ExploreDesert: Alabama Hills - Laurel Lakes - Mono Lake - Bodie - Coyote Flats

wow your photos are amazing, really made me feel like i was right there with you guys. thanks for sharing.

 

Beautiful photography, looks like fun!

 

How can he stand a job like that?

 

@Both Tacos this one.

 

great thread! Can't believe I didn't see it til now. Now I want to hit the same trails this summer. wondering what condition laurel lakes trail is gonna be in after this past winter

 

As @inv3ctiv3 says, call ahead. I was up 395 just north of here (between Bishop and Lee Vining) this weekend. Inyo NF had closed several roads due to washouts and the ones they left open were in rough shape in some spots. (But not impassable for even a novice like me).
Many hiking trails have serious water crossings or complete trail washouts too.

 

Just curious if anyone here has knowledge of a place up near Mono Lake/north Owens Valley that has stair steps up a mountain near waterfalls. I saw an instagram post and am trying to track it down. Thanks

 

Share the pictures. Might be able to help you out by seeing it. I know of a trail/pack trail that sounds like what your talking about at the back of June Lake Loop. Leads up to the high country with lakes and waterfalls.

 

There won't be anything that is fully a staircase. Many trails have rocks placed as steps in small steep sections. But not a full trail of stairs.

Can you post the photo and any other associated with it?

(A ten yard trail of stairs that became a waterfall on a three mile trail)

 

The hike to rainbow falls by devils post pile also has stairs on the back side of mammoth.

 

Good call. I forgot about that one!

 

Kinda hard to narrow down that whole area without seeing pictures. Too many trails all through that area.

 

Here are a few screen shots from an instagram video which I can't find now. I've asked the person who posted it but she doesn't message back.
In the first pic you can clearly see the stairs.

 

Yup back side of June lake loop. Those aren't stairs. That's an old tram way track or rail car track your seeing(maybe not that old. I think Edison still uses it to check on their power plant on gem lake). Check out Gem Lake Trail. That's where it is. Leads up into the high country or back country. Some sweet lakes up there to fish. Lots of waterfalls in that area too. Coordinates 37.762944,-119.130113 Hope that helps!

 

It is one hell of a hike. Pretty much straight up a mountain face. Lots of switch backs. And some pretty sketchy parts with about a 1000ft straight drop off on the side of the trail about half way up to the lake.

 

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/gem-lake-via-rush-creek-trail

 

That looks like the trail that starts next to Silver Lake in the June loop. They did a lot of work up there a few years back. If that is the one, I can confirm the switchbacks and it being brutal. Some nice Brook trout up there.

 

Thanks so much. I may have to check it out on my August trip. I've not explored the June Lakes area. In the video clip I saw there was a person climbing that section as if it were stairs.

 

https://youtu.be/fWBgcVVTA40

 

Nice. That is it. I remember Agnew. My dad took me there on my first backpacking trip when I was a kid....A very long time ago.