Last Minute Rush (Oct 2021)

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For the last eight months or so, I've been trying to get us down to the area along the Nevada-California border to explore the area west of Walker Lake (Nevada) and northeast of Mono Lake (California). One of the highlights - I hoped - would be summiting Mt. Patterson.

For some reason, it seems that each time I made a plan, something would come up - another trip, bad weather, all the National Forests in California closing - that kind of thing. And, as it got later in the year, I'd pretty much written off the trip - after-all, by mid-October, and at 11,654 feet, the highest point in the Sweetwater Mountains would surely be inaccessible.

Still, with several days open on the calendar, I made plans for us to head south and give it a shot. We might have to come back for the summit, but it seems we always want to return for more exploration no matter where we go.

And so began the rush - first to get the truck ready, and then to experience the wide-open spaces before one of the largest storms in California's history ripped through the area. But now - as usual - I'm getting ahead of myself...

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...At this point, I was withing spitting distance - well, almost - of where I expected to find warm water. Hopping back in the Tacoma, I found myself full of nervous energy - wondering if my sleuthing would yield the desired result. I pushed on the thousand feet or so to the spot I'd marked on my map.

There was no hot spring....

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In Search of Warm Water - Last Minute 1​

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In Search of Warm Water - Last Minute 1​

 

...It was a little before 2:00pm when I rejoined the main road through Mason Valley and headed north. I wasn't sure how far I'd get, but the views were great and though I wished for a little more blue sky, I really had no complaints as I crested a hill near the southern end of the valley, a grove of cottonwoods following the creek, below....

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Into the Mountains - Last Minute 2​

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Into the Mountains - Last Minute 2​

 

Nice!

 

...Soon, the sun rose high enough over the horizon to start illuminating the landscape, with Mt. Patterson and tent being some of the first objects to bask in the warm glow. It was a beautiful morning, and the perfect way to start my second day on the trail!...

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Unexpected Success - Last Minute 3​

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Unexpected Success - Last Minute 3​

 

...Wandering further down the street, I had no rhyme or reason to the path I took through Bodie - I just walked from one interesting looking building to the next as my attention was pulled in different directions. It was liberating - travelling several streets twice, others not at all. I couldn't believe that I was the only soul in town!...

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The Town of Bodie - Last Minute 4​

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The Town of Bodie - Last Minute 4






That's the trip, hope it was enjoyed. My next trip - to Death Valley - is already underway!

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I enjoyed exploring Bodie earlier this year. Good to know where some of those other roads went.