Mamoth Lakes - Tioga Pass - Yosemite 10th Oct (Los Angeles: motel, earthquake)

[chris_g]

Hi!

I'm planning a trip from Vegas to San Francisco and wondered if the route from Death Valley up to Mammoth Lakes then through Tioga Pass to Yosemite will be alright around the 10th of October, the Yosemite website says the earliest the pass has closed is the 17th of October.

The only other option is going to Bakersfield which is in the wrong direction to come back up again.

So the plan Vegas -> Death Valley -> Mammoth Lakes -> Yosemite -> San Francisco

Some local knowledge would be very appreciated.

Is the Tioga Pass reasonable to drive, looks like most US roads are pretty good to drive, unlike some UK roads where you have to concentrate for lots of bends.

[greatbasinguide]

The Tioga road will be a great drive. It climbs from Mono Lake at about 6,000 feet to over 9,000 feet in less than 10 miles. Stop at Mono, visit the visitors center and the lakeshore, see the tufa.

It will be cool at the pass and into Tuolumne meadows, a good crisp fall feel to the air. Stop and take a walk into the meadow. Climb Lembert Dome. Drive to Tenaya lake, take a walk there, all the way around the small lake would be best. Stop at Olmstead Point and look up Canyon. You will see one of the worlds grandest vistas.

Tioga Pass road is an easy road to drive, not like the olden days when it was one lane and gravel. Just watch out for the other lookieloos, they like you will be watching the scenery and not the road.

When you leave Death Valley, stop at Panamint Springs Resort, sit on the porch, eat a burger and an "Old Bastard" beer. Then climb up to Crowley point stop and look back over Panamint Valley, you might very well see a fighter jet below you doing 500 mph down valley.

When you leave Crowley Point drive west, turn left at the sign for Darwin. Drive around the town of Darwin. Nothing like that in Merry old England. Then return, drive to Highway 395. As you pass large dry Owens lake reflect on the fact that there used to be steamboat service on the lake, serving the gold mines at Cerro Gordo across the valley and high in the Inyo's. The money from Cerro Gordo built Los Angeles.

I recommend staying at the Dow Villa motel in Lone Pine. Looking west you will pick out Mt. Whitney America's highest peak outside Alaska. Then north, stop at Independence, drive by Mary Austin's old home, oh, before you come find a copy of "Land of Little Rain" by Mary Austin, read it.

Continue north, look at the escarpment of the Owens Valley earthquake on your left, pretty amazing. Stop at Manzanar, where the US government interned thousands of American citizens of Japanese descent during WWII. A truly tragic part of our history. Another book worth reading, "Snow Falling upon Cedars" by David Guterson.

Then north to Big Pine, west of Big Pine you can see America's southern most glaciers, melting fast these days.

From Big Pine you could head east into the White Mountains and our oldest trees, the Bristlecone pines.

At Bishop, stop at Schats bakery for bread and pastries, also stop at Galen Rowells, gallery, Mountain Light.

Then north again. A bunch of natural hotsprings around Mammoth airport, soon to be the site of America's news volcano.

Then off to Glass Mountain up on the pass. Then off to Mono Lake, take a look at Mono Craters on your right, our youngest mountain range, some parts less than 600 years old.

Your drive is one of the best drives on the whole planet, enjoy.

[ImRandy]

As long as your vehicle is in good working order it's not a huge deal. Going East to West it's a long uphill slog over the pass but there aren't any really sharp turns. I'd recommend carrying chains just in case but you're unlikely to need them that early. Once you get into Yosemite there are twists and turns but the scenery encourages you to go slower to begin with so it's not going to be that challenging.

Make sure you fill up your tank before leaving Lee Vining on the way into Yosemite. The Crane Flat gas station in the park will be closed most of September and October this year. You can get gas in Buck Meadows or Mariposa depending on which way you're leaving the park.

[ShariP]

Make sure to leave room for one meal at the Whoa Nellie Delli in Lee Vining. It's a Mobil gas station with an awesome gourmet restaurant--ribs, seared ahi tuna sandwich, the BEST fries ever, fish tacos, etc. Don't miss it!

[mono#9]

I'll second the rec for the Whoa Nellie Deli. Here's an article:
Fill 'er up means more than gas at quirky mountain Mobil

another good lunch place is The Restaurant at Convict Lake just off 395 before Mammoth Lakes.