East Sierra Trip - Twin Lakes - September 2022

Walk Two - Virginia Lakes

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On the second day out touring, we drove to Virginia Lakes, maybe 20 miles south on Hwy. 395 from Bridgeport, passing by the popular turn-off to the old ghost town at Bodie State Park.

The road to the VL trailhead is a long, steady uphill drive for a few miles, really scenic.        

Dunderberg Peak at 12,379 ft., on the drive south on Hwy 395 (taken Sept. '19)

The trailhead and Lake are at 9,800 ft. Hazy air was again part of today's walk.   

note - you can enlarge any part of a picture by left-clicking in and then out again. 

	Virginia Lake, at the car park				the group
		< Blue Lake & Corn Lilly in fall >		Blue Lake from above
	Kathy & John		old miner's cabin		buttressed (against the inevitable)
		Cooney Lake
	Frog Lakes
		White Pine pine bonsai-in-training, only 3 inches tall		also a White Pine (see Postscript)
	creek crossing		our lunch spot

 After lunch some of the group got in another 30 minutes of uphill walking, turning around at Teapot Lake, just below the un-named pass at 11,100 ft.  

	high altitude lake grass
		wind-sculpted & nearly uplifted			Barb, Diane & Kathy at Teapot Lake at 10,800 ft.
	near tree line		John & Kathy in good scenery		descent to Blue Lake
					rabbitbrush
			a friendly Samoyed named Denali		attractive peak above the car park

The Teapot Lake group walked the furthest, about 5 miles & 1,000 ft. of gain.  

Postscript  - Many of the hikers saw (or heard) Clark's Nutcrackers out on the trail. This 12 inch tall bird (in the Corvid family) inhabits higher altitude western coniferous forests, admirably over-wintering in place, so campers & hikers see them in summer and skiers see them in winter.     

The 2017 National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America description: "Chunky grey bird with a long slender bill, black wings, and black central tail feathers. White wing patches and outer tail feathers are conspicuous in flight. 

Wingbeats are deep, slow, crow-like. Calls include a very nasal, grating, drawn-out kra-a-a."

web photos of Clark's Nutcracker

from the Field Guide

Rich later (email) sent info about the beneficial relationship between Whitebark Pines and Clark's Nutcrackers, whose ranges are similar in US & Canadian forests.   

The birds depend on the pines for seeds, which are rich in oil, while the trees benefit when the birds cache seeds in the ground, for winter retrieval, some of which sprout into new trees. This pine has recently been placed on an endangered plant species list.   

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Post hike - later the group drove to the far end of Upper Twin Lake, a scenic lakeside drive of more than a mile, to have dinner at Annette's Mono Village Restaurant.

Upon our arrival (in a few cars) there was no wind at all. But an hour later, when we emerged from dinner, there was a ferocious 30 - 40 mph wind creating whitecaps on the Upper Lake & blowing rain into our faces. All of us instinctively ran for our cars, a comical outcome. 

Gusty winds continued into the night, so the group dispersed to our separate accomodations.  

I stayed up late reading, with windows & screen door and windows open, since the temperature was still balmy, in spite of occasionally intense wind.

There was an enjoyable sense of wildness, hearing the slow build up of strong gusts as they suddenly approached from the lake to pummel the pines & aspens just outside the cabins. When I got up the next day I did not see any branches blown down, and assumed that winds like last night occur regularly.     

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