Note: This is a continuation of our California trip from here: https://occidentalist.org/wandering-ca-395-2018-part-2/ After departing the Alabama Hills we struck off ever southward toward Joshua Tree National Park. It was a transition day as the Sierra came to an end, and cholla cactus, creosote bushes and eventually Joshua trees filled the landscape before us. It took the better part of the day to get there, but we did arrive in time to do some initial looking around. …
Note: If you missed part 1 you can read it here: https://occidentalist.org/wandering-ca-395-2018-part-1/
After a day of checking out Bodie and Mono Lake we thought we’d spend the day hiking somewhere in the Sierras. We headed south a bit and thought maybe a trail in the Mammoth area would get us up in the mountains for some good views. As we pulled though Mammoth Lakes we started to notice that there were quite a few people about, and as we reached the main lodge area the parking lot was starting to look full. Here it was well more than a week before Thanksgiving, and Mammoth Mountain was in full operation spraying ice on the mountain for people to ski on. I was caught off guard with such a crowd flocking to ski on manufactured ice in the fall.
It always baffles me that people are so excited to ski when there isn’t any snow, but in the spring, when the snow is at its deepest and the weather is at its best, the crowds move on to other endeavors.
Due to the resort being open the road was blocked and we were thwarted from our original plan. We quickly broke out the maps and picked out another trail with a few lakes as a destination. Before too long we were on the trail to Emerald Lake.
As the weather starts to cool off, and the fire danger starts to drop off with it, we can start to venture a bit further afield to places with a few less people. Last weekend that place was deep in the Ochocos, or Deep Creek to be more precise. The North Fork of the Crooked River heads high in the Ochocos, runs through Big Summit Prairie and then turns south and meets Deep Creek. While…