The 395 and Owens Valley-Eastern Sierra Region

Morning from the Inyos! It’s gonna be another beautiful day!

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Surprisingly it was not bad at all, in fact-me and my girl commented that we missed the wind rocking us to sleep after our trip was done. It was my first time trying out a RTT and damn its going to be hard going back to pitching a tent if I can help it.

A smart move would have been to point the wedge towards the wind to cut back on noise and movement- buuuut I wanted to have a view

But yeah ground tents were blown down and noticed some people slept in their cars.

 

That's my favorite spot up there, assuming it isn't windy that is!

 

the somewhat unsettling aspect of wedge tents is that there is a 80lb+ rock dangling over your head and the only thing keeping it up is two 5/16 support points

 

Redundancy. Only one will fail and it might hurt, but won’t kill you. I think.

 

My trailer lid failed, both sides. It was a cold weather issue and mighty inconvenient.

 

funny you mention that. Being that it was my first time using the tent. I had no idea those two rods were for support
I was using them to hold front flap open
However even in the strong gust it never even budged down, and even if it did- it was one of those superlight tent which is like 70lbs altogether so the lid does not weight much at all. Plus the lift struts seem strong.

 

When I had my FWC there were two occasions (both in Death Valley) when I collapsed the top and slept down low in the camper. It wasn't great but I felt more secure. Now I rarely worry when I sleep inside the camper.

 

That particular spot isn't, but I was at your favorite spot for the prior sunrise (below). It was fantasic, even if I did have to get up at an ungodly hour to make the climb in the dark!

I'm curious, what makes this your favorite? I'd have pegged you for something a little more "desert-y" ... the promontory over Saiine or a somewhere you could find a nice Mojave Twilight?

 

I'm having a hard time placing either of these spots.

 

The ones I described, or the photos?

I’ll let Ken identify the ones I described as I don’t want to give them away. (though I know you know of the promontory, as I had you review a few photos before I posted them)

As for the photos, I only discovered the specialness of this place to Ken as I was wondering where to spend Tuesday night, and it happened to be relatively close to a summit I’d just hiked!

 

Out in the sierras for the fall colors

 

Sorry, by "favorite spot up there", in reference to your photo I quoted, I meant in the context of:

• A place a vehicle can park and camp
• On that particular road network

I think I first camped there maybe 20 or 21 years ago? Been there a handful of times over the years, last time a bit pre-COVID I think. Keep meaning to return, but I don't react to altitude as well as I used to and my trips usually are too short for acclimatization. So it is an uncomfortable night for me there these days.

I also love some other promontory campsites, for the reasons you specify, on what I consider distinctly different road networks, even if they really aren't that far apart as the raven flies!

That's awesome! It is still on my bucket list to do a pre-dawn hike up to there. It has almost happened twice now...

Hmmm.... that's a good question. Despite my near myopic focus on the Mojave these days, my younger self actually spent a good deal of time in the Sierras. In fact, when I lived in Ridgecrest I actually spent surprisingly little time in Death Valley (despite my love for it at the time), but did lots of hikes in the eastern Sierra instead. This vista really unifies the two for me, the view over a Joshua tree covered mesa backed up by the snow covered granite edifice of the eastern Sierra escarpment.

Also I think it always recalls to me the kind of wonder I had on that first special visit. The climb up in no way hints at the place you finally experience as you crest the ridge. That's often a characteristic of peak/ridge hikes, but this one somehow just hits harder than most for me.

Finally, it really is the story of the Mojave in one go - the distinct alpine crest of the Sierra in front of you squeezing out almost all Pacific moisture, while you stand on the next range of an endless sequence of rain shadows that remove every last bit and make Death Valley the place that it is.

Good, we've been sufficiently obtuse for a public forum then!

 

I can drop the GPS coordinates if you'd like? lol

 

Ahh, I see you yearn for the same social media scorn afforded to the salt tram winchers . I assure you, the internet has plenty to go around lol.

 

I have them saved...perfect spot for a good nights sleep

33° 53' 45.057" N 118° 13' 12.256" W

 

Stayed there one night. The sound of gunfire in the distance was comforting...

 

COYOTE FLAT OHV DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT 5/18 - 6/17/24
www.fs.usda.gov/detail/inyo/news-events/?cid=FSEPRD1176245

Inyo National Forest (Forest) announces the release of a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Coyote Flat Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Recreation Enhancement Project and 30-day public comment period from May 18 to June 17, 2024.

View the EA at: www.fs.usda.gov/goto/project/inyo/coyote-ohv and scroll down to the “Project Documents” Box folder widget. Follow the directions to gain access to the “EA Comment Period” folder, where the EA will be found inside.

The proposed action would improve motorized trail management and safety issues in the Coyote Flat area to provide environmentally sustainable recreation for multiple user groups and OHV green sticker vehicles in accordance with the goals and objectives outlined in the Forest’s 2019 Land Management Plan.

Public Meeting: Thursday May 23, from 6 – 8:00 p.m.
Details: Only written comments will be submitted for consideration.
• Electronic comments, in common (.doc, .pdf, .rtf, .txt) formats, may be submitted to: alexander.ertaud@usda.gov with Subject: Coyote Flat OHV Recreation Enhancement Project.
• Submit via mail:
o White Mountain Ranger District,
Attn: Alex Ertaud, 798 N Main St, Bishop, CA 93514
o Or, deliver to the address shown above during business hours (M-F 8:00 am to 4:30 pm).

Names of commenters and their comments will be part of the public record subject to the Freedom of Information Act.

Contacts:
For more specific information about the project or how to provide comments, please contact:
- Alex Ertaud; call 760-920-0746 or email alexander.ertaud@usda.gov and/or
- Dannon Dirgo; call 626-698-2893 or e-mail dannon.dirgo@usda.gov

 

That EA kind of begs the question as to why there isn't an Alternative 2 that results in the re-opening of those two closed sections.