom of the tip, include your name, email, web address etc. The tips will be placed at the bottom of a particular lake, river or creek entry.
Thank you for your support.
Dave Archer
541-783-3796
Adding your business information to www.guidetohighway395.com, a recreational guide to the West's favorite highway, is EASY and FREE! As you undoubtedly know, Google placement is primarily based on the number of relevant web sites that are linked to your site. It is to our mutual benefit to exchange links. To add your business on this page for this town with a link back to yours is Free! I ask for nothing but a reciprocal link to my site. Please provide the information to the form below, and reply back to me. I will then cut and paste the information to the Services and Accommodations section or other pertinent category and email you when it is posted. You may even add two photographs to your business listing; however, they must be sent to me as jpegs. I do have a small fee of $10 per photograph, which will be waived if you have a quality photograph of flora, fauna, mountains, fishing etc. Naturally, any additional photographs that I select to add to my site entries will include the words, "Courtesy of..." PLUS another link to your site.
Step 1: Add a link on your site to my web site. You may use www.guidetohighway395.com , or you may use a description with a link. Send me an email asking for a reciprocal link, along with a browser address to where I may find the link to my site.
Step 2: In your email include the following form with your business information.
Closest Town (See town listings under categories):
Type of Business:
Name of Business:
Business Address:
Contact Person:
City:
Zip Code:
Telephone:
Email:
Web Address:
150+ Word Description of Business:
Step 3: Include in this email which 2 photographs that you want me to down load from your site to use on your business listing. Each photograph will be sized to a 4-inch width. One photograph will be posted under your business name and the other will be posted at the bottom. Please specify which order you want. Use this description example: Photo1: Use the first photograph of the lodge on my home page. Photo 2: Go to "About Us" and use the photograph of my wife and I on the front porch. (Please send a check for $20 for adding photographs or send along some quality photographs that you will give me permission to use in lieu of the $20 fee. Your submitted photographs with permission to publish will waive the fee regardless of whether or not I use the photograph.
Placement: Your business will be listed under a category name (i.e.: Lodges). The order of businesses will not be alphabetical but based on the order in which I received the request for a business listing. The category "Services and Accommodations" for each town requires you to select a town (or the nearest town) from the established list of towns on my category list (Home Page).
If you are a guide or outfitter, don’t forget that you may submit an article for
consideration on my Guide to Highway 395 web site or my http://www.fishingtips101.com site, which will be linked to the Highway 395 site. Additionally, you may also submit a single fishing tip to my www.guidetohighway395.com site. The tip may include an accompanying photograph attachment of yourself, as well as a photograph relative to the tip. At the bottom of the tip, include your name, email, web address etc. The tips will be placed at the bottom of a particular lake, river or creek entry.
Thank you for your support.
Dave Archer
541-783-3796
Highway 395, 16.3 miles north of June Lake and 25.2 miles south of Bridgeport
Photo Gallery
Services and Accommodations
Restaurants and Eateries:
Public Internet Use Facilities:
Museums and Point of Interest: Old School House Museum (760) 647-6461; Mono County Museum (760) 932-5281;
Events and Festivities: April 26: Opening
Day for the General Trout Season); November 15: General Trout Season
Closes
Summer Recreation: Birdwatching, Camping, Hiking, Fishing, Kayaking on Mono Lake, Photography
Winter Recreation: Downhill skiing in June Lake and Mammoth; cross country skiing
Sporting Goods: Bell's Sporting Goods (760) 647-6406
Nearby Fishing: Home: Lee Vining: Fishing (See also Highway 120 Fishing) Fishing Tips
Nearby Camping: Home: Lee Vining: Camping (See also Highway 120 Camping)
Lee Vining Chamber of Commerce: http://www.leevining.com/ (760)
647-6629
Visitor Links: Mono Basin Scenic Area Visitor Center, Highway 395 a half mile north of Lee Vining, (760) 873-2408, www.fs.fed.us/r5/inyo/vc/mono
Community Parks:
Tours and Side-Trips: Bodie Ghost Town; Mono Craters; Mono Lake Tufa State Reserve;Yosemite National Park,
RV Related:
Recreational Contacts: Mono Lake Boat Tour (760) 937-1934
Government Contacts:
Bureau of Land Management (Bishop Office) 787 Main Street, Suite P, Bishop, CA 93514
Department of Fish and Game: (www.dfg.ca.gov/fishing) Season dates, licenses, restrictions, fish stocking
Inyo National Forest: books, maps and wilderness passes and permits: Mt. Whitney Ranger Station (760) 873-2500; White Mountain Ranger Station (760) 873-2500; Mammoth Ranger Station (760) 924-5500 www.fs.fed.us/r5/inyo
Lee Vining Expansion
Notes in Alphabetical Order
Bodie Ghost Town
Souvenirs and Collecting
Everything in Bodie is part of the historic scene and is fully protected. NOTHING may be collected or removed from the park. Metal detectors are not allowed.
Closed Areas
For public protection, certain unstable sections of the park are posted as prohibited areas, and are closed to entry by park visitors.
Camping
There is no camping at Bodie. You must camp at least three miles from Bodie on BLM land. Fire restrictions are often in effect.
Winter Visits
Bodie is open all year. However, because of the high elevation (8375 feet), it is accessible only by over-snow equipment during the winter months. Many four wheel drive vehicles get stuck each year in powdery snow that is deeper than it first appears. Spring thaws bring mud, and wheeled vehicles are not advised. TOWING FACILITIES ARE NOT AVAILABLE. Snowmobiles must stay on designated roads within the park. Winter weather is often unpredictable. Sub-zero temperatures, strong winds and white-out conditions are not uncommon.
Directions
The
park is northeast of Yosemite, 13 miles east of Highway 395 on
(public domain-- http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=509)
During the Bodie mining boom, W.J. Lundy established a
sawmill along the creek and supplied lumber to the Bodie mines. Shortly thereafter a prospecting family
discovered gold in the area and prospectors staked out their claims. The May Lundy was a successful mine that
operated for many years.
Mono Craters
One of the youngest of these volcanoes in the chain of
volcanoes stretching from Mammoth to
The
reserve was established to preserve the spectacular "tufa towers,"
calcium-carbonate spires and knobs formed by interaction of freshwater springs
and alkaline lake water.
Interpretive Programs
These programs are a cooperative effort of the State Reserve, U.S. Forest Service and the Mono Lake Committee. Rangers lead free tufa walks at the South Tufa area -- tours are at 1:00 pm on Saturdays and Sundays May through October. Tours are offered 3 times daily from late June through Labor Day (10am, 1pm, and 6pm); and daily at 1pm late May through September. Bird walks are offered at the Mono Lake County Park/State Reserve boardwalk at 8:00 a.m. Fridays and Sundays mid-May through Labor Day….
The
Outdoor Activities
Hiking, swimming, boating, and cross-country skiing are just a few of the many activities you can enjoy at this unusual lake. Photographers come from all over the world to capture the interplay of light, desert, and water. The natural history of the lake is described and explained in a one-mile self-guided nature trail at South Tufa.
This
spectacular tufa area is the best place to visit if you have time for only one
stop. A boardwalk trail below the
A
swim in
Camping
The
State Reserve is surrounded by the Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area,
operated by the Forest Service. There are no campgrounds in the State Reserve
or the Scenic Area. Dispersed camping is permitted in most of the Scenic Area
outside the exposed lake bed lands. Campfire permits are required. Established
campgrounds are located in
Boating
All
types of boating are permitted on
(public domain--
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=514)
Companion Web Sites:
Glacier to Yellowstone (A complete guide to camping and fishing in Montana from Glacier to Yellowstone)
Fishing Tips 101 (Offering a "Mastering the Basics" series for freshwater fishing)
Bass and Trout Fishing Digest (Dave's hodge-podge of fishing adventures in Northern California and Oregon)
Highway 395, 20.9 miles north of Mammoth Lakes and 16.3 miles south of Lee Vining
Photo Gallery
Services and Accommodations
Restaurants and Eateries:
Public Internet Use Facilities:
Museums and Point of Interest:
Events and Festivities: April 26: Opening Day for
the General Trout Season; August 31: Million Dollar Troutstock fishing
derby; November 15: General Trout Season Closes
Summer Recreation: Biking, Birding, Camping, Fishing, Golfing, Hang Gliding, Hiking, Horseback Riding, Mountaineering, Photography, Rock Climbing
Winter Recreation: Skiing
Sporting Goods Stores: Ernie’s (760) 648-7756
Fly Shops:
Nearby Fishing: Home: June Lake: Fishing Fishing Tips (Deadman Creek, Glass Creek, Grant Lake, June Lake, Owens River, Parker Lake, Reversed Creek, Rush Creek, Silver Creek)
Nearby Camping: Home: June Lake: Camping (Big Springs Campground, Deadman Creek Campground, Glass Creek Campground, Gull Lake Campground, Hartley Springs Campground, Oh, Ridge Campground, June Lake Campground, Reversed Creek Campground, Silver Lake Campground)
Community Parks:
Tours and Side-Trips:
Fast Click for Relevant Articles on the Area:
Recreational Contacts: Frontier Pack Train 888-437-MULE; Mammoth Ballooning (760) 937-8787; McGee Creek Pack Station (800) 854-7404
Government Contacts:
Bureau of Land Management (Bishop Office) 787 Main Street, Suite P, Bishop, CA 93514
Department of Fish and Game: (www.dfg.ca.gov/fishing) Season dates, licenses, restrictions, fish stocking
Inyo National Forest: books, maps and wilderness passes and permits: Mt. Whitney Ranger Station (760) 873-2500; White Mountain Ranger Station (760) 873-2500; Mammoth Ranger Station (760) 924-5500 www.fs.fed.us/r5/inyo
Companion Web Sites:
Glacier to Yellowstone (A complete guide to camping and fishing in Montana from Glacier to Yellowstone)
Fishing Tips 101 (Offering a "Mastering the Basics" series for freshwater fishing)
Bass and Trout Fishing Digest (Dave's hodge-podge of fishing adventures in Northern California and Oregon)
Highway 395, 17.6 miles north of Tom’s Place and 20.9 miles south of June Lake
Photo Gallery
Services and Accommodations
Restaurants and Eateries:
Public Internet Use Facilities: Access Business & Shipping Center (706) 934-4667; Kava Coffeehouse (760) 872-1010; Looney Bean (760) 934-1345; Mammoth Lakes Library (760) 934-4777; Wild Willy’s Mammoth Arcade (760) 924-1082
Museums and Point of Interest: Devil’s Postpile National Monument (619) 934-2289; Mammoth Museum (760) 934-6918; Mammoth Ski Museum (760) 934-6592
Events and Festivities: April 26: Opening Day for
the General Trout Season); August 11: Sierra Drifters/Crowley Lake
Stillwater Classic fishing derby (760-935-4301) November 15: General
Trout Season Closes
Summer Recreation: Biking, Birding, Camping, Fishing, Golfing, Hang Gliding, Hiking, Horseback Riding, Mountaineering, Photography, Rock Climbing
Winter Recreation: Skiing
Photo courtesy of Mammoth Mountain
Sporting Goods Stores:
Nearby Fishing: Home: Mammoth Lakes: Fishing Fishing Tips (Convict Creek, Convict Lake, Crowley Lake, Crystal Lake, Hot Creek, Lake George, Lake Mary, Laurel Lakes, Mamie Lake, Mammoth Creek, McGee Creek Campground, McLeod Lake, Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River, Minaret Falls Campground, New Shady Rest Campground, Starkweather and Sotcher Lake, Sherwin Creek Campground, Red's Meadow Campground, Twin Lakes Campground, Upper Soda Springs Campground)
Photo by H. Blackburn. Courtesy of Mammoth Mountain
Nearby Camping: Home: Mammoth Lakes: Mammoth Area Camping (Agnew Meadows Campground, Agnew Meadows Horse Camp, Cold Water Campground, Convict Lake Campground, Crowley Lake Campground, Devils Postpile Campground, Lake George Campground, Lake Mary Campground, Pine City Campground, Pumice Flat Campground,
Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Links: Mammoth Lakes Visitor Center and Ranger Station, Main Street on Highway 203, (760) 924-5500, Open daily 9 am to 5pm. www.fs.fed/r5/inyo/vc/mammoth.html) // Mammoth Lakes Visitor Bureau // Mammothweb.
Photo courtesy of Mammoth Mountain
Community Parks:
Tours and Side-Trips: Crowley Lake, Devils Postpile National Monument (Red's Meadow and Rainbow Falls), Hot Creek Geological Site, Hot Creek State Fish Hatchery, Mammoth Lakes, Mammoth-Mono Geological Tour, Mammoth Mines, Minaret Vista, Obsidian Dome, Whitmore Hot Springs
RV Related:
Recreational Contacts:
Agnew Meadows Pack Train (760) 934-2345
Mammoth Lakes Pack Outfit 888-475-8747
McGee Creek Pack Station offers spot pack trips, dunnage trips, all inclusive trips and day rides. (760) 935-4324 (summer); (760) 878-2207 (winter).
Red’ Meadow Pack Station offers spot pack trips, dunnage trips, all inclusive trips and day rides. (760) 934-3445
Government Contacts:
Bureau of Land Management (Bishop Office) 787 Main Street, Suite P, Bishop, CA 93514
Department of Fish and Game: Season dates, licenses, restrictions, fish stocking
Inyo National Forest: books, maps and wilderness passes and permits: Mt. Whitney Ranger Station (760) 873-2500; White Mountain Ranger Station (760) 873-2500; Mammoth Ranger Station (760) 924-5500 www.fs.fed.us/r5/inyo
Devils Postpile
National Monument; Red’s Meadow and Rainbow Falls
I have combined these
“must see” side trips because the entrance road has driving restrictions. (See driving restrictions below)
The area of the Middle Fork of the
Road Restriction:
Mandatory travel restrictions are enforced for the Middle
Fork of the
The shuttle service to Reds Meadow/Devils Postpile began in 1979. The
shuttle was determined necessary to reduce the impact on the environment from
vehicle traffic. The narrow road into the Reds Meadow area serves as the only
access to the
Excessive vehicle use is the reason for a mandatory shuttle bus. However, some exceptions are recognized. Following is a list of most exceptions:
- Vehicles entering the valley before 7:00 am , or after 7:30 pm
- Vehicles carrying passengers with a disabled placard (once in the valley visitors must hike to most sites)
- Vehicles towing horse trailers or other livestock
- Campers camping in the Reds Meadow area
- Overnight Resort Guests
- Administrative vehicles
- Vehicles carrying car top boats, canoes, kayaks for use in valley
Exceptions are still charged the per person transportation fee.”
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/inyo/recreation/redsmeadow.shtml
Hot Creek Geologic
Site
In the annals of trout fishing lore, Hot Creek is known far
and wide. Downstream from the Hot Creek
State Fish Hatchery, visitors leave their fly rods behind and witness hot gas
vents, boiling water, sky-blue
Hot Creek State Fish Hatchery raises a couple of million trout annually to be stocked locally. Considered to be one of the largest hatcheries in the state, the Hot Creek Hatchery also produces over 20 million trout eggs for hatcheries throughout the state.
Inyo Craters
The Inyo Craters are older than the Mono Craters. Looking like a funnel depression stuck in a
mountain, the Inyo Craters are
examples of super-heated steam explosions when ground water comes in contact
with rising magma. Referred to as
phreatic eruptions, the magma never reaches the surface. Radio carbon dating of wood debris sets the
time of activity at over 600 years ago.
The two Inyo craters pits are 600 feet in diameter and hold water at the
bottom of the funnel. The craters may be
reached by trail through a Jeffrey pine forest which ends at a picnic site. To reach the trail from
Mammoth-Mono
Geological Tour (The Mammoth Ranger District Headquarters offers a pamphlet
entitled, “Craters – Cones- Coulees” for a self-guided tour of 10 geological
sites.) You are mistaken if you believe
that visiting the area’s caldera, an area approximately 10 by 20 miles, will be
a stroll down memory lane when the last eruption occurred 100,000 years
ago. The Mono-Long Valley Caldera is
alive and well. So, what are the odds of
an eruption during your planned visit.
Scientists on staff at the U.S Geological Survey predict that the
probability of any activity is about 1%.
In other words, stick around for another 100,000 years for the
fireworks. The most recent eruptions
created the hills surrounding
The study of geology is not the study of ancient history. It is the study of Mother Earth in her slow, meticulous transformation of our planet. Should an unthinkable and unpredictable, less than catastrophic, eruption take place during your visit and in close proximity to where you stand, take heart from the fact that lava flows “rarely move faster than a brisk walk.” It will be the pyroclastic blast of hot ash venting at speeds “greater than 100 miles an hour” that will get you! I exaggerate, of course. Scientists predict that the next eruption will more than likely be small, and it could be limited to that of an explosive steam kettle, with the molten magma activity safely under the ground as it vaporizes underground water in its struggle to reach the surface. When sub-surface gas is pushed up just beneath the earth’s crust, and it is touched off by a finger-like vein of molten rock, “stuff” happens. It is precisely this rising finger of hot molten rock that keeps the USGS busy monitoring the area. In 1980-1982 scientists noticed a slight uplift of the ground surface in the Long Valley Caldera, as the magma and a finger-like projection pushed upwards along the south wall of the caldera.
The self-guided tour of the geological wonders around the
Mammoth area, including a trip to the Hot Creek Geological Site, is an
important part in understanding the region.
For informative articles on “Long Valley Caldera and Mono-Inyo Craters,”
and “Future Eruptions in
Mammoth Mines
Mammoth Mountain Ski Area: Encompassing 3,500 acres, 150 trails, 29 ski lifts and three full service slope-side lodges, Mammoth Mountain is the quintessential ski resort in the eastern Sierra Mountains.
Minaret
Photo courtesy of Mammoth Mountain
Located a short distance west of the Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort on Minaret Road, the Minaret Vista at the top of the pass affords an impressive view of the headwaters of the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River, the Ritter Mountain Range and the jagged Minarets across the valley floor. A self-guided tour provides signed information on the geology and plant life in the area from the picnic area and Deadman Pass Trailhead.
Obsidian Dome
Obsidian, prized by the Indians for making spearheads and arrowheads, is a black, glass-like creation from lava that cooled rapidly after a surface eruption. Thousands of years after the caldera was formed, domes were created from magma pressure far below. The resulting ground swell forms a resurgent dome. Think of the Obsidian Dome as a magma after-thought or burp. If you have visited Mammoth Hot Springs Geothermal area, you can imagine what that burp smelled like!
Whitmore
Operated by
Companion Web Sites:
Glacier to Yellowstone (A complete guide to camping and fishing in Montana from Glacier to Yellowstone)
Fishing Tips 101 (Offering a "Mastering the Basics" series for freshwater fishing)
Bass and Trout Fishing Digest (Dave's hodge-podge of fishing adventures in Northern California and Oregon)
Highway 395, 20.5 miles north of Bishop and 17.6 miles south of Mammoth Lakes
Photo Gallery
Services and Accommodations
Restaurants and Eateries:
Public Internet Use Facilities:
Museums and Point of Interest:
Events and Festivities: April 26: Opening Day for
the General Trout Season); November 15: General Trout Season Closes
Summer Recreation: Biking, Birding, Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Horseback Riding, Mountaineering, Photography, Rock Climbing
Winter Recreation:
Sporting Goods Stores:
Fly Shops:
Nearby Fishing: Home: Bishop: Fishing Fishing Tips
Nearby Camping: Home: Bishop: Camping
Bishop Chamber of Commerce
690 N. Main St., Bishop, California 93514; 760-873-8405; 888-395-3952
Toll free
Visitor center hours: 10AM to 5PM M-F 10AM to 4PM Weekends
Community Parks:
Tours and Side-Trips:
Fast Click for Relevant Articles on the Area:
Recreational Contacts: Rock Creek Pack Station (760) 872-8331
Government Contacts:
Bureau of Land Management (Bishop Office) 787 Main Street, Suite P, Bishop, CA 93514
Department of Fish and Game: Season dates, licenses, restrictions, fish stocking
Inyo National Forest: books, maps and wilderness passes and permits: Mt. Whitney Ranger Station (760) 873-2500; White Mountain Ranger Station (760) 873-2500; Mammoth Ranger Station (760) 924-5500 www.fs.fed.us/r5/inyo
Tom's Place Expansion Notes:
Companion Web Sites:
Glacier to Yellowstone (A complete guide to camping and fishing in Montana from Glacier to Yellowstone)
Fishing Tips 101 (Offering a "Mastering the Basics" series for freshwater fishing)
Bass and Trout Fishing Digest (Dave's hodge-podge of fishing adventures in Northern California and Oregon)
Highway 395, 15.6 miles north of Big Pine and 20.5 miles south of Tom’s Place
Photo Gallery
Services and Accommodations
Restaurants and Eateries: (My favorites) Bar-B-Q Bills (760) 872-5535; Erick Schat’s Bakkery (760) 873-7156; La Casita (760) 872-2326
Public Internet Use Facilities:
Museums and Point of Interest: Laws Railroad Museum
(760) 647-6445; Paiute Shoshone Indian Cultural Center
Events and Festivities/ March 15: Blake Jones Trout
Derby – Bishop Chamber of Commerce; April 26: Opening Day for the
General Trout Season; May 23-26: Memorial Day Arts and Craft Show; August
28-September 1: Eastern Sierra Tri-County Fair; September 27-28: California
Wild Horse and Burro Show); November 15: General Trout Season Closes.
Summer Recreation: Biking, Birding, Camping, Fishing, Golfing, Hiking, Horseback Riding, Mountaineering, Photography, Rock Climbing
Winter Recreation: (See Mammoth Lakes)
Sporting Goods Stores: Barrett’s Outfitters (760) 872-3830Culver’s Sporting Goods (760) 872-8361; Mac’s Sporting Goods (760) 872-9201; Wilson’s Eastside Sports (760) 873-7520
Fly Shops: Brooks Flyfishing Specialists (760) 872-3581
Nearby Fishing: Home: Bishop: Fishing Fishing Tips (Bishop Creek, Heart Lake, Intake II, Mack Lake, McGee Creek, North Lake, Owens River, Pine Creek, Pleasant Valley Reservoir, Rock Creek, Rock Creek Lake, Ruby Lake, Sabrina Lake, South Lake
Photo courtesy of Bishop Chamber of Commerce
Nearby Camping: Home: Bishop: Camping (Big Trees Campground, Bishop Park Campground, Bitterbrush Campground, Forks Campground, Four Jeffrey Campground, Horton Creek Campground, Intake II Campground, Pleasant Valley Campground, PV Pit Campground, Mountain Glen Campground, North Lake Campground, Sabrina Lake Campground, Willow Creek Campground)
Bishop Chamber of Commerce
690 N. Main St., Bishop, California 93514; 760-873-8405; 888-395-3952
Toll free
Visitor center hours: 10AM to 5PM M-F 10AM to 4PM Weekends
Community Parks:
Tours and Side-Trips: Bishop Creek Canyon, Buttermilk Country, Fish Slough, Volcanic Tableland
RV Related:
Recreational Contacts: Bishop Country Club golf
course (760) 873-5828; Bishop Pack Outfitters (760) 873-4785; Paiute Palace
Casino; Keough’s Hot Springs (760) 872-4670; Pine Creek Pack Station (760)
387-2797; Rainbow Pack Outfitters (760) 872-8803. Rainbow Pack Outfitters offers overnight pack trips into the John Muir Wilderness and into King's Canyon Wilderness. They also offer guided day rides and fishing trips in the Bishop Basin.
Government Contacts:
Bureau of Land Management (Bishop Office) 787 Main Street, Suite P, Bishop, CA 93514
Department of Fish and Game: 407 W. Line Street, Bishop, CA 93514 (619) 872-1171 Season dates, licenses, restrictions, fish stocking etc.
Photo courtesy of Bishop Chamber of Commerce
Inyo National Forest: books, maps and wilderness passes and permits: Mt. Whitney Ranger Station (760) 873-2500; White Mountain Ranger Station (760) 873-2500; Mammoth Ranger Station (760) 924-5500 www.fs.fed.us/r5/inyo
Bishop Expansion
Notes in Alphabetical Order
The
Across the broad Owens Valley lays a parallel mountain range
that stretches east of Lone Pine northwards into
Unassuming in height, the Bristlecone Pine grows on barren, windswept slopes with little surrounding vegetation, which protects them from wildfire danger. Stout and gnarly, their twisted limbs entwine as they stand proud survivors and testimony to the rigors of nature and time not in decades or centuries but in millennium. Slow to grow, their dense wood core wards off insects and disease. Dr. Edmund Schulman, who discovered the trees in the 1950’s, has studied the ring growth in living and dead trees and provided a 9,000 year record of weather patterns for the region.
The Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest is 36 miles from Big
Pine. The last thirteen miles are
unpaved and rough in places. A picnic
site is located at approximately 16 miles.
The only campground is Grandview Campground, a few miles north of the
To visit Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, turn east on Highway 168 from Highway 395 in Big Pine. After thirteen miles, turn left onto Road 01, a signed road to the forest.
Bishop
With the discovery of gold in
By 1863 a stage coach line was established from Bishop to
Continuing silver and gold strikes brought in the Carson
& Colorado Railroad that connected
With little private land to expand, Bishop nonetheless
became prosperous as the tourism hub of
Blake Jones Fishing Derby
The next derby will be held Saturday, March 15, 2008. The Blake Jones Trout Derby is held every March....The site of the derby is along the Owens River, just below the Pleasant Valley Reservoir, six miles north of Bishop. Put on by the Bishop Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau, this pre-season event is a great chance to wet your line and hone your fishing skills while getting a chance to win big prizes!
Fishing during the derby is allowed in the reservoir and along the river only as all others waters are closed until the last Saturday in April. Tons of trout are planted just before the derby by both Alpers Trout Hatchery and the DFG. and you can enter your catch in any number of categories including "Blind Bogey" and "Big Fish" for a chance to win your part of over $10,000 in prizes including high quality rod & reel combos, float tubes, custom lures, lodging, dinners and other goodies from local merchants and friends of the Bishop Chamber.... During the derby, you are allowed to fish in both the Pleasant Valley Reservoir and any section of the lower Owens River (except the catch & release Wild Trout area) and bring your catch to the derby headquarters at the reservoir to have them weighed by Hal and the crew.
Each participant receives five "fish cards" so that one can enter up to five fish (the legal limit) in the contest to increase the chance of winning. Everyone's fish cards are put into the hopper and those that match the Blind Bogey weight will win prizes. There are also prizes for "Biggest Trout" plus lots more!
The Blind Bogey fish this year weighed 11oz. (caught by a secret fisherman two days before the derby) and 20 lucky fishermen who caught fish that matched that size had their fish cards drawn with first prize a fisherman's dream package contributed by local sporting goods dealers Barrett's Outfitters, Mac's Sporting Goods and Culver's Sporting Goods along with the Paiute Palace, Sears, Berkley and Cabelas.
Who was Blake Jones?
Whenever you bait your hook with Powerbait or any of the other modern cheese baits, you can thank the late Blake Jones. Jones invented cheese bait which was unique when it was introduced back in the 1950s. Before Blake Jones came along anglers had to use Velveeta cheese spread or cut small pieces from a block of cheese which easily fell off the hook when immersed in water. Blake's special cheese bait stayed on the hook even during heavy casting. But Blake Jones was probably best known as one of the legendary anglers in Bishop. Along with his wife, Peggy, he fished all over the high country and taught hundreds of people how to fish thelakes and streams of the High Sierra. Longtime local resident and business owner Don Barrett explained. 'They were the type of people who would never hesitate and help people fish. They might hand someone a jar of bait and show them how to use it. They were just that way.'"
For complete details on the derby go to www.bishopvisitor.com
Photo courtesy of Bishop Chamber of Commerce.
Buttermilk Country
Named by a local dairyman back in the 1870’s, the area is
quite popular with family rock climbers and “bouldering” experts alike, who use
only their fingers and toes to climb.
The area is beautiful in the spring both for wildflowers, birds and a
large deer herd that winter in the area.
To reach Buttermilk Country, turn west on
Fish