9/3 - Back to Mono Basin, and Camps with Camps

HI EVERYBODY! It's been a while, and things have been perfect on the Eastern slope.


I left Markleeville/Hope Valley/Minden about a week and a half ago, then drove with Mattie Dog down to the Mono Basin. We stayed for two nights along Lee Vining Creek, had some beers and food at the Mobil Station, and went on short walks around the Lee Vining/Mammoth/Mono areas. And we spent some time looking for artifacts, duh-doi.


Then I got a call from the wonderful Eastern Sierra foster family, John and Mary Ljung, inviting us to stay with them for a night at the Mono City Magic Castle. I don't remember if I have described the house before. It is situated on a hill about six miles north of Lee Vining on the 395, overlooking Mono Lake and the Eastern Sierras. The entire southern side of the house is windows - giant wall-sized windows that look over the valley, sagebrush, lake, and a ton of thundercloud skies. There is usually a premier league game on the television when you wake up. There is homemade bread, homemade jam, homemade tapenade, good beer, delicious food, a million topo maps, a collection of the best hiking snacks in the world, and the great company of John, Mary, and sweet dog Pepper. It's pretty unreal.


We stayed for a night, and that day (Sunday, maybe?) got a call from the legendary Camps, one of our favorite boys from Utah who we were all lucky enough to meet at Danielle and Cole's wedding last year. Mike was driving out from Utah, doing a long bike ride somewhere around Big Basin, then heading out towards Mammoth. We decided that some time in the back country was in order, so quickly planned a 4-day, 3-night backpacking trip.

We got a permit, a bear canister (which was duct-taped, empty, to the back of Mike's pack), and left the next day for Mammoth for our start over Duck Pass. The entire trip took us over Duck Pass to Pika Lake (night 1), then around beautiful Lake Virginia, down to Tulley Hole, and up up up to a great little site near the Tulley Lake outlet (night 2), then up up down to McGee Pass and Lower McGee Lake (night 3) before hiking out on Friday in McGee Canyon.

Here are a few pictures. They're not all in order. But you get the idea.

First night, Pika Lake.

 

Afternoon swimming and relaxing at Lake Virginia.

Me and Mike on McGee Pass.

Sunset Near Tulley Lake.

Me coming down from McGee Pass.

Trail angels John and Mary, picking us up (WITH COLD OATMEAL STOUT) at the McGee Creek trailhead.

We can't thank the Ljungs enough for both dropping us off, and picking us up, from the endpoints of the trip. THANK YOU. AND THEN WE GOT TO EAT AT THE MOBIL STATION AGAIN. It was a great trip, with no problems, in the most beautiful places ever - and McGee Pass was one of the best yet.

We spent another night in Mono City, anxiously awaiting the arrival of my Mom and Dad, who were coming down from a week in the Eastern Sierras themselves (but a little south). While we waited, Mike and I hiked up to one of the all-time Laughing Places above Summit Pass.  You can't really tell in these pictures, but standing (or me - sitting) on the point, it's a straight 1,500 ft drop down to Burro Lake, and it is terrifying and amazing.

Mike standing on the edge, thousands of feet above Burro Lake.

I choose to sit. South from Summit Pass, looking down towards Burro Lake and Lundy Canyon.

My parents got in that evening and we had an incredible and delicious BBQ with the Ljungs, talked a lot about mountains and camping and fishing, fell asleep and woke up to another beautiful Mono Basin morning. After breakfast, Mom and Dad headed towards Reno. Mike, Mattie and I took a last little hike up to Green Lake for the afternoon, spaced out on the shore for a while, then headed back to the 395.

Now, I'm back in Reno for Sid's 6th birthday party (things are already crazy, and the party isn't for 7 hours). Mike headed up Kingsbury Grade to Lake Tahoe where he's staying with friends, then doing the Tahoe Rim Trail. It was great having another buddy for the past week.

I can't believe I'll be back in Santa Barbara in only 2 weeks to teach. But I'm not too distraught - I've decided to take all of fall (and probably winter, and next spring...) off too, so the adventures will continue.

Love,

Allison & Mattie Dog