California or Bust!

Monday morning the accumulation of snow on the eastern Sierras looked pretty solid from our vantage point at the house. Checking road conditions, Steve decided our hwy 395 route would be safe, so off we went, through pristine snow-covered hills and rocky ridges – what fabulous scenery! The light snowfall makes everything even more dramatic, but we’re glad there isn’t any more than there is. We really are tired of the cold (already!).

It's hard to resist the urge to stop at every curve and record the view. I made do with the Shingle Mill rest area (hwy. 395) Walker River, Walker Valley, and am making a note to myself to research the name - there must have been a mill near here that made shingles! We passed Mono Lake (6,000 feet and still climbing) and reflected on how blue the water looked, and how lovely the clouds looked in reflection.

We had intended to stop and Glacier View campground, right on the highway in Big Pine - it has water and power - or so they say. First, the park is right on the highway, so potential for noise is pretty high. Second, this is one of those parks that evidences someone's unexplainable urge to outline every space and path with huge logs or boulders. After driving through the place, ripping off the lower sewer valve, and determining that the water had been turned off in the few places that actually had water connections (all of which were too short for us) we quickly decided to fill the tank and head for the edge of town. We're camped for the night at Baker Creek - we have a view of the snow covered Sierras you wouldn't believe! and we're right next to the creek - $10 a night.