High Sierra Topix

Friday, 15 June 2007
The Drive to Nevada (Day 1 of 3)

Photos: http://snownymph.smugmug.com/gallery/3025947#164482926

I left LA Thursday night and slept at Onion Valley to acclimatize. Friday I got to sleep in, and took my time driving to NV to meet Astrohound. We checked out the Berlin Ichthyosaur State Park, and got to see the Ichthyosaur fossil. Later drove to Upper Columbine Campground, where I discovered a flat tire. I changed it, and Astrohound helped by lifting the tire for me when needed. We had a nice creek to wash up in, and a nice campfire that night. So nice we fell asleep til I got cold and woke up.

Snowy, very interesting drive from a number of standpoints; I always think of desert when I think of Nevada, certainly not Aspen! Nice flowers, too! Looks like there's a lot of history out there. And I'm just guessing, but I think you have a weak spot for animals!

Speaking of animals, is that a lifesize portrait of Ichthyosaur? Looks like you would make quite a tasty morsel for one!

P.S. How the heck is gas 14 cents cheaper in Bishop than it is in San Diego???

Nevada desert is so different from our desert. You would love it with the trees and colors and water! Wish we would have had more time to check out some of the ghost towns while there. Guess I spent too much time stopping for animals!

Yes, that's how big the Ichthyosaur was. There are 9-10 of them entombed in that quarry. The large rear flippers were 6' long. The tail was 15'. The longest rib was 9' in length, indicating an animal 8' thick and 6' wide!

Gas in Bishop was down to $2.91 by Sunday.

Nice pictures.

I've never heard of a "Ichthyosaur" (until now). That is one big fish lizard.

At first glance it seemed like a back country medical condition.....
"I was hiking in the desert when suddenly I was stricken with a bad case of Ichthyosaur".

Cori...I LOVE the donkey so much! So very sweet just adorable..so nice you stopped by for a visit
Looking forward to the rest of the trip pictures...im so sorry about the flat tire. I had heard that Ichthyosaur is worth the visit to see!

Saturday, 16 June 2007 (day 2 of 3)
Arc Dome (11,780’), NV

PHOTOS: http://snownymph.smugmug.com/gallery/30 ... #164538550

Astrohound and Snow Nymph dayclimbed Arc Dome (11,780'), the highpoint of the Toiyabe Range. A variant name for the peak is Toiyabe Dome. The name is derived from the Shoshone word toyap, which means mountain.

Fascinating area; are you sure you weren't a tour guide in another life? I feel like I'm watching a tour led by a museum curator!!!!!

By the way, that's not the Flux Capacitor from "Back to the Future," is it???

wow - not the kind of desert I expect from Nevada - looks like it was a great trip - but 1100 miles of driving - yuck

Great pics of the Arc Dome area SN.

To me, the long drive to do Arc Dome was well worth it - it just means taking an extra day off to allow for the driving time. Those aspens are great - my timing was off last year when I went in mid-October because most of the leaves were gone. I think a trip in early October into that area would be wonderful.

I'm looking forward to the Jefferson photos - I might go back this fall and try that one. I'd also like to do a tour of Nevada and check out the Ruby's and then down to Great Basin National Park - maybe next year. From what little I've seen of Nevada, I've really enjoyed it.

Trekker, I don't know my parts, but Lewis gave me the names. You're the 2nd person that asked that!

Tom, if I didn't drive the miles, I'd be missing out. It was totally worth the drive!

Kathy, next time I'll take an extra day to drive home. The aspens were amazing, especially the ones dating back to 1923. I want to explore more of that area. I was amazed it was desert!


Sunday, 17 June 2007 (day 3 of 3)
Mt Jefferson South Summit (11,949') and Belmont ghost town in NV

PHOTOS: http://snownymph.smugmug.com/gallery/30 ... #166732397

After climbing Arc Dome the day before, we drove 5.5 hrs to the trailhead of Mt Jefferson. It was only 26 mi across the valley as the crow flies, but without a spare tire, I didn't want to take a chance getting stuck on dirt roads we weren't familiar with. So we took the long way around.

We dayclimbed the south summit of Mount Jefferson, the high point in the Toquima Mountains. On the way back, we stopped at the ghost town of Belmont. Belmont was a short-lived boom camp of the late 1800's.