Photo Credit: The Los Angeles Times
From Mono County Website:
The Eastern Sierra of California has long been an iconic destination. From the indigenous Paiute people to early gold miners of Bodie, this area has attracted and enchanted wanderers and wonderers of all types. This larger-than-life landscape of deserts and mountains, alpine forests, and spectacular waterfalls, ranks as one of the most photographed regions in the USA. A land of natural extremes, the Eastern Sierra also holds historical and cultural treasures, with human tales as high and low as its altitudes. Now there is a route that will take you to the furthest extremes of this spectacular part of America.
Welcome to the Eastern Sierra Tour - The Highest, Lowest, Hottest, Oldest, Saltiest, Rockiest, Earliest, Purest, Strangest, Loneliest, Truest Road Trip in America.
For those ready for an adventure that goes beyond the usual road trip limits, the E.S.T. will leave you filled with wonder at the majesty, mystery, and pure magnificence of California’s Eastern Sierra.
The E.S.T. is linear route, spanning over 555 miles and 8600 feet in elevation, from Death Valley at -282 ft to Whitney Portal at 8374 ft above sea level. You can traverse the route from either its north or south extreme, beginning at either Death Valley (130 miles west of Las Vegas) or starting from Yosemite (about 170 miles east of San Francisco).
Either way, it's a journey that reminds you of just how big the Eastern Sierra really is, so you’ll want to make sure your vehicle is prepared. You’ll want to prepare your senses too, for everything from desert heat to icy mountain mists.
DEATH VALLEY
Hottest, Driest, and Lowest National Park
Whether you begin or end here, the extreme nature of this massive desert basin must be experienced to be believed. See one of the largest saltpans on Earth with scenery that would look at home on a desert planet from Star Wars. Yet, despite its name, this area hosts a diversity of life, from lush oases to vast fields of wildflowers that appear after one of its rare rainstorms. You could also add another ‘-est’ to its title, as the Largest National Park in the Lower 48.
Open: Year-round
Traveler Tip: Temperatures can exceed 120 degrees Fahrenheit here in the summer. Bring extra water and plan for extreme heat.
Phone: 760-786-3200
Website: Nps.gov/deva
MT. WHITNEY
The Highest Peak in the Contiguous US
With spires that rise like dragon’s teeth from the horizon, reaching 14,505 feet, Mt. Whitney looks as unassailable as a medieval fortress. Yet the Whitney Portal Road welcomes you, with views that make it one of the most scenic drives in California. For dedicated mountaineers, there is more than one route to the summit of Mount Whitney, the tallest peak in the contiguous United States. (The route from Whitney Portal is a little under 22 miles round trip, with an elevation gain of 6,134 feet). More casual road-trippers may just want to stop for pancakes at the Whitney Portal Store and Café – no doubt, some of the fluffiest. (Open in the summer)
Open: June-October depending on snow and weather conditions.
Traveler Tip: Whitney Portal Road closes in winter due to snow. You can see Mt. Whitney year-round from the Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center located at the junction of Hwy US 395 and State Route 136 just south of Lone Pine. A permit is required to hike Mt. Whitney.
Phone: 760-876-6200
Website: Inyo National Forest - Mt. Whitney Trail
Whether you are seeking a one day hiking challenge, an overnight ascent or beginning the trek of your dreams, climbing Mt. Whitney is sure to be a memorable experience. Located on the eastside of California's beautiful Sierra Nevada Mountains, the Mt Whitney Trail starts in Inyo National Forest at Whitney Portal, 8,300 feet above sea level. The trail gains over 6,200 feet of elevation - READ MORE
California The Monster State: A Hulsey Family Monster Tale
As the story goes my dad and a group of fellow hunters were camping off Highway 395 near Walker, California sometime in the early 1960s. The group had enjoyed a steak lunch and tossed their bones and leftovers beneath a nearby tree. The group then embarked on a late afternoon hunt. When the group returned to their camp around dusk they discovered that there was an animal rummaging - READ MORE
Kramer Antiques & Darr Military Rentals: A Real Gem Hidden In The California Desert
Kramer Junction: a railroad siding 30 miles west of Barstow where the Randsburg railroad intersected with the Santa Fe railroad in 1898. However the name now applies to the intersection of the US 395 and CA 58, a site 2 miles west of the original Kramer Junction. The post office was established on December 20 1896 - READ MORE
For those ready for an adventure that goes beyond the usual road trip limits, the E.S.T. will leave you filled with wonder at the majesty, mystery, and pure magnificence of California’s Eastern Sierra.
The E.S.T. is linear route, spanning over 555 miles and 8600 feet in elevation, from Death Valley at -282 ft to Whitney Portal at 8374 ft above sea level. You can traverse the route from either its north or south extreme, beginning at either Death Valley (130 miles west of Las Vegas) or starting from Yosemite (about 170 miles east of San Francisco).
Either way, it's a journey that reminds you of just how big the Eastern Sierra really is, so you’ll want to make sure your vehicle is prepared. You’ll want to prepare your senses too, for everything from desert heat to icy mountain mists.
Hottest, Driest, and Lowest National Park
Whether you begin or end here, the extreme nature of this massive desert basin must be experienced to be believed. See one of the largest saltpans on Earth with scenery that would look at home on a desert planet from Star Wars. Yet, despite its name, this area hosts a diversity of life, from lush oases to vast fields of wildflowers that appear after one of its rare rainstorms. You could also add another ‘-est’ to its title, as the Largest National Park in the Lower 48.
Open: Year-round
Traveler Tip: Temperatures can exceed 120 degrees Fahrenheit here in the summer. Bring extra water and plan for extreme heat.
Phone: 760-786-3200
Website: Nps.gov/deva
The Highest Peak in the Contiguous US
With spires that rise like dragon’s teeth from the horizon, reaching 14,505 feet, Mt. Whitney looks as unassailable as a medieval fortress. Yet the Whitney Portal Road welcomes you, with views that make it one of the most scenic drives in California. For dedicated mountaineers, there is more than one route to the summit of Mount Whitney, the tallest peak in the contiguous United States. (The route from Whitney Portal is a little under 22 miles round trip, with an elevation gain of 6,134 feet). More casual road-trippers may just want to stop for pancakes at the Whitney Portal Store and Café – no doubt, some of the fluffiest. (Open in the summer)
Open: June-October depending on snow and weather conditions.
Traveler Tip: Whitney Portal Road closes in winter due to snow. You can see Mt. Whitney year-round from the Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center located at the junction of Hwy US 395 and State Route 136 just south of Lone Pine. A permit is required to hike Mt. Whitney.
Phone: 760-876-6200
Website: Inyo National Forest - Mt. Whitney Trail
Check Out:
No comments:
Post a Comment