Usually I'm playing around in Yosemite or other Sierra destinations by mid-June but with this year's snow we decided to spend a weekend exploring in the Bodie Hills. It was fun - I hadn't spent much time back there (other than Bodie proper). Saw some great ruins, bagged three peaks, pinstriped the Tundra on the way to Aurora, saw an excellent sunset, and drove back through Tioga Pass on opening weekend. Not a bad weekend at all. Complete photo album here, but here's a sampling:

Chemung Mine ruins:


Sierra/Bridgeport Reservoir view from Masonic Peak


Potato Peak from Bodie Peak (climbed 'em both together, a bit of snow still up here around 10k, who knew you could glissade in the Bodie HIlls?)


Killer sunset from our campsite at Aurora


And an icy return over Tioga Pass (even tried fishing - no bites yet)

Tanks for sharon.

Keep them coming... (I need more ideas) (I kid)

May end up there soon too.... if the creeks crossing over yonder become too much...

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A small factoid about Aurora: it was once the County Seat of Mono County, CA AND the County Seat of Esmeralda County, NV at the EXACT same time!

People finally realized that Aurora really was located in the state of Nevada (and not located in California) and moved the County Seat of Mono County to Bridgeport.

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plawrence
A small factoid about Aurora: it was once the County Seat of Mono County, CA AND the County Seat of Esmeralda County, NV at the EXACT same time!

People finally realized that Aurora really was located in the state of Nevada (and not located in California) and moved the County Seat of Mono County to Bridgeport.

Another little tidbit about Aurora:
In 1852 Leroy (or Lee) Vining led a group of prospectors over the Sierra via Bloody Canyon and generally explored the region. Although Vining settled in what is now Lee Vining Canyon he apparently did no mining. Instead he homesteaded about two miles up-canyon from the present power plant and built a sawmill, thus being the first to settle in the Mono area. For a time he supplied lumber to the eastside mining camps, but his career ended in an Aurora saloon where he accidentally shot and killed himself.
[Source: http://www.yosemite.ca.us/library/tioga_road/title.html ]

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szalkowski
he accidentally shot and killed himself.

Oops!

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szalkowski

Quote
plawrence
A small factoid about Aurora: it was once the County Seat of Mono County, CA AND the County Seat of Esmeralda County, NV at the EXACT same time!

People finally realized that Aurora really was located in the state of Nevada (and not located in California) and moved the County Seat of Mono County to Bridgeport.

Another little tidbit about Aurora:
In 1852 Leroy (or Lee) Vining led a group of prospectors over the Sierra via Bloody Canyon and generally explored the region. Although Vining settled in what is now Lee Vining Canyon he apparently did no mining. Instead he homesteaded about two miles up-canyon from the present power plant and built a sawmill, thus being the first to settle in the Mono area. For a time he supplied lumber to the eastside mining camps, but his career ended in an Aurora saloon where he accidentally shot and killed himself.
[Source: http://www.yosemite.ca.us/library/tioga_road/title.html ]

I hate it when I do that.

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Old Dude

Another small factoid: Mark Twain lived there for a short time and worked as a miner.

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calipidder
Another small factoid: Mark Twain lived there for a short time and worked as a miner.

There is not a lot of differnece between a prospector and a jackass, and that's not speaking kindly of the jackass. Mark Twain.

Three float tube fishermen were in Ellery Lake on Saturday (June 18) morning.