Wheelin’

Back in August I had a really fun long weekend playing in the Eastern Sierra with the GBA (Geocachers of the Bay Area) 4×4 group. There is a lot more to do over there than we could fit into the three days we had at the time, so last week we drove out for a follow up trip. Our targets were Laurel Lakes (which we did in August, but couldn’t resist a second run), the crash site of Flight 802 in the mountains just east of Bishop, the Champion Mine/Black Eagle camp on the flanks of White Mountain, Reward Mine, and the Whitney Arch in the Alabama Hills.

Flight 802

Our initial plan was to make this trip primarily focused on fall color photography, and we’d just join in on a couple of runs with the 4×4 group. But an early season snowfall and cold temperatures pretty much fast-tracked the trees to brown, leaving us with little to photograph. I was really looking forward to the Friday afternoon run into Laurel Lakes since it passes through an enormous aspen grove, but it turns out they were all brown or bare. Disappointing, but it can’t be a perfect show every year.

On Friday evening we headed up into the hills east of Bishop to visit the crash site of Convair 340/440 Flight 802. This plane, carrying 36 people, crashed into the mountainside soon after taking off from Bishop Airport in 1974.  (crash report) (another detailed description). Though not a far walk, the crash site isn’t easy to get to, either requiring a very steep hike up a canyon or a treacherous contour walk across a rocky slope.

From the crash site we watched an incredible sunset while exploring the remains of the plane and personal belongings. I’ve visited crash sites before, but mostly of military aircraft where crew were able to eject safely. This site was different – shoes, razors, and souvenirs from Mammoth were just a few things that reminded us that almost 40 people died here. A cross, made from parts of the destroyed plane, sits on top of the hill as a memorial. (Flight 802 photos)

Black Eagle Camp

Saturday morning started on a brighter note as we headed north out of Bishop to the Champion Sparkplug Mine and Black Eagle Camp ruins. This adventure required a stretch of 4×4, a good bit of hiking, and some solid nerves. The shelf road to the upper access trail was just narrow and steep enough to keep me on edge (no pun intended), and the old miner’s access trails were, at times, balance-beam narrow and slippery, zigzagging up the steep slopes.

From the upper approach, it is about 1.5 miles and up a few hundred feet from the parking area (this is after the 4×4 stuff) to the Black Eagle Camp. This ‘ghost town’ is still maintained by dedicated volunteers, and the buildings are in great condition, some even with amenities like cots, stoves, and tables. People stay overnight here regularly, and you can see why – the view across the valley to the Sierra is incredible! One of the cabins is a museum, containing all kinds of bits and pieces of local history and geology.

The upper camp and mines were another couple of miles and thousand feet up along gnarly miner’s trails. The mines were perched on a rocky wall and were a lot of fun to explore. (Champion and Black Eagle Photos)

Mobius Arch, Alabama Hills

After splitting with the group for some hot springing and camping outside of Lone Pine, we joined back up on Sunday morning for a few short runs, starting with a drive through the Alabama Hills with a stop by the Whitney (Mobius) Arch. Anyone who has ever looked at photos of Mt Whitney has seen shots taken through this arch – it is a perfect frame for the nearby Sierra peaks. I have several photos (taken by professionals!) of this specific arch all over my house, including a framed shot over my fireplace. It was so nice to finally be able to take my own. (Whitney Arch shots)

Our last adventure took us to the Reward Mine, just east of Manzanar. This old mine is big enough to drive a 4×4 into it, and that’s exactly what we did! You can get about 1/3 of a mile into the mine by vehicle, and there are all kinds of side shafts to explore on foot. To get us in the mood for Halloween, we had bats swooping down around us as we headed out of the mine. Wish I could have pulled off a shot of them.

Eastern Sierra GBA 4×4 Trip #2 (10.17-19.2008)

180 photos