BajaNomad

Tioga Pass in December?

DianaT - 12-17-2011 at 10:07 PM

We needed to head back south from our visit with my mother-in-law in Grass Valley. We always prefer to drive home via 395 and intended to stay a night in Bishop---a happy place for us.

But we could not believe it---December and Tioga Pass was open? There was no choice---the chance to cross over Tioga Pass in December could not be ignored. We grabbed a quick lunch at the deli in Mono Market in Lee Vining and off we went and glad we did.



I have seen Ellery Lake so many times in the past, but never totally frozen.



And then there was Tioga Lake frozen with snow dabs on top



And some great icy areas



It was a beautiful drive but we wasted too much time taking so many pictures that are now in the recycle bucket---it was such a bright day. So at the other end of the park, we decided to race up to Glacier Point. Neither one of us could remember how far it was up there, but the light was going! Good for the Subraru taking all those ice covered curves so well.



We arrived about 15 minutes too late to catch the best light, so we passed everyone headed down the overlook as we raced and tripped our way up to capture the last of the dying light.







Well, next time we will get there sooner. :yes:

There seems to always be a very good reason to return to these places.

BornFisher - 12-17-2011 at 11:47 PM

WOW!!! That is stunning. Just beautiful, thanks for the ride!

395

captkw - 12-18-2011 at 06:13 AM

makes me relize that all we are"dust in the wind" K&T

Cypress - 12-18-2011 at 06:27 AM

Daina T. Thanks. Lived right off 395 south of John Day, OR for a few years. Not much snow in north ID.

mcfez - 12-18-2011 at 07:09 AM

Lee Vining.....used to have the BEST bakery in this world!

Have you folks done the Juno Loop? It's a few miles past Lee Vining. very cool.

Shocking to see Tioga Pass opened at this time of the year. We were just at Bodie a few weeks ago....Bridgeport showed very little snow.

Bishop....wow factor ice fishing there BTW.

DianaT - 12-18-2011 at 09:51 AM

Thanks for the comments!

Dust in the Wind ---great song, glad you thought about it!

McFez----I used to take my boys camping in the June Lake area year after year. We never grew tired of that area. And if we drive the loop from the south end, I still gasp OH every time when we reach Oh Ridge. :-)

Yes, we were very surprised to see the pass as open. The only one closed was the Sonora Pass. The owner of the Mono Grocery Store in Lee Vining told us that after the early snow, Tioga was closed, and then it was closed again when California had the big winds. So we just could not pass up going that direction.

[Edited on 12-18-2011 by DianaT]

Bajafun777 - 12-18-2011 at 10:07 AM

Great photos and they also show it was COLD, VERY COLD,LOL. Take Care & Trave Safe------"No Hurry, No Worry,Just FUN" bajafun777

wessongroup - 12-18-2011 at 10:19 AM

Thanks "T" for your travel and your sharing of your love of taking pictures .... Love the area too... we grew up camping in the area just below South Lake ... on summer vacations with the family ... in an old canvas tent ... way back in the late 40's ... and as we got older my father started taking us over Bishop Pass and then on down to the John Muir tail ... we would then find a place to set up camp.. .for a couple weeks.. in the back county... the packers would drop off our heavy stuff...

And getting there used to be have the fun... for 5 kids going to the "real" mountains... and seeing the "country" where most of our "movie starts" filmed .. was like going to the movies ... but, being in them..

Can remember my dad having to slow down for the water coming across 395 from Owen's Lake over flow in the spring ... and glad to see some water showing in Mono ... a good sign for the area ... :):)

Waiting for the next trip report.... and pictures ... thanks for all the work..

[Edited on 12-18-2011 by wessongroup]

DianaT - 12-18-2011 at 03:03 PM

Thanks!

Bajafun, it was cold, which I like better than hot!

Wessongroup---thanks for sharing your memories. Our last backpacking trip a number of years ago was from Florence Lake on the West side of the Sierra over to North Lake----not that far from South Lake. We wanted to cross the Sierras on foot at least once before we quit backpacking. It was beautiful, but I sure was happy to see that my son had left us a car at North Lake as he promised. :yes:

And when open, I highly recommend Yosemite in the off season----I would not go anywhere near the valley during the summer as it is a ZOO.

[Edited on 12-19-2011 by DianaT]

wessongroup - 12-18-2011 at 03:26 PM

Diana, small world ... my dad took us kids from Florence back over Bishop pass and down to South Lake once.. our mom left us off and drove all the way around to South Lake to pick us up, after being two weeks.. in the back county

Mom loved it... all the kids were gone and along with my Dad ... she got two weeks vacation away from the house and when she got South Lake my Dad had gotten her a cabin at Parchers Camp.. which was LIKE unheard of in our family ... staying in a "CABIN" ... and not camping out ... in a tent !!! ... :lol::lol:

Thank YOU for the memories ... had forgotten all about those wonderful trips in the sierra's ... for me it was in the mid 50's, if we saw one person in a week it was cause to ask them to have a seat and cook up some tea or coffee and talk ... have always loved the outdoors... ALL of it...

Keep'em coming ...

[Edited on 12-18-2011 by wessongroup]

[Edited on 12-18-2011 by wessongroup]

Ateo - 12-18-2011 at 03:28 PM

Fricking beautiful pictures. Thanks.

DianaT - 12-18-2011 at 07:07 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by ateo
Fricking beautiful pictures. Thanks.


Muchas Gracias, ateo--

Wessongroup, one of my fondest memories of that backpacking trip was camping at Marie Lake---a real lunar landscape place and so beautiful. When it was time to try and hang the bear bag, there was a real problem, the fir trees were only about 3 feet tall. :biggrin:

BajaDanD - 12-18-2011 at 08:06 PM

Done a lot of hiking in and around Yosemite. Driving over Tioga pass is one of my all time favorite drives. Love the June lake loop too.
Love the picture of Half Dome from Glacier Point. I lived in Yosemite in 78 for almost a year. went there almost every year sence, until about five years ago. I sure miss it. Some where I have pictures of glacier point taken from the top of HalfDome. Thanks for the pics.

DianaT - 12-18-2011 at 08:18 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by BajaDanD
Done a lot of hiking in and around Yosemite. Driving over Tioga pass is one of my all time favorite drives. Love the June lake loop too.
Love the picture of Half Dome from Glacier Point. I lived in Yosemite in 78 for almost a year. went there almost every year sence, until about five years ago. I sure miss it. Some where I have pictures of glacier point taken from the top of HalfDome. Thanks for the pics.


I would love to see the photos from the top of Half Dome! Those have to be really special. Amazing place.

John Muir said that Hetch Hetchy before it was ruined was even more beautiful than Yosemite. Difficult to imagine a place more beautiful than Yosemite.

BajaDanD - 12-18-2011 at 08:48 PM

Ive been trying to plan a trip to Yosemite to hike Half dome again. Ive been on top 5-6 times. last year I had a trip planned and campsites reserved in the Valley but it all fell through and I lost my deposit. Ill try to dig up pictures and scan them to my computer. One year we drove up to Glacier point for a total lunar eclipse.

DianaT - 12-18-2011 at 08:52 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by BajaDanD
One year we drove up to Glacier point for a total lunar eclipse.


That had to be REALLY special. :yes::yes:

goldhuntress - 12-18-2011 at 09:02 PM

Beautiful photos! It look like your having a wonderful road trip:yes:

vgabndo - 12-18-2011 at 10:27 PM

Then there's Grover Beach! Goldhuntress. I spent two years in State Park housing on the north end of the lagoons at Oceano, in 58-59! Limitless (almost) Pismos.

goldhuntress - 12-18-2011 at 11:15 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by vgabndo
Then there's Grover Beach! Goldhuntress. I spent two years in State Park housing on the north end of the lagoons at Oceano, in 58-59! Limitless (almost) Pismos.

Wow, how cool is that! I know exactly where you lived. I wish I could have seen it then, didn't move to the area until 1981. I love it here, I'm very fortunate. Not many Pismos now though.

wilderone - 12-19-2011 at 09:08 AM

Ansel Adams would be proud!

Bob H - 12-19-2011 at 09:36 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by BornFisher
WOW!!! That is stunning. Just beautiful, thanks for the ride!


I have to agree! Wonderful stuff!!!:yes:

bajafreaks - 12-19-2011 at 01:31 PM

Great pictures, I'm actually liking this "no snow" right now. I've checked out your other posts during your roadtrip. You passed right thru my hometown of Gardnerville I've lived here 14 years and love it. 395 is an awesome road so much to see and do, I also enjoy highway 88 "G"Ville to Jackson great drive.

KASHEYDOG - 12-19-2011 at 01:53 PM

Great pics DianaT. Thanks..... Sure brings back old memories. Folks used to take us camping up there back in the 50's and I go every chance I get now. Never get tired of it. Ya gotta love Yosemite if you've ever been there....

DianaT - 12-19-2011 at 07:51 PM

Again---Muchas Gracias---we had a great time and hope to be on the road as often as possible --- time seems to be catching up with us!

Glacier Point is such a special place. I love the famous picture of John Muir and President Teddy Roosevelt standing there and the story that says that is where the President decided it deserved federal protection. Muir was upset over the exploitation that California was allowing.

OMG!

El Vergel - 12-20-2011 at 08:15 AM

What beautiful pics! Thanks for the share, the Tioga Pass was definitely the right way to go...awesome images!

I get paid to go there!!!

estebanis - 12-20-2011 at 08:53 AM

None of the other Techs in my shop like to go there. I have worked out first refusal on any jobs in the Eastern Sierras with my foreman and have been the primary tech for any of the automation jobs we have at the Substations and Hydro Plants there.
I love it up there!

DianaT - 12-20-2011 at 09:59 AM

Thanks El Vergel--- we enjoyed it even with the limited time we had.

estebanis -- it is lucky for you that the other techs must be crazy. :yes:

Just one more pix. There were some ice skaters, but this is what crazy young people do when they see a frozen lake.

First they throw large rocks to make sure it is frozen and then they pretend they have skates on.



It was fun watching them fall all over each other.