Re: Eastern Sierra - Log Cabin Mine Rd/Hike

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Long time reader…. We went on a wonderful short and easy hike out of Lee Vining a couple of days ago that I thought I’d share with folks.

A (curiosity) search for a GPS (CORS) station led me to Log Cabin Mine Road, a dirt road off of Tioga Pass Rd (off Utility Rd), a short distance north from the Lee Vining junction. Decided that getting to the CORS station wasn’t feasible within our time frame, but looking online, discovered that there are remnants of an old mine up there, the Log Cabin Mine, elevation 9600 ft. Ended up driving up the dirt road about two-thirds of the way before the road became too rough for our car or our nerves, so we parked and walked the last part of the road, about a 600 ft elevation gain.

What an absolutely gorgeous section of the Sierra. I have always been quite fond of the Gaylor Lakes/Saddlebag Lake/Lundy Canyon area, and this is similar. For relatively little effort, you’re awarded with some spectacular scenery. Parts of the road travel up a canyon, with a creek (North fork of Lee Vining creek?) flowing in the middle, surrounded by aspens. There were no leaves on them this season, but I bet it is breathtaking in the early fall. The creek was still flowing, though the top layer was frozen. The road is a wide road, easy for hiking and walking. The remnants of the large mining operation are fun to walk around and explore. Upon the return, you are treated to beautiful views of mono lake and the eastern Sierras. And we saw not a single soul the whole time.

Highly recommend a visit.

(And oddly enough, we had two bars and LTE (AT&T) the whole time.)

Some non-hiking related tidbits ….
You pass a collection of cabins marked Burger’s Sierra Retreat, with a bunch of wildflower/bird/native plant species signs. Apparently, the previous own Dallas Burger ran a retreat there. Dallas bought it from LC Brand (from Glendale, CA). LC Brand had bought a 160-acre (1/4 section) parcel in 1911.

“The gravesite at Burger Reserve
In 1911, Leslie Brand aka Father of Glendale purchased 160 acres for a vacation retreat near Mono Lake. The philanthropist and financier died in 1925.
In 1943, Dallas Burger fell in love with the Mono Basin and bought the semi-abandoned property. He had a clear vision for the property, which was named Burger Sierra Retreat. It became a destination for birders and cross-country skiers.
Dallas O. Burger died in 1993.
In 1996, the 160 acres surrounding this Eastern Sierra Nevada gravesite was donated by the Dallas Burger family. [To Claremont McKenna Colleges, under a trust.]
Formerly titled the Mono Basin Field Station at the Burger Reserve, its surroundings stretch between Yosemite National Park to the west and Mono Lake to the east. This land functions as a living laboratory for the Roberts Environmental Center for Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, California."
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More non-hiking related ....
There is also signs pointing to a Los Angeles Boy Scout Wilderness Camp up there. I have an app called OnX Hunt that shows property ownership. While I knew that LA took water from the eastern Sierra, it was something different to keep driving along 395 and notice that the property owners kept being listed as LADWP. I told my husband it feels like the western part of the Sierra is the Bay Area's, while the eastern is LA's. They take the water, they summer vacation at June Lake, ski at Mammoth, and buy properties as retreats. We do the same on the western side.

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