Mono Lake
Sunday – 9 April 2000: Hello from
California (again!). We are in Mammoth Lakes. It is a beautiful, sunny day
and we had a very nice drive, south along 395 with views of the snow-covered
Sierras to the West! Our elevation is 7847 feet (according to our new
altimeter which has been calibrated to be correct to +/- 15 feet!). The
highest elevation reached today was 8143 at Conway Summit around noon today.
About a mile past this summit, there is a view of the entire Mono Lake. Just
breathtaking, (or is the elevation?) as the waters of Mono Lake are a
brilliant Caribbean blue! I am sure you have heard of the fight to save Mono
Lake? California was diverting so much water from the rivers and streams
that flow into Mono Lake; the lake lost half its volume. There was a legal
battle, and in 1994 the diversion stopped. The lake is 10-times saltier and
1000-times more alkaline than the ocean. We stopped at the Visitor Center
for a view and gourmet brunch of Cheerios and bananas and I took this photo
for your viewing pleasure:
Mono Lake
We then continued south on 395 through Lee Vining, where we
could see the East side of Yosemite, crossing Dead Man's Pass at 8000 feet
and turning into the resort town of Mammoth Lakes, where we will camp for a
few days while exploring the area. We checked into a ghost town of a
campground. They had our name and space number on the office door. No one
around. No water because it still freezes here. We just pulled in and set up
camp. No one else here - kinda eerie. I seem to have good cellular service
though - who knew? We arrived in time for DT to watch the last two hours of
the Master's golf tournament (while I baked a loaf of banana bread).
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