Owens Valley – May 2023 – Part Three

 

please remember you can click on a photo to see a larger version & highlighted text are links to additional information 

Please click here for – Part Two

 

As Close to Perfection as We Could Get

 

 

Yes, it was a beautiful day for a hike. The flowers were phenomenal.

 

Purple Sage (Salvia dorrii)

 

 

 

 

 

Lupine. I'm not sure what lupinus subspecies this is.

 

 

 

 

 

California Flannelbrush (Fremontodendron californicum)

 

 

 

 

 

This looks like Mountain Whitethorn (Ceanothus cordulatus). It was covered with tiny blossoms.

 

 

 

 

 

The lupine bushes were the largest we’ve seen.

 

 

 

 

 

The pungent scent was close to overpowering. Still, the Lady could not resist.

 

 

 

 

 

Desert Peach (Prunus andersoni)

 

 

 

 

 

This yellow flowering bush was also abundant.

Damianita Daisy (Chrysactinia mexicana)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the higher elevation we found Arrow leaf Balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittate).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chia (Salvia columbariae)

 

 

 

 

 

There was also this unidentified belly flower.

 

 

 

 

 

We spent quite some time on the higher open slopes.

 

 

 

 

 

The massive boulders that had calved from the soaring cliffs above were astounding.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The boulders provided the Lady with scrambling opportunities and highpoints.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a long day of hiking and exploration, we returned to our campsite for a second night in this canyon.

 

 

 

 

 

Early the next morning we packed up and moved over to the west side of the Sierra Nevada crest. We spent the day and explored a series of high meadows.

 

 

 

 

 

At the north end of one meadow was an abandoned cow camp.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In another meadow area we came upon the fresh tracks of a large black bear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It had really warmed up when we dropped back into the Owens Valley. Fossil Falls was, again, a convenient place to overnight. It was 92° when we arrived but the shade of the truck and the wind made it pleasant until the sunset.

 

We continued north on 395 and then headed up on the alluvial fans along the Sierra escarpment. Here, again, the display of wildflowers was exhilarating.

 

Purple Sage

 

 

 

 

 

Desert Mariposa Lily (Calochortus kennedyi)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We spent time wandering about.

 

 

 

 

 

Along one very rough road we encountered a young couple in a pickup. We pulled up alongside them.

“Are you Gary?” the young man driving asked.

“No, I’m not Gary and I’ve never been Gary. Can I help even if I’m not Gary?” I answered.

“No. Gary was joining us today but we’ve never met him. Are you going to the waterfall?” he asked.

“Ah, now we know there’s a waterfall. Should we take the time to go see it?”

The pair both started talking at once. Oh, we needed to go see the waterfall, they stressed. Also, they told us about the ruins of an old pack station that a woman started around 1900.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had one more archeological search to complete this day. We wanted to find the remains of the ghost town of Perfection, Nevada. Whether it was mapping problems or other errors, Perfection was actually across the state boundary line and was in California and not Nevada. We knew very little of the town remained but our curiosity was piqued when I discovered that the location of the town was near the Owens Valley. The town was not a victim of the usual boom and bust of mining towns. It was not destroyed by a natural disaster or by a man caused catastrophe. It was taken out by, as survivor, Burt Gummer, less than eloquently put it, “Underground goddam worms.”

 

The dirt roads got smaller and smaller as we approached the location I had marked on our map. When we reached the intersection with the road that led the way down into Perfection Valley, our progress was abruptly stopped.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was as close to Perfection as we could get. But we were thrilled that the Graboids are, evidently, being protected. This all refers to the 1990 cult favorite film, "Tremors."

 

With mixed feelings we turned north and toward home. Our trip was coming to an end. We had enough time before dark to return to one of our favorite Volcanic Tablelands locations for our last night out.

 

 

 

 

 

And the wind was blowing hard from the north as evidenced by our hiking clothes attached to the camper for airing out .

 

We dropped into a somewhat protected gully for our evening walk.

 

 

 

 

 

The weather was beginning to change.

 

 

 

 

 

Dawn, the next morning was as glorious as ever.

 

 

 

 

 

There was evidence of storm to the north.

 

 

 

 

 

And we were still surrounded by wildflowers. Venus Blazing Star (Mentzelia Nitens)

 

 

 

 

 

This was our view of camp as we returned from our morning coffee walk.

 

 

 

 

 

This concludes our adventure. The next chapter will include photos of many of the archeological and rock art sites that we visited. Please click here for - Part Four