Eastern California & Nevada – June 2025 – Part One

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The Rendezvous

 

We were anxious and we were behind schedule, if schedules really matter anymore. A major warranty repair on our new truck was taking over a week longer than originally promised, and we, based on that promise had made plans. The Ford dealership in Auburn, California was doing the work. “For sure, guaranteed,” the service writer exclaimed, the truck would be done Wednesday late afternoon. No, it wasn’t. We were in historic downtown Auburn Thursday morning, close by for when the call came that we could finally pick it up – and start our planned trip. On the bright side, this spot in Auburn is filled with history.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The truck was finally ready Thursday afternoon. Here’s a note for all Ford service departments. When we bought our truck, we were told about Ford Pass. In fact, the salesperson set up the app on the Lady’s cell phone and went through the features. “You can lock and unlock your doors, even start the engine, from anyplace in the world!” the young man gushed. “From anyplace you have cell service,” I politely corrected. “Where don’t you have cell service?” the young man countered. The Ford Pass is handy. “The parts are here and your truck’s been moved into the shop,” the service department updated us with a phone call. No, the handy dandy Ford Pass app’s vehicle location told us the truck sat in the same place in the parking lot for a week. “The tech’s out doing a test drive now,” we were told. The handy dandy Ford Pass app’s information was the vehicle was not moving and the odometer mileage was unchanged and the amount of gas in the tank unchanged. And the tires were still at their cold psi pressures. Oh, the wonders of modern technology. I would think a Ford service department would be well aware of their own technology before “updating” a customer. Oops, not in this case.

 

Our friends, the rubberlegs, Steve and Deb were down from their home in Washington. Deb was selling her book at Mule Days in Bishop and had two speaking engagements in Reno in early June. We were joining them for adventures. This story, I hope, lets you know how we did.

 

Our rendezvous worked out. Friday mid afternoon we met at the intersection of two dirt roads and then continued in. We suggested visiting one of the most special rock art sites we’ve found, deeply gouged petroglyphs in a small granite grotto. In wetter times in the past, this basin held water and must have been a very sacred place. The petroglyphs have been repeatedly worked into the stone and filled with pigment. DStretch helped bring the rock art to life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The surrounding area is archeologically rich with sleeping circles, work stations, lithic scatter, and other petroglyph sites.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mahogany obsidian, always fun to find.

 

 

 

 

 

We moved to a favorite camp spot at 9000 feet overlooking Mono Lake. A storm was gathering over the Sierra crest to the west.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve joined the Lady and me on a quick jaunt up to the top of Sagehen Peak.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The drama playing out in the sky was exhilarating to watch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The rain and storm stayed to the west. Near sunset the light streamed under the clouds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ma Nature’s light shows always thrill us to our cores.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With sunset it got better and better. Wow!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The morning dawned bright.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It did not take any arm twisting at all. We asked the rubberlegs to help on a search for an archeological site we’d looked for without success twice before. Would double the number of eyes help? We hoped so as we got ready at the trailhead.

 

 

 

 

 

We spread out after reaching the target area. “I’ve found the petroglyphs!” Deb called out from the hillside above. She had, indeed, found the rock art on a cluster of three boulders. Yes!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Phlox was gorgeous.

 

 

 

 

 

“I believe I see a work station!” the Lady called from a highpoint using her see mores. She had found the work station with metates - grinding slicks – and two shallow mortars.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As I made my way through the rocks and brush to the work station, I found an almost intact obsidian arrow point. And, of course, it remains where I found it.

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

Our discoveries were not over. At the top of a highpoint Deb and I came upon a high stacked rock hunting blind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To celebrate our success, we climbed to another highpoint with a glorious view down into the Long Valley Caldera and the upper Owens River.

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s our highpoint view and lunch spot. It seems we must always climb to earn our lunches.

 

 

 

 

 

From south of Mono Lake, we moved north to the site of Mono Diggings. This is a beautiful, quiet area among granite outcrops, and a place we’ve used to overnight many times. The evening light was soft and warm.

 

 

 

 

 

The next morning, as always, the Lady and I wandered with our mugs of coffee in the early morning light.

 

 

 

 

 

Mono Diggings is the site of an ancient river channel that was placer and hydraulic mined for gold, one of the first gold strikes on the east side of the Sierra Nevada. Piles of rubble still stand as stark reminder of this method of mining.

 

Our first stop this morning was a visit to the site of the Jordan Powerhouse just west of highway 395. It was destroyed by a massive snow avalanche March 7, 1911. This webpage – Owens Valley History – has a series of historical photos (scroll down the page) that tell the tragic tale. The victims are buried in a small humble cemetery to the north.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The headstones were fashioned from the broken marble slabs from the powerhouse’s control panel. Mr. Stormblad has the addition of a military headstone.

 

 

 

 

It is said that the cemetery and graves are tended by the workers at the nearby Southern California Edison hydroelectric plant that sits nearby – but well out of potential avalanche paths.

 

Our adventure was now taking us east. Deb has given several talks on the attempt to survey the border between California and Nevada in the early 1860’s. The expedition was a disaster - Deb calls it a boondoggle - due to inept leadership. In 1872, A.W. Von Schmidt was contracted to do a definitive survey of border between California and Nevada. Von Schmidt’s placement of the line (although off) along the 120° West Longitude from the Oregon Border (the 42^nd North Parallel, latitude) to the center of Lake Tahoe is accepted as the current border. But his “oblique line” from Lake Tahoe to the “Big Bend” of the Colorado River near present day Laughlin, Nevada was replaced by an 1893 to 1899 survey by the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey that showed errors in Von Schmidt’s placement. Interestingly, disputes between California and Nevada on the boundary between the two states was not officially resolved until 1980. Von Schmidt's “oblique line” is still shown on many modern maps – in this instance the 1994 Cedar Hill California 7.5’ USGS Topo. Deb and Steve suggested an adventure to see if we could find two of Von Schmidt’s original survey markers from 1873. As this would make an excellent exercise in map reading and cross-country navigation skills, we were all game to give it a try!

 

It was incredible to find Von Schmidt’s 294 Mile Post (distance from the Oregon border) still standing. It was placed in 1873. Incredible!

 

 

 

 

Von Schmidt’s team measured distance with a 66-foot-long survey chain. There are 80 chains to a mile.

 

Barely discernible on the juniper post was the inscribed “294.”

 

 

 

 

 

On the west side was “CAL” for California.

 

 

 

 

 

And on the east side, “NEV” for Nevada.

 

 

 

 

 

Around the area were signs of an old camp, cans and such, possibly from Von Schmidt’s survey party.

 

 

 

 

 

Southeast from here the map noted MP 295. Could we find it and would it also still be intact? Wow and another incredible discovery!

 

 

 

 

 

“NEV” is visible inscribed on the east side – photo above.

 

It’s hard to make out but here’s the “CAL” inscription on the west side.

 

 

 

 

 

It does not show in this photo below but we believed we could make out “295” on the north side.

 

 

 

 

 

There were also a couple of old cans at this post that suggest the cans are associated with the Von Schmidt survey. 

 

Here’s some historic map trivia we included in the land navigation classes the Lady and I taught for the California Department of Fish & Wildlife (and other agencies and organizations) for over 25 years. The average height of a Roman soldier was five feet, three and half inches and that height gave us the length of a mile that we still use today. The term “mile” comes from the Latin phrase “mille passus” that translates to “one thousand paces.” A pace is a double step. You count paces by each time – say your right foot – touches down as you walk. Or in the time of Roman soldiers – marched. Your natural pace on flat ground generally matches your height. Back when I was 6 feet tall my pace was six feet in length. The Roman army would measure distance by counting one thousand paces as the soldiers marched. And because of the soldier’s height of 5.28 feet, a mile is 5280 feet in length. Often a stacked pile of rocks would mark that point. “Mile Post” was used by Von Schmidt, as it has been for centuries. So, if you want to measure how far you walk, count one thousand paces for a mile. You won’t be that far off. History surrounds us.

 

I’ll end this chapter with this history lesson. I guarantee (better than the Ford service department) that the adventures will continue. Please click here for - Part Two.