NFR Road Trip

I have been heading to the southern Owens Valley in California since I was 8 in 1976. My great uncle lived in a small town (Cartago) on the southern end of the dry Owens Lake.

From the ponds east of town, looking east with town on the left.
A creek bearing the same name exists the canyon.

I always have a ton of maintenance to do when I am there, but the rewards are great, and keep me connected to the community.

The wind destroyed the old gates.


I take long walks in the morning, and spend the rest of the day repairing, cleaning up, or trying to ward off future damage. I meet a couple neighbors in a garage for a beer or two many of the evenings.


Used to find a lot of this old wood pipe.

 

[mcswny]

I love the Eastern Sierra's, thanks for sharing.

 

[RRSmith]

Your images are spectacular - thanks for sharing. I started my career at Black Rock Fish Hatchery just north of Independence... the Eastern Sierra is amazing.

 

[SculpinSwinger]

Let’s head up the creek. I leave the back door on foot, close the gate behind me, and I am off by 06:30.

Looking towards my goal from the wilderness boundary


A brief stop at the creek


The “trail “. Heading for the left side of the canyon


Getting into the canyon. Game trails and multiple creek crossings to reach my goal.






My goal, the falls

 

[SculpinSwinger]

This creek holds native trout. There was a high water event last summer that flushed a lot of sediment into the creek bed. These fish were non existent after flash flooding in the early 90’s. I didn’t see a fish for a decade. They eventually repopulated the canyon.
I feared that they had another set back. I didn’t see any fish on my hike in

This is a typical fishy spot
Note the sediment.

I found my first fish close to the upper falls! Found a half dozen on the way out, including a couple 6-8” fish, which is as large as they get here.

A Golden

 

[SculpinSwinger]

Almost forgot,
You are never alone in the canyon

 

[Wetswinger]

I love the Eastern Sierra's, thanks for sharing.

Amen brother!

 

[SculpinSwinger]

There was some flash flooding last summer.

The actual drainages on either side of this box canyon didn’t flood, some high water sign.

This is the entire drainage, the granite to the left exits further south (note intermediate ridg) and didn’t flood.





It really gets a rifle shot, cutting through the old debris flow.



The run out from above


The route up was unplanned, it just called to me

 

[Rio Grande King]

This creek holds native trout. There was a high water event last summer that flushed a lot of sediment into the creek bed. These fish were non existent after flash flooding in the early 90’s. I didn’t see a fish for a decade. They eventually repopulated the canyon.
I feared that they had another set back. I didn’t see any fish on my hike in

This is a typical fishy spotView attachment 48549
Note the sediment.

I found my first fish close to the upper falls! Found a half dozen on the way out, including a couple 6-8” fish, which is as large as they get here.

A GoldenView attachment 48550

View attachment 48551

Life finds a way.

 

[SKYKO]

Awesome TR, the pics of the old infrastructure against and amongst the natural beauty and ruggedness really tells a story.

 

[SculpinSwinger]

A couple more for @SKYKO

The old bank vault

A bit of the old soda ash plant

 

[RyRy82]

Is this the same owens valley in Cadillac desert? Aka California water wars?

 

[SculpinSwinger]

Is this the same owens valley in Cadillac desert? Aka California water wars?

It is, and that is why it is a dry lake bed. All the creeks flowing off the eastern slopes end in the aqueduct and go to LA.

A lot of interesting history. In the late 1800’s there was a silver mine (Cerro Gordo) across the lake. They ran 2 paddle wheel steam boats to town to off load the sliver bars for shipping to San Francisco.

There are also remaining towers from the salt tram that ran from Saline Valley, over the Inyo range and into the Owens Valley.

 

[RyRy82]

Right on man. The documentary I watched was very interesting and frustrating. I have a close friend that grew up in bishop and he talks about it like you do.

 

[Coach Potter]

Awesome pictures!

 

[SculpinSwinger]

Awesome pictures!

Thank you
The environment makes it easy.

 

[Buzzy]

It is, and that is why it is a dry lake bed. All the creeks flowing off the eastern slopes end in the aqueduct and go to LA.

A lot of interesting history. In the late 1800’s there was a silver mine (Cerro Gordo) across the lake. They ran 2 paddle wheel steam boats to town to off load the sliver bars for shipping to San Francisco.

There are also remaining towers from the salt tram that ran from Saline Valley, over the Inyo range and into the Owens Valley.

Marianne Wiggins wrote “Properties of Thirst” - a fictional history of the Owens Valley. @Robert Engleheart recommended this book - it was fascinating and although fiction, the book seems to describe the valley, the mountains of which you shared some wonderful photos.

 

[SculpinSwinger]

Life finds a way.

Not a good picture, but the new growth on the left side of this cottonwood stump in late December exemplifies your statement

 

[iveofione]

Great pictures that bring back a lot of memories. I lived in Bishop and Mammoth for several years and spent time in the White Mountain area, the Inyos, Panamint Valley and did geology field trips to Death Valley. The geology of the area is just stunning and the vistas magnificent.

Owens Valley has it's own Dry Falls called Fossil Falls at the southern end of the lake, probably some of the finest grind holes on earth, a must see it you are in the area.

Owens Valley buffs should watch Bad Day at Black Rock to get a glimpse of what the Valley looked like 65 years ago. The movie has a stellar cast of Spencer Tracy, Robert Ryan, Lee Marvin, Earnest Borgnine, Ann Francis and Walter Brennan and is a gripping story of justice finally being administered after years of covering up a crime of racial hatred.

 

[SculpinSwinger]

Fossil Falls, Red Cinder Cone, Little Lake…Pictographs and Petroglyphs. Grind holes in many locations close by.
A lot of film history, especially Westerns in the Valley. Out of the Past is one of my favorites, a lot of the Bridgeport area and not as much Owens Valley, but a great film.