welcome eastern sierra

Welcome to the

Eastern Sierra

Your guide to 2014-15 winter events & activities in Inyo & Mono counties

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Welcome to the

Eastern Sierra

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PUBLISHER & EDITORAleksandra Gajewski

WRITERS Wendilyn GrasseschiGeorge ShirkLyra Pierotti

COMPOSINGJesse BarletJulie Garrison

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Terry [email protected]

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What’s inside:Winter activities in the Eastern Sierra

6 Snowplay areas: Mammoth Mountain expands southward

9 Ice skating: There's nothing as magical11 Why you should snowshoe13 Cross country skiing: Welcome to paradise14 Hot springs of the Eastern Sierra 17 Fishing: Six fisheries are open year round 18 Snowmobiling on the

Eastside19 Photography: Winter weather poses some challenges

Winter calendar events

20 Bridgeport, Bodie, Coleville, Walker20 Mono Lake, Lee Vining, June Lake22 Mammoth Lakes32 Crowley, Convict Lake, Toms Place33 Bishop, Big Pine, Lone Pine, Independence

Staff

Your guide to 2014-15 winter events and activities

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On the cover: Fresh tracks left by a backcountry skier on Laurel Mountain. Photo by Justin Lawrence



Your guide to 2014-15 winter events and activities


6 welcome to the eastern sierrayour guide to 2014-15 winter events and activities welcome to the eastern sierra

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By George Shirk

It’s one thing to be behind the times; it’s quite another to be ahead of it.

Even as Mammoth Mountain Ski Area adds two new ski areas to its quiver—L.A.-centric Big Bear and Snow Summit—June Mountain Ski Area reopens for another try as a family-friendly area, with discounted rates and free skiing for kids 12 and under.

Meanwhile, there are two new entries in the array of flights coming into Mammoth-Yosemite Airport, one from

Denver and another from Las Vegas.On Mammoth Mountain itself, not

much will change in the 2014-15 season, although CEO Rusty Gregory said at the time of the Bear Mountain transaction in September that enhancements are on the way for the near future.

He was cagey, at best, as to what those enhancements might be, but he said it would include the construction of a new base lodge at Eagle, where “temporary” tent structures have become not so temporary over the years.

With new season ticket packages

available for Big Bear and Snow Summit skiers and snowboarders, regulars at Mammoth might see an uptick in Southern California visitors, particularly among the snowboard and free ski terrain park set.

Last year, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area doubled down for the second straight season in the parks.

The resort this season is going to continue to shape new terrain for the very youngest of riders and free skiers, and logic says this is good news for all-mountain skiers and snowboarders, too.

Mammoth adds Big Bear, Snow Summit to menu

June Mountain Ski Area sticks with 'family friendly' vibe photo by Peter Morning


The logic is that with the terrain parks filling up, it leaves more room on the vast open spaces of Mammoth and Lincoln mountains for conventional skiers and all mountain snowboarders. Therefore everybody gets a jolt.

This season, as last, the jolt once more will be mostly in the terrain parks.

The ski area will feature an array of new features in the evolving “Unbound Playground Progression Park,” as well as the challenging terrain parks that already exist.

Ski area pros say the progression park is designed to introduce a terrain park with approachable features so that beginners can learn how to do tricks and master the rails and box slides without risking life and limb in the more advanced parks.

This gradual progression—from a few inches off the ground to big boy heights—ought to allow snowboarders and skiers to learn at their own pace and move up to the next level of difficulty as they’re ready for it.

The design of the park, which was introduced last season, will feature smaller, low-risk features on the top that gradually give way to intermediate and medium sized features at

the bottom.The progression park helps riders build the

skills to go bigger.Instructional boards positioned throughout

the park provide self-guided pointers and the park’s secluded location lessens the intimidation factor.

Last winter, two of the top-rated terrain parks in the country—Mammoth’s Main Park and South Park—got a new look with what the ski area calls “new high-end, urban-inspired features.”

Veteran riders will probably recognize the terrain easily enough, but the new layout of jumps, jibs, rails and so on, get a makeover for the 2014-15 season.

Further down the hill, at Woolly’s Adventure Summit, the popular tubing park will continue to evolve, ski area officials said.

The snowplay area is situated along Minaret Boulevard near the main ski area, downhill from Main Lodge.

Last season, adventure summit work crews reduced the slope angle, ensuring that kids of all ages can enjoy the experience.

Lifts take tubers to the top where they can

ride down one of six groomed lanes. Also at the tube park is an expanded

snowplay area for the really little ones, with a carousel and plenty of space to climb small mountains of snow or to build a snowman. In addition, heaters and hot cocoa containers are planned to be on-site.

Speaking of kids—and we’re talking the really little ones—the Village Day Care will offer infant care in addition to care for ages 2 to 6. Parents can leave their bundles of joy (well, sometimes they are) in the hands of the day care staff at the state licensed facility and then enjoy some time on the slopes or an evening on the town.

The day care’s trained professionals are educated in the field of child development and have gone through background checks. The new Mammoth Mountain Child Care facility is within walking distance of lodging in The Village, so parents can easily transport their little ones to the facility, dropping them off and picking them up with ease. Child and infant care is also available at Main Lodge.

At June, this will be a do-over season, with the drought last season cutting off the big plans

>>page 8

welcome to the eastern sierra your guide to 2014-15 winter events and activities 7



there. During the 2014 summer season, crews began to explore the area for new sources of water to create snow-making capabilities at June.

June Mountain Ski Area began its transformation into a “family friendly” destination with a new “General Manager of Guest Experience” going to veteran Mammoth Mountain employee Julie Brown.

Brown, the current Ski and Snowboard School Brand Director at Mammoth Mountain

Ski Area, will reposition June Mountain as a family friendly destination for winter and summer.

But the big, big action still will be on the big, big ski hill, 20 miles to the south of June Lake.

For the Digital Set, the ski area is to continue giving a break to digital videographers and the GPS crowd with a couple of features that will save battery life and offer a (supposedly) seamless edit-to-Internet utility.

The ski area last season opened its new

“Digital Media Lounges” slopeside at Main and Canyon lodges so the GoPro set can recharge their electronic devices and upload, edit and share videos of their day on the mountain, without leaving the mountain.

Not to be outdone, even by itself, the mountain last season unveiled a new mobile app. The app uses GPS to allow friends and family members to find each other on the slopes.

It would not be much of a surprise if they found each other in one of the terrain parks.

from 7

photo by Christian Pondella



By Wendilyn Grasseschi

There’s probably nothing as magical in winter as skimming across mirror-smooth ice on a pair of thin silver blades, breath warm in the blue morning, the wind whipping at your hair, teeth, and nose.

If this sounds like your kind of fun, start with the town of Mammoth Lake’s own ice rink, located near the public library on Meridian Street, just east of the Vons shopping mall complex.

The rink is open seven days a week during the winter season, with variable times during the off-season. You can rent skates there and get lessons.

Groups can rent the rink for special events and hockey practice, too.

Amenities include skate sharpening, skate rentals, and snack and beverage services.

The Mammoth Ice Rink is located at 416 Sierra Park Road adjacent to the new Mammoth Lakes Library and opposite the Mammoth High School near the corner of Meridian Boulevard and Sierra Park Road.

If you want something a bit more challenging, consider ice skating some of the Eastern Sierra’s ponds and lakes—with proper precautions.

Here’s what you need to know:The first thing to know is if the water under the

ice is more than a foot deep. If it is, it’s dangerous—and potentially fatal.

“The only truly safe place to ice skate is an ice rink,” said local backcountry ice skater aficionado John Dittli.

“Anywhere you can break through the ice, it’s dangerous. It can be incredibly dangerous if you are not prepared. It can kill you and others.

“That said, if you are prepared, if you know how to identify safe ice and safe places to skate, ice skating is one of the most beautiful things a human being can do with their own two feet.”

Dittli knows. He’s been hiking, skiing, and backpacking the Eastern Sierra high country for more than three decades. He’s been known to hike the 15 miles on the Reds Meadow Road and down to the valley below, then head up to Thousand Island Lake, where the huge lake shimmers under a December full moon and the Winter Solstice stars shine in a black night.

But here is the catch.Ice skating in the backcountry, beautiful as it is,

is also a rare thing. Not every winter allows for any kind of ice skating.

It all depends on the weather.“If it snows early, before the ice sets, say in late

November or early December, that's best,” he said. “If it snows at about the same time the lakes

begin to freeze, that can be a problem. The snow falling on the lakes can make the ice freeze up unevenly. If it’s windy, like it often is in a mountain storm, that’s even more of a problem. The wind kicks up waves and the waves freeze. Add snow to that, and it could be there’s no ice skating at all for the rest of the winter.”

That makes backcountry ice skating one of the rarest of Eastern Sierra winter activities—all the more reason to cherish it when it happens.

IF YOU WANT TO TRY The best place to start is to give the

Mammoth Welcome Center a call and tell them what you are interested in. They can guide you in the right direction.

Mammoth Welcome CenterWhere: 2510 Main Street/S.R. 203 at the east

entrance to the town of Mammoth Lakes, three miles west of U.S. 395

Contact: Call 760-924-5500 Hours of Operation: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas.Or you can call the ice rink directly at 760-

934-2505 during operating hours or the Town of Mammoth Lakes Recreation Department office at 760-934-8989 ext. 222 for additional information.

Ice skating the Eastern SierraHit up Mammoth’s ice rink or adventure into the backcountry

Serving Breakfast, Lunch and DinnerWinter hours from 6:30am to 9pm.

Breakfast served until 3pm. Hours of operation subject to change without notice

(760) 934-1734

mammothgoodlifecafe.com(Behind Chart House)

do with their own two feet.”

hiking, skiing, and backpacking the Eastern Sierra high country for more than three decades. He’s been known to hike the 15 miles on the Reds Meadow Road and down to the valley below, then head up to Thousand Island Lake, where the huge lake shimmers under a December full moon

thethe

photo by Aleksanra Gajewski



Check out our kids outdoor department with baby helmets, noise canceling headphones, strider bikes, joggers, travel packs, and more

Ice skates, snowshoes, sleds, kid carriers and more to enjoy your outdoor adventures in

beautiful Mammoth Lakes!

Snowshoes$15 Adult day $12 Child day

Ice Skates$20 Adult day$15 Child day

WINTER RENTALS

Winter Wonderland Activitieswww.pedegomammothlakes.com

$12 Child day$15 Child dayHelmets and poles also available for rent

Winter Wonderland ActivitiesWinter Wonderland Activitieswww.pedegomammothlakes.com

Pedego Mammoth Lakes

ALL NEW—Children’s Outdoor Gear!SALES AND RENTALS

Mammoth Lakes Pedego is proud to announce the addition of ice skates and snowshoes for rent and sale this 2014/15 winter season.

Located at the corner of Tavern and Old Mammoth Road, just next door to the Good Life Café, Pedego will be offering a variety of outdoor activities the whole family can experience together including: ice skate rentals, snowshoe rentals, and Pedego electric bicycle rentals (weather permitting).

Snowshoeing in Mammoth Lakes can be great for a family outing, or an all out adventure into the backcountry. There are several parks and trail systems available for your snowshoeing enjoyment—from Shady Rest Park located in the Town of Mammoth Lakes to the Mammoth Lakes Basin—there are extensive trails systems

inviting you to explore the Mammoth Crest and beyond. Be sure and stop by Pedego and get information, maps, safety tips, and suggestions on where to go.

“The thing I love most about snowshoeing is that you don’t have to go far to get away from everything. It really makes you feel like you’re out there,” said local outdoor enthusiast John Rea.

Ice skating can too often be over-looked by families and outdoor enthusiasts looking for a fun activity to enjoy. Pedego will be receiving updated U.S. Forest Service information on which local lakes are cleared for skating as well as local skate reports for the best conditions. You can even double up the adventure and rent snowshoes to get you to those hard-to-reach, local-favorite lakes. There is also an ice skating rink conveniently located in

town that is available for a leisurely day of skating with the whole family.

In our small town, it can often be difficult to find winter accessories for infants and toddlers.

“As a new mother, I am excited that we are adding a whole section of outdoor children’s gear that you can’t find anywhere else in Mammoth,” said Pedego owner Ashley Brussel. Kid accessories include baby helmets, Baby Banz ski goggles and sunglasses, as well as Deuter kid carriers, sleds, all terrain B.O.B. strollers (joggers), and more.

Pedego’s main goal is to provide adults and kids of all ages with outdoor options that will allow them to explore the beauty of Mammoth Lakes and the Eastern Sierra. Come in today and pick your adventure!

Ice skates, snowshoes and kids’ gear now available at Mammoth Lakes Pedego

PAID ADVERTISEMENT



Eastern Sierra winters practically beg for snowshoers to come on out of the house and play in the snow.

The weather is mostly sunny and calm, the temperatures moderate, the snow neither too deep nor too shallow.

The scenery is second to none in the world; stunning peaks in every direction, mountain creeks and lakes right outside of town—sometimes right inside town!—it’s all yours within just moments of home or condo or hotel.

Best of all, you need absolutely no experience to snowshoe. None.

If you can walk, no matter how slowly, you can snowshoe.

The only thing you need is a pair of snowshoes, easily rented or bought at almost every outdoor store in the area.

The cost is low. If you shop carefully, buying a brand new pair of snowshoes can cost around

$100—low enough to make the sport affordable for the whole family.

Families, grandparents, and grandkids can all participate in snowshoeing because the Eastern Sierra has an endless array of terrain to chose from—from the gravel road next to Mammoth Creek minutes from town to the extreme black diamond hills minutes in any other direction.

Pick the terrain you are most comfortable with. You can easily adapt your walk or workout by choosing easier terrain—or more difficult terrain—at any moment.

Need another reason to try it? Snowshoeing burns a whole lot of calories in a very short amount of time, making it a perfect, low impact form of exercise.

Depending on your pace, the sport can burn more than 700 calories per hour, roughly equivalent to running, mountain biking, or Nordic skiing, according to research.

That’s great for both the first time visitor, the long time local trying to stay in shape for summer hiking, and extreme athletes.

It doesn’t even take any special clothes or gear, assuming you have basic winter gear such as a waterproof coat or jacket, a hat and gloves.

Many Eastern Sierra locals can be seen hitting the trails in their snowshoes on their one-hour lunch break, wearing the same pants, tights, or jeggings they wore to work that day.

Assuming you already have layered, waterproof winter clothing, including boots and gaiters, all you need is a pair of snowshoes (ranging from $100 to $300 for adults) and, if you wish, optional collapsible, big-basket ski poles which can also be bought or rented at local sporting goods stores.

A few gear tips:n Newer shoes consider fine features such as

the different way men and women carry their weight. It’s worth getting a knowledgeable sales person to help out, but in reality, your own hiking boots or winter boots will work in snowshoes. We’ve even seen some people snowshoeing in lightweight, waterproof athletic shoes on powder

Snowshoeing is for everyoneIt’s also a lot easier than it looks—and a lot cheaper


>>page 12



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days or warm days when the snow is light.n Most kinds of snowshoes clip together as

one unit and take up little space on the garage wall or easily fit into the trunk of a car. For those who snowshoe to summit a mountain while packing skis, snowshoes slip into a backpack for the downhill glide.n Head to one of the best rated outdoor retail

footwear shops in the country for a custom fit and lots of tips—Mammoth Lake’s Kittredge Outdoor Sports. Also check out Pedego Mammoth Lakes, which rents snowshoes in the winter.n Don’t forget, the Eastern Sierra is high and

that means the sun is fierce, even on cloudy days. Take lots of sunscreen. Use it often.n Take lots of water. The Eastern Sierra air is

very dry.Other than that, go on. Get out there.

IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MOREThe best place to start is to give the

Mammoth Welcome Center, a call and tell them what you are interested in. They can guide you in the right direction.

Mammoth Welcome CenterWhere: 2510 Main Street/S.R. 203 at the east

entrance to the town of Mammoth Lakes, three miles west of U.S. 395


Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas.

from 11


welcome to the eastern sierra 13your guide to 2014-15 winter events and activitieswelcome to the eastern sierra 13your guide to 2014-15 winter events and activities


Most people think of downhill skiing when they think of Mammoth and the Eastern Sierra.

That’s their loss.It doesn’t matter if you are a beginner, an

expert, a parent with a 5-year-old, or a 75-year-old, cross country skiing can be learned in minutes—and it’s a lot cheaper than alpine skiing.

Wide-open spaces, abundant sunlight, deep, powder-white snow, long and easy trails that glide across smooth glades, steep, black-diamond couloirs made for adrenaline chasers—we have it all here.

There are sunlit slopes and deep green forests so silent you can hear your heart beat.

There are creeks filled with the murmur of ice on rock, where beaver dams and the graphite bark of aspen are dark against the blue sky.

There are places not far from the Town of Mammoth Lakes where the steam from natural hot springs rises like a dream from the snowy ground. In the winter, they are only accessible by an easy ski and best of all, once you get there, you won’t have to share the tub.

Take that, alpine skiing!Best of all, the equipment is easy to rent or

buy and there’s not much to it—just a set of poles, boots and skis.

A lot of people think learning to cross country ski is hard.

It’s not. If you can walk, you can cross country ski.

So what are you waiting for?The easiest place to start cross country

skiing, the best introduction to the sport, is probably Mammoth’s several miles of free, perfectly groomed trails just next to the town’s visitor center. The trails there are relatively flat and easy, groomed for both “classic” skiing, where the skier moves forward with both skis parallel to each other, and “skate skiing,” where the skier moves on skis much like an ice skater moves in ice skates. Classic skiing is considered the easier of the two styles and children as young as three can often cross country ski a good groomed trail.

Skiing the trails behind the visitor center is free and the equipment you need can be rented at several different locations in Mammoth.

Another option for people who want a more challenging ski with more mileage is Tamarack Cross Country Ski Area in the Lakes Basin at the winter terminus of Lake Mary Road.

Tamarack, run by Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, offers 23 kilometers of groomed track groomed for both skate and classic skiing, and a full service ski hut offers equipment for rent. Private and group lessons are also available. There is a daily use fee, or season and package passes are available. During winter full moons, the Ski Center offers Full Moon Tours on skis and snowshoes.

Farther out of town, the easy land near Mammoth Creek and Sherwin Creek beckons—miles of gravel roads covered in pure white snow during winter, where skiers set their own tracks and travel at their own speed—and

it’s free.Only a minute from town, the bike trail

system to Lake Mary and along Mammoth Creek doubles in the winter as a cross country ski trail, and it’s also free.

Farther out of town, the Inyo National Forest has a free winter trail system integrated into the surrounding mountains, forests and meadows. This terrain is ideal for ski touring and telemark skiing and is marked by blue diamonds. Destinations include Inyo Craters, Obsidian Dome, and Hot Creek.

Then, there’s Rock Creek, 14 miles south of Mammoth, where a plowed road leads cross country skiers deep into the mountains past Rock Creek Lake and up to the Mosquito Flats trailhead. The plow stops just east of Rock Creek Resort, where roadside parking is available for a small fee and skiers can head up to the high country around Little Lakes Valley on a groomed trail (until the Mosquito Flat trailhead where the grooming ends).

IF YOU WANT TO TRY ITThe best place to start is to give the

Mammoth Welcome Center, a call and tell them what you are interested in. They can guide you in the right direction.

Mammoth Welcome CenterWhere: 2510 Main Street/S.R. 203 at the

east entrance to the town of Mammoth Lakes, three miles west of U.S. 395


Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The other way to ski



By Lyra Pierotti

The extraordinary volcanism of the Eastern Sierra is a lure for many visitors, whether they know it or not. Skiing on Mammoth’s volcano or soaking in the hot springs, visitors and locals are hooked on geology.

The volcanic Mammoth Mountain itself is not geologically related to the formation of the Sierra Nevada, but is considered part of the range for its convenient geography: it’s saddled up next to all the granitic blocks of the Range of Light.

Geologically, Mammoth Mountain rims part of the Long Valley Caldera – an old volcano.

But old is relative. The region’s volcanic history is relatively young, geologically speaking, meaning it’s less than two and a half million years old. If old were my relative, he would be my grandpa. Many local volcanic features are less than 10,000 years old. In geologic time, that’s practically yesterday.

Angela Jayko, geologist for the USGS, explains that the Eastern Sierra’s “fault systems also focus the plumbing of the volcanic systems.” All the earthquakes, hot springs, the dramatic vertical relief, the volcano—they’re all

related. “If you look at the really big picture,” she

said, “three-quarters of relative Pacific-North American plate motion is along the San Andreas fault; one-quarter of the relative plate motion is over here,” along a narrow belt called the Walker Lane. This is a region about 80-100 kilometers wide, and running roughly from Lake Almanor in the north to Mojave in the south. Someday, the Walker Lane may capture the motion of the San Andreas fault and become the major plate boundary.

Fortunately for residents of the Eastern Sierra, ‘someday’ is not calculated on a human time scale. So you, me, and grandpa shouldn’t have to worry.

“The Pacific Plate has captured the Sierra Nevada,” Jayko said, raising her eyebrows and pausing to let that comment sink in. “For all practical purposes, the Sierra Nevada is moving northwestward with the Pacific Plate.” This explains why the Walker Lane is so much more geologically active than the rest of the Great Basin to the east. “The Sierra Nevada is presently separating from the Basin and Range and the rest of the North American Plate.”

For hot springs, the key is to have deep

aquifers, high heat flow, and faults. The generous snowpack feeds local aquifers, and keeps Los Angeles’ taps running. Because the earth’s crust is expanding along the Eastside, the upwelling of hot mantle provides a source of magma and heat which can steam and boil the deep groundwater. And then, active faulting allows this deep heated water and vapor to travel up to the surface.

Hence the steam vents providing energy for the geothermal plant at the junction of U.S. 395 and S.R. 203.

Hence the luxurious hot springs sprinkled along the base of the eastern Sierra Nevada.

How to soakEveryone loves soaking in hot water. But not many people would be so keen on

the idea of taking a bath with a total stranger. Especially your average dirtbag climber or sweaty skier.

Old time locals constructed the tubs with pipes to keep the water flowing, promoting cleanliness and providing a way to regulate the water temperature—simply open or close the valve of hot water.

Leaving the valve fully open when you leave

Soak it up

photo by Susan Morning

Hot springs of the Eastern Sierra



will crank up the water temperature so high, in some cases, that it can take hours to cool—so when you leave the tub, turn it down to a lighter flow. You can always turn up the heat.

Flowing water also helps ensure that the water is fresher and cleaner, without the need for caustic chorine that dries out your skin. Warm, stagnant water can breed all kinds of grossness; flow ensures less grossness, so long as you time your soak before the post-climb or

post-ski rush of sweaty bodies. Who put out their cigarette in the hot spring?!

Speaking of timing, many people have opinions on their favorite time to soak, and theories about when you’re most likely to have the tub to yourself. Reality is, the tubs have become quite popular, and chances are you’ll find yourself mostly (or fully, as is common for avid hot springers) naked next to a complete stranger.

Or, you’ll find yourself driving away disgruntled by the crowds.

But they’re easy to share. It’s likely you’ll meet someone who shares your interest in skiing, fishing, climbing, hiking, natural beauty, wide open spaces, spectacular views, or … just soaking in hot water.

They could become your new best friend, backcountry ski partner, or the main character

photo by Lyra Pierotti

>>page 16



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in an epic tale of Eastside quirkiness to take home to your friends.

Either way, it will be an adventure, an experience, and something you’ll want to share with your friends and family for a long time to come.

Where to find hot springsThere are lots. Most are free, but there are

also commercial hot springs which are chlorinated and require swimwear, if that’s more your speed. These include Keough's Hot Spring in Bishop, Whitmore Hot Spring near Mammoth (summer only), and the Benton Hot Spring, aptly named.

Your best bet is to check out the book, Eastern Sierra Hot Springs, by George Williams III. If you forget his name, it is printed on the top of every odd numbered page. George Williams III. I assume this is to ensure anyone disgruntled that he exposed all the ‘secret spots’ will know exactly who to hunt down. Or maybe it’s an alias.

Many local climbing guidebooks also have a well drawn map of the hot springs.

With that, enjoy. It’s an amazing way to absorb the Eastside’s abundant natural beauty.

And don’t forget your empty beer bottles as you rush back to the car, caught by the blanket of night, with only the tiniest pinholes of starlight to light your way.

from 15



Winter fishing exists in the Eastern SierraBy George Shirk

It might seem absurdly out of place, grossly out of season and a real kick in the pants, but one of the truly thoughtful holiday gifts in the High Sierra might be a brand new fly fishing rig.

After all, you can try it out the very next day.“These little one-day fishing trips in the winter

are brief, but glorious,” said longtime Mammoth outdoorsman Dave Neal.

“I especially like Hot Creek, when you catch the sun just right, a little before noon.”

Neal, who with his wife, Tracy, and his daughter, Bella, recently moved to Redding, said one of his favorite things to do in the winter is combine a bit of cross country skiing with a fishing trip.

First, an angler-skier needs enough snow to glide to the water’s edge. Then it’s time to break out the fly fishing gear, which, in the winter, is not nearly as complicated as it is in the summer months.

That’s because most of the hatch, such as it is, is midges. There are no breakout hatches in the wintertime, so your choices of bait are limited.

But to fish the Eastern Sierra in winter does not always require winter gear. It does, however, require an angler to pay close attention to catch-and-release regulations, and to use barbless hooks.

With that caveat, there is plenty of fishing nearby at lower elevation—rather than the high-elevation—fisheries of the Upper Owens, Hot Creek and the East Walker River.

The Lower Owens, as it spills out of the Pleasant Valley Reservoir, is temperature friendly, as is (usually) the Owens Gorge, and the reservoir itself.

In all, there are six open fisheries in the Eastern Sierra, making it a true destination for anglers.

In March 2007, 10 waters across the state were opened to winter angling.

Before this, many trout-bearing waters in the state were closed from Nov. 16 through the Friday proceeding the last Saturday in April.

Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists from the Heritage and Wild Trout Program looked for waters that were previously closed during the winter months that could be opened to angling when biologically justified.

According to Fisheries Biologist Jeff Weaver, the East Walker River, Hot Creek, and the Upper Owens River were selected because they are highly productive streams with robust trout populations and are generally accessible during winter months.

It might be worth noting, Neal said, that it might be best for anglers to lower their expectation levels.

Even in warmish water, trout hibernate in the winter and are sluggish. Also, their appetites are not what they are in mid to late summer.

December and January are real challenges due to the length of day—the trout no sooner awake before the nightfall closes in.

Even so, the fishing is there and it is frequently, as Neal said, downright “glorious.”

Six nearby fisheries are open year-round

The Troutfitter

WINTER FLY FISHING

760 934-2517760 924-3676

Guides Available Daily

Main St. and Old Mammoth Rd.In the Shell Mart Center



By George Shirk

Snowmobiling can be a fun and exciting sport for people of all ages.

With access to 80 miles of groomed snowmobile trails and 75,000 acres of open expanse, the Eastern Sierra delivers some of the best snowmobiling in the West.

With an average annual snowfall of nearly 30-plus feet, it's no wonder people from all over

come to experience snowmobiling at its best, with varying terrain that makes for exciting riding and spectacular scenery.

Vast wooded forests, beautiful meadows, frozen rivers and lakes and rugged mountain peaks all provide an endless horizon of untracked powder making for an outstanding adventure.

The Inyo National Forest has rules in place delineating where snowmobiles can roam freely and unfettered, offering trails with breathtaking

views not found in other places. Some of the most popular places to ride are

Lookout Mountain, Inyo Craters and Bald Mountain. You're free to explore on your own, in a group, or with a friendly experienced guide. Don't forget to bring your camera.

The Inyo National Forest, meanwhile, offers these places as snow-mo friendly: Hot Creek Snow Trail; Inyo Craters; Crater Flat and Deadman Creek Road; Deadman Summit to Bald Mountain Lookout; Inyo Craters from Sawmill Cutoff Road; Minaret Vista; Sawmill Cutoff Road; Sherwin Creek Snow Trail.

Gas, food and lodging are available in the Town of Mammoth Lakes, June Lake, Bridgeport, and Bishop.

There are several options for the snowmobile crowd who would rather rent than bring their own machines, or for those who might want a guided tour experience.

Snowmobile rentals and operators include the ever-popular DJ's Snowmobile Adventures (760-935-4480) as well as options offered at Mammoth Mountain Ski Area.

The only other requirement is to have a great time at high altitude in the pristine mountains.

It’s not a bad way to go.

Gliding on snow, with power to spare

800-709-4501760-935-4480

Where the Fun Begins!www.snowmobilemammoth.com

www.facebook.com/DJsSnowAdven

Snowmobiling offers exciting ways to see the Eastern Sierra



Capturing the Eastern Sierra


Even the best photographer might recoil at the effort it takes to shoot beautiful photos in the high Sierra winter.

It’s cold. It’s dark. If it’s not dark, it’s blindingly white and bright.Cameras think twice about working.

Sometimes batteries need to be put down shirts or tucked under the arm to warm up before they work.

Gloves, often necessary here in the winter, don’t mix with tiny, many-buttoned cameras.

Add snow and ice to the scene and you could have a recipe for problems.

It’s worth it, though.White wing-tipped peaks against a storm-

swept sky; the deep bend and sway of Jeffrey pines as a winter storms blasts through the forest; a deer black against the white meadow; a bluebird alight on a fencepost; the shadows long and silver and the sky awash with indigo brilliance.

What self-respecting photographer could resist the urge to capture some of this beauty?

Longtime Mammoth resident and professional photographer Susan Morning has been doing so for decades now.

Along the way, she’s learned a few things.“I grew up in the Sacramento Valley but my

grandparents started Homewood Ski Area and

every break, we’d pile into the car and head up,” she said. “We’d climb out of the gloom and fog of the valley and at about 1,000 feet, we’d see it—sunlight shining on the high Sierra. I’ve never forgotten that and I’ve loved snow ever since.”

It does help to love the snow.Then comes the craft. “If you are shooting scenery, it’s important to

remember that the best photos have some kind of movement in them,” she said. “In winter, you can often see the wind, see it move in the snowflakes coming down, and that can make a quiet scene full of energy.”

Another tip is to shoot during cloudy days, or during the early morning or late evening hours. The light is too bright in the middle of a winter day.

“You can’t be afraid of the weather or of physical hardship,” Morning said. “The best photos are often as a storm is coming in or leaving, where the wind and clouds are full of light and animation.”

Another gift of winter is frost.“Frost makes the most amazing patterns,” she

said. “Close ups of something as ordinary as a window can be stunning.”

The Eastern Sierra is also known for a phenomenon called “poconip fog,” seen most often near the region’s big bodies of water, like Crowley Lake.

The fog consists of ice crystals that settle

during extremely cold, humid nights onto branches and leaves, rocks and trees, coating the world in half-inch long ice crystals that melt soon after sunrise.

Catching the poconip in action is a rare treat, something that happens only a few times a year. It is well worth the wait. Look for a cold night, at least under 30 degrees. Inversions trap humid air near lakes during some winter nights, and if it’s a windless night, get ready for first light and head out.

Morning is also known for her ski race photography. Growing up and in college, she skied competitively until she decided photography was the career she wanted to pursue.

She said if you want to shoot action shots in winter, it’s important to remember a few things.

“For action shots, for skiers or snowboarders, it really helps if your subject is wearing bright colors,” she said. “Another important thing it to try to position yourself, always in a safe place, somewhere where you can get an unusual angle on the subject, perhaps underneath them as they are coming down the hill. Anything unusual tends to stand out.

“Listen, pay attention even as you are shooting, because often you can tell something’s about to happen just by the sound. There’s a rhythm to skiing and if it’s broken, something is about to happen. Be ready.”

How to find the right light


welcome eastern sierra

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