Re: Bishop - Volcanic Tablelands - Help needed

Hi,

Maybe someone is able and willing to help me out:

I'm very interested in petroglyphs and pictographs. Owens Valley is a very interesting place for this and traces of humans can be found in many places.
Last year I've spent a day in the Fish Slough area and had a great time exploring three different rock art sites. The area with the "stickman"-petroglyph had lots of interesting features and you could still see the stones where they were grinding corn or whatever was on the menu.

Next month I might the opportunity to visit Bishop and I like to visit "Sky Rock" that is located on the Volcanic Tablelands as well. I have a rough idea where it is (some picture can be found on the web with Mt. Tom in the background) but I understand it is hard to find.

As this trip is not a vacation and I have a few hours max to explore the area and take pictures I wonder if someone can help me out with directions?! I understand locals don't like to share the exact location but since I am travelling half around the world from Europe and have little time for route finding this time any help is highly appreciated (pls leave a private message if you don't want to share info publicly).

I am a "leave no trace - take pictures only"-person and if someone can help me out I will make a donation for a good cause (e.g. support the BLM office in Bishop or whatever might be a good idea).

Thx!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/14/2012 01:41PM by Half Dome Hiker.

Quote
Half Dome Hiker
Hi,

Maybe someone is able and willing to help me out:

I'm very interested in petroglyphs and pictographs. Owens Valley is a very interesting place for this and traces of humans can be found in many places.
Last year I've spent a day in the Fish Slough area and had a great time exploring three different rock art sites. The area with the "stickman"-petroglyph had lots of interesting features and you could still see the stones where they were grinding corn or whatever was on the menu.

Next month I might the opportunity to visit Bishop and I like to visit "Sky Rock" that is located on the Volcanic Tablelands as well. I have a rough idea where it is (some picture can be found on the web with Mt. Tom in the background) but I understand it is hard to find.

As this trip is not a vacation and I have a few hours max to explore the area and take pictures I wonder if someone can help me out with directions?! I understand locals don't like to share the exact location but since I am travelling half around the world from Europe and have little time for root finding this time any help is highly appreciated (pls leave a private message if you don't want to share info publicly).

I am a "leave no trace - take pictures only"-person and if someone can help me out I will make a donation for a good cause (e.g. support the BLM office in Bishop or whatever might be a good idea).

Thx!

Actually, if you ask at either the Mountain Light Gallery or a ranger station/BLM office, they'll tell you where it is.

Ok, I'll give it a try. I've been to the BLM office in Bishop twice and found their staff very friendly. In my experience though BLM offices usually are not too keen to share "secret locations" (which I can understand).

Galen Rowell capture a real nice shot of the Sky Rock so maybe the guys at the gallery indeed are willing to help me out.

I studied some USGS maps this morning but they are not giving any relevant info. So therefore more help is still welcome.

I'm about to finish a short one week visit to the US and mainly spend my time looking for pictographs and petroglyphs. After three days in Utah and Arizona I arrived in Bishop yesterday.

After my last posts I spent more time on Google Earth and I thought I had a good where to look for Sky Rock. It took me approx. 1 hour and then I found it. I returned this morning to take pictures just before and after sunrise. Unfortunately the light wasn't very good but the experience was awesome nevertheless. This picture was taken just a few minutes after the first sunlight hit Mt. Tom.



It is really a HUGE rock and impressive panel. Style of the petroglyphs matches the style found at the Fish Slough area nearby.

I went to the BLM office AFTER I've been to Sky Rock but the staff wasn't to happy to discuss it.

Anyway...for me this was the highlight of this trip.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/23/2012 08:49PM by Half Dome Hiker.

Very nice, thanks for posting!

Ditto that.

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My husband and I were out and about on the 21st exploring Chidago and Red Rock Canyons (arches) and we looked at another new (to us) set of petroglyph panels. A lot of fun and so close to home.


Am not surprised about the lack of cooperation about Sky Rock...it would be a tragedy for damage to occur there...but usually the rangers are a bit more free with info about the other petroglyph sites. I figured that you would eventually find the info you needed.

That is absolutely amazing!

I'm just interested in knowing where on Chalk Bluff Road the entrance is. Can it be beyond Happy Boulders?

Thanks guys!

The Volcanic Tablelands are just amazing and there is evidence of the ancient people everywhere. Even the well-known Fish Slough petroglyphs feature tons of interesting stuff that will keep you busy for many, many days.

Yes, it is understandable that officials and locals are tightlipped about Sky Rock. Actually some didn't even know it. I didn't find a single person incl. BLM personnel that had heard or seen the amazing 13 moons panel which is amazing.

Anyway, I hope the traces of the ancient people will be visible and unharmed for many years to come.

Hi everyone! Thanks for posting this photo, and congratulations on finding it, but please do your very best to not disperse the whereabouts of Sky Rock. Five petrogyphs were cut down and stolen from Bishop this week, a tragedy to the Native people, as it is a holy site for them. No doubt, Sky Rock is a masterpiece, and a great photo for your album, but please PLEASE do not tell anyone where it is, especially on the internet. The article link is below. Thanks!

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-petroglyphs-theft-20121119,0,6886011.story

Quote
swangguest
Hi everyone! Thanks for posting this photo, and congratulations on finding it, but please do your very best to not disperse the whereabouts of Sky Rock. Five petrogyphs were cut down and stolen from Bishop this week, a tragedy to the Native people, as it is a holy site for them. No doubt, Sky Rock is a masterpiece, and a great photo for your album, but please PLEASE do not tell anyone where it is, especially on the internet. The article link is below. Thanks!

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-petroglyphs-theft-20121119,0,6886011.story

Don't worry. Although the Sky Rock location no longer is a secret I don't share info about as I have made very bad experience sharing such kind of info. In fact I have already contacted two websites to take down the route description that lead to Sky Rock.
It only takes one moron to destroy or steal the precious traces of the ancient people.