BajaNomad

Bishop. Ca--Old Road and Buttermillk Road

DianaT - 12-9-2010 at 10:32 PM

Old 395



A Shadow Mountain



A couple of views of the same place on Buttermilk Road







Cold, but so beautiful up here right now.

Barry A. - 12-9-2010 at 11:21 PM

Diane---------were you able to loop-it thru ButterMilk Country??? You can make a big loop between Bishop Creek Road over the hill into upper Buttermilk, and then down towards Round Valley and back to Bishop----or vice-versa----a fun trip. What beautiful country!!! We will be over there in about a month visiting my son in Independence.

Beautiful shots, Diane-------typical of what we have come to expect from you. :yes:

Barry

DianaT - 12-9-2010 at 11:35 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Barry A.
Diane---------were you able to loop-it thru ButterMilk Country??? You can make a big loop between Bishop Creek Road over the hill into upper Buttermilk, and then down towards Round Valley and back to Bishop----or vice-versa----a fun trip. What beautiful country!!! We will be over there in about a month visiting my son in Independence.

Beautiful shots, Diane-------typical of what we have come to expect from you. :yes:

Barry


Oh yea, it is really beautiful county. We no longer have a Forest Service Map and we need ONE SOON. We drove out the Buttermilk road to the rock climbing area--just beautiful with just a little snow. Of course, with no map, we have no real idea of where we are.

So then, not wanting to go back the same way, we took off and hoped the road went around the rocks and down to the main road---some of it not in great shape, and there was one stream crossing---I always get a little more concerned when the ruts get deeper, the brush closer on the sides, and the tire tracks not really there.

Lots of forks in the road, and the numbers mean nothing when one has no Forest Service map, but we managed to take ones that got us back to the main dirt road. Good thing as dark as coming quickly. :yes::yes:

Like you, we could spend so much time on those back roads in that beautiful country, but I want a new Forest Service Map and I may go on strike until we stop and buy one! :biggrin:

Thanks Barry, and I know you will enjoy your upcoming tirp.

Diana

nbacc - 12-10-2010 at 06:18 AM

I love the museum in Independence. I has the most interesting things. I assume it is still open.

Ken Bondy - 12-10-2010 at 07:09 AM

Those are spectacular Diane, I love that part of California. Did you go to BarBQ Bill's?

wessongroup - 12-10-2010 at 07:23 AM

It's been a long while since I've been up 395 ..... really nice shots... thanks for sharing and taking the pic's... lots of memories ...

tripledigitken - 12-10-2010 at 08:30 AM

Diane,

Thanks for posting these great images.

The Eastern Sierra and Bishop Creek/Buttermilk in particular have some of the most spectacular vistas one can find. Great place to take the tripod and spend some time!!


Ken

Natalie Ann - 12-10-2010 at 08:39 AM

Beautiful spot to explore, Diane.
You've reminded me that I want to go back.

That first photo - I like both the background and the most interesting textured road. Thank you.

nena

DianaT - 12-10-2010 at 09:06 AM

Thanks all---

Ken B---no BarBq Bobs this time.

nbacc --- Love that museum---didn't take the time this time to stop--maybe on the way back.

Other Ken :-) Yes, I really want to spend more time there--this time we had just a very short time before dark and once we decided to head back in a direction we were not sure was going to get us back to the main dirt road, we did not stop. Maybe on the way back we will spend more time----Never get tired of the Owens Valley and the Eastern Sierra.

Nena---I love old roads that nature is reclaiming---just love them

Thanks all for looking.

wilderone - 12-10-2010 at 09:31 AM

This is one of my favorite areas of the Eastern Sierra Nevadas. Starting at Hwy. 6 in Bishop, going north, you can do the petroglyph loop; camp in the trees; soak in the hotsprings; drive through Watterson red rock Canyon and see an active volcanic caldera - all in about 50 miles.

Sunman - 12-10-2010 at 09:32 AM

Diana,
You might look into getting one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/California-Road-Recreation-Atlas-Lands...

Covers the entire state and has most all forest sevice roads. Best $25 a backroad explorer could ever spend IHMO.

Barry A. - 12-10-2010 at 12:35 PM

Yes, the museum in Independence is still open, and expanding slowly. There is a nature trail off to the right of the museum (as you face west) that starts at the north end of the parking lot that is easy, interesting, fun, and something we always do when there. If you like you can hike on that trail all the way to the County campground just outside of town on the road to Onion Valley and Seven pines, and there are some neat Indian grinding holes (matates) on a flat fock along that trail in a most unlikely place----the rock is flush with the ground, but is marked with a sign.

Diane--------the new INYO NATIONAL FOREST map is plasticised, will last forever, and is available at the Visitor Center on the Main street of Bishop, near the northend of town on right (as you go north). It is a little pricey at $12 (I think) but worth every penny, and is an excellent map. The only down-side is that it is HUGE and ungainly to look at, especially when in a car. Open it up and it takes over the car and the driver gets really annoyed!!!

Barry

DianaT - 12-10-2010 at 08:03 PM

Sunman,
Thanks, I will check that out---sounds like something that would work well for us.

Barry,
We will have to look at that map---plasticised---interesting Do you think it would solve the problem of having a map that is held together on all the fold edges with scotch tape so that the roads no longer quite match and all the most important information has rubbed off? :biggrin:

Thanks to both of you!

Diana

mcfez - 12-29-2010 at 06:13 PM

Picture #3. Whoa and wow and geeze!
We got ourselves another Ansel Adams here!


The U.S. Route 395 is the best kept secret. We love Bridgeport, June Loop, Owens Valley, Lone Pine.......

Have spent many many years in this wonderland...and still haven't explored it completely. Ice fishing in Bishop.....how can it get better?!

Have you done Bodie? I think your camera begs for it.

http://www.danheller.com/bodie.html

Mexitron - 12-29-2010 at 08:10 PM

Those are spectacular shots Diane!

DianaT - 12-29-2010 at 11:29 PM

McFez and Mexitron---THANKS very much for your kind comments.

It will always be one of our favorite places.