Mammoth Lakes Area Trails Report July 28, 2013 The Mammoth Pass trail from Horseshoe Lake is finally clear of all trees! A few weeks ago Forest Service crews sawed out all of the large trees left from the 2011 windstorm from the Mammoth Pass junction to Crater Meadows. This week Friends of the Inyo removed the last six trees obstructing the Mammoth Pass trail, so the trail is now completely open all the way to Upper Crater Meadows. The four-wheel drive road north from Minaret Vista towards Deadman Pass has an impressive wildflower display along the ridge. With over 40…
Mammoth Lakes Basin
Summer in the Lakes Basin is in full swing accompanied by an orchestra of booming thunderclaps and whispering pine breezes. With the great weather, flowers and warm days comes lots of fun. Just a gentle reminder that part of the fun is packing out what you’ve packed in. This week Friends of the Inyo’s Lakes Basin Steward removed over ten pounds of trash from around just part of the Lake George shore. Help those behind you notice the blooms – such as brilliant orange tiger lilies and cottonball-like ranger’s buttons – not the plastic bags. This past weekend’s third SOS…
The Laurel Lakes road still has one section of the road deeply covered in snow. This section is less than a mile from Laurel Lake, and is impassable for most vehicles. This route is only recommended for experienced four-wheel drivers only. Friends of the Inyo, with volunteers from Mammoth Mountain Ski Team, cleared and performed general maintenance on the trail from Twin Lakes Campground to Bottomless Pit. The McGee Pass trail south of Mammoth Lakes is in full bloom, and the trail is free of snow. A few of the bridges crossing over McGee Creek are in disrepair, so…
Mammoth Lakes Area Trails Report June 16, 2013 After the junction of the northern Mammoth Pass trail and the John Muir Trail, the trail to the northwest towards Reds Meadow has a few downed trees. The trail from Mammoth Pass towards Reds Meadow Campground is indistinct due to debris and downed trees. The trail to Rainbow Falls and trails leaving the Devil’s Postpile National Monument are open. Flowers: Look for Pretty Face, a member of the lily family, along these trails. From Rainbow Falls the Pacific Crest Trail heads southeast to Upper Crater Meadows. This section of the trail is…
Mammoth Lakes Area Trails Report June 9, 2013 The road to Minaret Vista is open. The trail from the vista north along San Joaquin Ridge to Deadman Pass has two areas of heavy snow along the road. Until this snow melts out this road is not advisable for vehicles. The trail is open for bicycles up to the Wilderness boundary. In Bloom: Alpine Buttercup, Davidson’s Fritillary, and California Valerian. The Mountain View Bike Trail is open with several patches of snow up high and one tree across the trail. The Downtown & Uptown Mountain Bike Trails are open and clear…
Each week during the Summer season, Friends of the Inyo Lakes Basin Stewards will be providing update trail condition reports for trail in and around the Mammoth area. The Stewards and these reports are made possible through the generous funding of the Town of Mammoth Lakes – Mammoth Lakes Trail System funds. Check back each week for a new report or follow us on Facebook to find out what’s happening on across the incomparable Eastern Sierra. Got something to share? Click the contact us link at the bottom of the page. Mammoth Lakes Trails Report June 1, 2013 Most…
We are wrapping up our fourth year, in partnership with Mammoth Lakes Trails & Public Access (MLTPA) and the Inyo National Forest, of our 2012 Summer of Stewardship Days (SOS). Thanks to everyone that came out to be a part of this year’s Mammoth Lakes Trail Crew. Over just 5 events, we accomplished a lot of work, here’s a look at the numbers: 82 logs cut out of trails 5.35 mi of trail maintained 1,100 ft of illegal and redundant trails rehabilitated 1,468 lbs of trash removed 31 trail structures maintained 7 trail structures built 3 bear boxes relocated 1…
PCT/JMT south of Mammoth This “Back Forty” of the Mammoth Lakes District is where hikers will run into challenging obstacles as a result of the massive November 30, 2011 tree blowdown. The trail is clear until Purple Lake, at which point the trail crew is still cutting a path through the flotsam & jetsam. Thru-Hikers have created fairly easy-to-follow “go-rounds”, so route finding is not so much a trouble, but travel times should be adjusted for the extra effort. These obstacles are intermittent from Purple to timberline en route to Silver Pass. Equestrian travel through this zone would be inappropriate…
Come have fun and learn about the beautiful Mammoth Lakes Basin with a Friends of the Inyo steward on a Geology Tour, Wildflower/Nature Hike and/or Gold Mine Tour this summer! This program, which is offered by Friends of the Inyo in partnership with the Forest Service, kicked off on Sunday, July 8, and will run through September – stay tuned to our website for updates! Geology Tour Learn why all the trees at Horseshoe are dead and many other amazing facts on a half mile walk to McLeod Lake. When: Fridays & Saturdays at 10 a.m. and Sundays & Mondays at…
THIS JUST IN! The following Conditions Reports are from FOI’s Wilderness Steward., Deb Bayle. A longtime Wilderness Ranger, Deb is working this summer, along with fellow Steward, Michael Rodman, to provide friendly faces in the Wilderness Areas (Ansel Adams, John Muir, Owens River Headwaters, and Hoover) on the North Zone of the Inyo National Forest. Funded through a number of sources, including Mono County, Columbia and the National Forest Foundation, Friends of the Inyo’s Wildenress Steward program, in partnership with the Inyo National Forest, seeks to ensure our local Wilderness Areas enjoy the benefits of professional, seasoned Stewards walking and…