March 17, 2021 Alabama Hills

Boulder Creek RV Resort Lone Pine, California Day 2

Yesterday, I never set foot outside the RV after we arrived.  I was busy doing four loads of laundry and then at the same time, I spent seven hours catching up the blog.  I wanted to be able to play today! 

Lone Pine was a mining town.  Silver, lead, gold, dolomite, zinc, salt, and borax were all harvested in the nearby mountains. 

This is the view from our RV.

I took a walk this morning to Owens Lake.  This lake used to be 30 to 50 feet deep.  In the early 1900’s, the Sierra Nevada water supply was diverted to Los Angeles via an aqueduct.  The lake is now mostly dry and dusty.  This is an important stop on a waterfowl migration route.  Biologists are working to minimize dust and conserve water to preserve the habitat for the birds. 

The scenery here, everywhere you look, is stupendous!

Tim and I went into town this morning to get groceries and supplies.  There is a mural of John Muir, the naturalist, on the side of the store.

We packed a lunch and decided to take the Whitney Portal Road as far into the mountain as we were able.  The road was closed and we couldn’t take it to the end…maybe because of snow and ice.

We took several Jeep trails.  We got out to hike in the snow.  The air was so fresh and clean and was heavily scented with pine. 

We aren’t sure if these trees are sequoia.  They were definitely coniferous trees and they were about eighty feet all.  Sequoia National Park is right over on the western side of the Sierra Nevada Range. 

Hogback Creek, likely filled with snowmelt.

We drove down into the Alabama Hills.  These hills and the Sierra Nevade Mountains were formed by uplifting 100 million years ago. We were astonished to learn that all the rock formations are granite. The Sierra Nevadas were carved by glaciers. The Alabama Hills were shaped by chemicl and wind erosion. This area is most well-known as a place where over 400 movies have been filmed.  Movies like Man of Steel, Iron Man, Tremors, Star Wars Next Generation, Gunga Din, Gladiator, and many others.  Once we were there, it became instantly apparent…this area is interesting and gorgeous.   

We hiked the Arch Loop Trail to Mobius Arch.

We have been very fortunate to see lots of really beautiful places in the past many weeks…but this place made my heart feel full.  I was filled with a sense of awe and wonder all day.  We are so lucky to be doing this.