High Sierra Topix

I will be in Bishop this weekend and am interested in sneaking in a day hike for Saturday afternoon. Knowing the snow conditions, I know there won't be much open, but is there anything on the eastside that might be open? Don't want to go with crampons, etc, just looking for a walk, so to speak.

Don't mind driving, would be willing to go as far north as Lee Vining, and as far south as Lone Pine.

Does anyone know the conditions in Bristlecone?
I can whip out a good 10-15 miles with no problem, so distance or a loop should not be a issue.
I will be in a very low car(Corvette) so bouncy roads are out. Don't mind taking on dirt, as long as it is not too rough.
You gave me some great off beat DV hikes, so I am hoping you can help me again.
I am thinking about doing some exploring along Old Highway 120, if nothing pans out.
Thanks
Steve

Glass Mountain? 11,140'

Photo from last year taken from Hwy 6: http://community.webshots.com/photo/362 ... 7782WGHtbw

I can send info. Didn't look like much snow there last weekend. This photo isn't the best, but its the ridge (to the left of photo) between Mammoth Mtn (where I took this photo) and White Mtns in the distance. Looks like a lot of snow out there still. http://community.webshots.com/photo/550 ... 6560hUeHji

I think you have to drive dirt roads, but I don't remember it being that bad.

We're going to be up that way this weekend too, testing out the 18 month old in his backpack carrier. We were thinking about both the Shepard Pass and Sawmill Pass trails, until we hit serious snow. As I seem to recall, you can get to Sawmill pretty easily, but Shepard does involve some bouncy dirt roads. Easy in a Toyota Camry, but maybe not a Corvette.

Shepherd's Pass is borderline depending on how well they have maintained the road. I was on it a few years ago, and it was OK.
I wll have to check out both suggestions. I like the possibility of Glass Mountian, but YOW, there has to be some snow at 11,000 feet.
A few years ago we got blown out of a trip, and I mean nasty cold rainy, snowy, windy, you name it. Decided to bail, and I wanted to go out Taboose, the group voted for Shepherd's, we were headed for Kearsarge. That is one tough climb, cause it was a nasty downhill.
I have driven by Sawmill so many times, and never ventured to it. Hmmmm, I might look at that for Sunday AM.
These are pretty tough cars, I put one into a ravine just outside of Trona on the twisties just beyond the Panamint overlook..... and after it was towed out, I drove it away, to the amazement of all of us.
I am more concerned about clearance. I am not one of those prissy owners, that worries abot a little dust, or rain..... I pretty much take it everywhere as long as I can get clearance. Drove one up to the Charcoal Kilns. Scooped up a bit of gravel on the dirt part, but heck that is what air filters are for.

I guess we used the crampons on that trip.

We'll be doing Telescope Peak on Saturday, and Wildrose on Sunday if you feel like driving out that way.

Two weeks ago we did Haiwee Ridge and Scattered Bones Peak just south of Olancha. That was pretty cool.

Sawmill will be a good one. I'll warn you that it's similar to Taboose in that it goes up, up and up some more. The first part of the trail is through the desert and is very hot and exposed so start early. Watch for snakes. The car will make the trailhead with no problem. I'll be up the Sawmill trail this weekend as well. I want to see how far I can get without snow turning me away. Sawmill Lake is at 10,100 feet give or take and I'm hoping to make it that far anyway.

Rob

According to one of the snow measurement sites that George posted, there's about 25 inches of snow at 10,200 on the Sawmilll trail.

That Sawmill station isn't the Sawmill Trail station. That station is just southeast of South Lake in Bishop. I'm not familiar with any "sawmill" up there. The Sawmill Trail starts at the Division Creek Powerhouse between Independence and Big Pine. There very well may be snow on this trail too. I'm going to find out if all goes as planned.

I got to looking closer at the maps. For some reason I thought I could take my dog up Sawmill for quite a ways. Looks like he can only go a couple miles before we hit the Bighorn boundary. I have to take him this trip, so we'll be making other plans. Darn it.

As it turned out the run just kicked my butt. I was pretty whipped, a Safeway truck crashed into my new car on my way over on Friday afternoon, so my enthusiasm was lost for doing much.
I poked around a few roads along 395, and just couldn't muster the energy to do a big climb.
So I did a portion of the Volcano Auto tour, and walked out to the Puna crater off of Old 120. Proceded to stay on Old 120, stopping and goofing off at various places and enjoying the drive.
Thought I might head up to the Bristlecone Sunday AM after I got some rest, but it was raining, so I decided I would just head home. Taking in as much scenerey as I could, so I went down 395 to 178, cut across and hit 58 through the Carrizzo Plain to 101. Nice ride........