Heading Home 4/14

We were on the road by 8:30 this morning and the snow that is still remaining on the peaks was pretty.  We stopped to take a picture just north of Lone Pine, CA.  The peak between the two higher peaks is Mt. Whitney.  It looks smaller as it is behind the others.

It was a beautiful morning with no wind to speak of and temperatures were in the 50s when we started and the highest all day was in the mid 70s.  Below is a shot south of Mammoth Lakes. There should be a lot more snow on the Sierra at this time of year.  Snow pack is only about 25% normal.

Mono Lake has recovered some in recent years after lawsuits forced the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to provide ample flows into the lake.  For years most of the water in the Eastern Sierras has been diverted south to LA and Mono Lake continued to recede until the diversion was limited.

There is more snow in some of the northern portions of the Sierras but still way, way below normal.

A quick stop to stretch our legs.

We got to Bridgeport, CA just about noon and had hoped to stop at the Hays Street Cafe as we had eaten there before and liked it.  Unfortunately it was closed so we continued into town and stopped at a place called the Burger Barn.  We weren't too sure about it but there aren't many choices here.  It was just a little place that you walked up to the window to order and sat at tables outside.  They had a number of Mexican food items besides the burgers.  Linda had a Burrito Bowl and I had a Carnitas Burrito.  Both were quite good. 

          We were getting close to home after we crossed Carson Pass and proceeded                              past Kirkwood Meadows.

The snow cut along side the highway this time of year would normally be 10' high.  In most places it was only 2-4" high.

Arrived home at about 3:30 after enjoying our trip fully.  Had some of the campgrounds along the Walker River been open we may have stopped for another night.  I think they start to open next week.

We are already working on the next trip.

Travel Day 4/13

I have corrected a problem that caused very slow downloading of the blog.  It was trying to display 10 posts and with that many pictures it took a long, long time.  Now it will only display the most recent post and you can select older post or click on the sidebar for the post you want to see.  I am learning.

Today we left Zion at 9 am and fought the wind all the way to Lone Pine, CA.  The wind had to be at least 40 mph with higher gusts.  We encountered head winds, cross winds, swirling winds and for about 10 miles of the trip tail winds.  The 10 miles of tail winds didn't begin to make up for the extra fuel consumption fighting the other winds.  The air was filled with dust and in one section which was very sandy it was hard to see the road as the sand was blowing across it.

Our route took us north of Las Vegas up Hwy 95 to Beatty, NV and then through Death Valley to Lone Pine.  We arrived about 5 pm and set up for the night at Boulder Creek RV Park just south of the town.  We had stayed here the last time we visited Death Valley and it is a very pleasant park.  The pads are gravel but there are a lot of cottonwood trees and pines to break the wind.  Yes, it is still blowing.

I asked the lady in the office if she would guarantee us no wind tomorrow.  She replied "No, the wind blows until August".

No pictures today as it was just too hazy with all the dust in the air.  Maybe we will get some nice pictures on the way up Hwy 395 tomorrow of the snow capped peaks along the way.

Zion's Kolob Canyon Day Trip 4/12

As this is our last full day in Zion we drove up to the northwest corner of the park to see Kolob Canyon.  It is off I-15 south of Cedar City.  It would have been better if we had chosen to go in the afternoon as the light wasn't the best for pictures.  Still it is different yet similar to other parts of Zion.  Well worth the trip but if you visit, plan to see it in the afternoon.

The road is about 5-6 miles long from the Visitor Center just off I-15 and climbs from about 4400' to about 6500' elevation.

Taylor Creek Trail from the road follows the creek to Double Arch Alcove.

Further up the road the Lee Pass Trail connects with other trails that eventually reach Zion Canyon.  Not a one day stroll in the park.

The following two pictures are from the view point at the end of the road.

This is a deep side canyon about 2/3 the way up the road.

The following three pictures are from the same viewpoint.

It was important to get back to our campground so we could do some important things this afternoon, SHOPPING in Springdale.  Whoopee!!!!

Bryce Canyon Day Trip 4/11

Today we took Hwy 9 east through the tunnel to Hwy 89 and on up to Bryce Canyon National Park.  Zion Canyon is beautiful but the drive over the mountains in Zion is incredible.  Driving in that area you are able to really see the detail of the mountains...the textures and colors are beyond description.

Anyone that has been here will recognize the arch you see before you get to the tunnel.  

Looking back west from the tunnel control station.

The tunnel is about 1 mile long and was built in the 30's.  It is narrow and there isn't a lot of vertical clearance near the sides so they limit it to one way traffic when RVs or trailers need to go through.  Traffic is stopped at each end of the tunnel and one way traffic is sent down the middle of the tunnel.  The last vehicle to go through is given a baton to hand to the ranger at the opposite end indicating they can send traffic through the tunnel.

The ranger on the right with the orange vest seemed to be at every station we went through.  She was at the campground entrance when we arrived.  At the entrance to the park when we returned from town, and then today at the tunnel control station.

Driving east on Hwy 9.

Again very lucky to see Desert Big Horn sheep.

Rainbow Point which is at the end of the road and at just over 9000' elevation.

Even though it was in the 70's the snow remains in many areas.

Prominent Hoodoos.

Natural Bridge.

We saw a couple of herds of antelope but they kept

 their distance.

Sunset Point which is one of the more famous and visited spots in the park.  We have been here near sunset and the light makes the cliffs surreal.

Back in Zion.

Another great day.

Zion National Park 4/10

Today was spent touring Zion Canyon.  After April 1st no cars are allowed in the canyon except for guests of the Zion Lodge traveling to it.  Shuttle buses run about every 5-10 minutes and make stops at several points along the way to the end of the road at Temple of Sinawava.  From that point there is a 1 mile paved trail to the Narrows where hiking means walking in water much of the time.  You are warned to check weather forecasts for possible rain and flash flooding as lives have been lost in the Narrows. 

 Click on any picture to enlarge them.

Shuttle pickup point at the Visitor Center

Looking down the canyon from Temple of Sinawava

Trail to the Narrows

Virgin River

There are people hiking along the top of this ridge.  You can see them in the closeup in the picture below this one.

People hiking the ridge trail.  It's a long way up.

From the Grotto we took the 1/2 mile trail to Zion Lodge where we had lunch at the Red Rock Grill.  OK but typical Nat'l Park food.  The only place in a Nat'l Park with great food is at the Ahwahnee Lodge in Yosemite.  I am sure there are others it is just that I haven't found them.

Views from the trail and at Zion Lodge.

Shuttle bus back to the Visitor Center.

Between 7 & 7:30 pm the sun striking the mountain behind the campground is stunning and the following two pictures are a perfect close to a great day,

Again, the photos don't capture what we saw.