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Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Three day weekend in Inyo County

 Our first camp.
 View from our kitchen window.
 Storm breaking over the Sierra Nevada.
 Headed for Westgard Pass in the White Mountains.
Near the OVRO.
 We set up camp at 7200 feet and waited for the approaching storm.
The next morning and a little disappointed in the amount of snow. The forecast had called for 8 to 12 inches. We got about six inches.
Enough snow to ski.
Another track in the snow.
The second night just after sunset the outside thermometer read 11ยบ predicting subzero overnight temperatures. We left our Westgard camp and headed down to a lower elevation and warmer climes at 4,600 feet. The early morning sun warms the Sierra at our new camp.
I was sitting outside of our FWC reading when the first jet roared up the valley and spent the next ten minutes watching until I finally thought to get my camera. They never came as close as the first pass but it was an entertaining 20 minutes.
 Driving away from our campsite.
 Taking a circuitous route to the Shark's Fin. Lone Pine Peak looms over our road.
This set of whoop-de-doos seemed a good time for a driving over the camera shot.
 The Shark's Fin.
 Snow covered Inyo Mountains in background.
The Inyo's reflect in the seldom seen surface of Owens Lake.
While taking the photo of Owens Lake we noticed an old dump.
 A favorite orange soda from the past.
 Returning to the 395.
 
Having driven past Olancha Dunes countless times we decide to visit.
There seems to be only one major dune and Jan climbed to its summit.
Jan attempts to glissade down the dune. She has successfully used this technique on 14'ers in Colorado.
Leaving Olancha Dunes and heading for home. Jan's failed glissade in background.


Friday, February 11, 2011

East of Barstow

Explorers looking for adventure.
They find it.
 Sunset: The Explorers are on their way home and it's time for us to set up camp.
Sunrise over the Mojave.
Looking north from our camp. Cady Mountains in distance.
A dormant volcano is our neighbor.
Another angle and our friend's camp comes into view.
The cloud of dust in the center of this photo marks the spot of one of many explosions we observed to south of our camp in the MCAGCC.
 After breakfast we drove on to the Kelso Dunes. Hiked to the top, the first time, back in 1990.
Our next stop was the Kelso Depot. Very cool to see the depot fully restored and open. After it closed in 1985 it was boarded up and spent two decades in limbo.
 We walked down the shaded veranda of the restored depot
 and visited the "The Beanery" for lunch.
Dave personalized
a sign near Baker.
 Heading west we made a quick detour to Zzyzx.
The answer to the question.
 Rubiconer's wave goodbye.
Last photo before we head for home. Soda Lake in the background.