BRIEF HISTORY OF THE AREA

 

In addition to the native Indians who have inhabited the area for thousands of years, the area was first visited by white men searching for gold and silver in the mid 1850’s, following the discovery of the Comstock Lode near Carson City, Nevada.  Tales about a “Lost Cement Mine”, which are still heard today, brought miners to the Mammoth Lakes area around 1877, who started mining near Lake Mary.  Within a couple of years, 3 small towns had sprung up around Lake Mary (originally called Summit Lake) with a population exceeding 1500.  Three newspapers were circulated weekly to the 4 major mines.  Mammoth Lakes was linked to the other mining areas of Bodie and Carson City by a weekly stagecoach and by 1881, the gold had mostly tapped out and heavy winters moved most of the people to other lower elevation areas.

Evidence of the early mining can still be seen on Old Mammoth Rd., the Wildasinn Log Cabin and water wheel, along with the Mill cite at the top of the Old Mammoth Rd. where it meets the Lake Mary Rd.

The June Lake Loop was first surveyed in 1886 and has been a favorite fishing area ever since.  Originally called “Horseshoe Canyon”, it was accessed from the original Hwy 23 (US 395) from the north junction via the Rush Creek drainage (Grant lake not yet built), and ended at Goose Lake, now called Silver Lake.  In 1915 the Rush Creek Power plant was started and soon afterwards in 1916, the Carsons built a small building on the shore of Silver Lake.  Carson Camp became the first development in the Loop.  By 1924, the south road into June Lake was built along June Lake (“Summit Lake”) and the Boulder Lodge and Heidelberg Resort were built in 1926.  The fish hatchery was built at this time, supplying all the local lakes with trout and within a few years the community grew, offering a hideaway for famous movie stars like Greta Garbo, Clark Gable, Wallace Berry and Frank Capra.  Most of the stars flew into the area landing on a short dirt strip just east of June Lake.  1935 saw the construction of the Grant Lake dam, forming what is now Grant Lake, a reservoir for water sent to Los Angeles.  By 1938, several rope tow “ski Lifts” had been put into place and operated for years.

Along with the construction of the Grant Lake dam, the aqueduct project, linking the Mono Basin water drainage to the Owens Valley river was begun.  The towns of West Portal and East Portal sprang up to service the 5000 workers needed for this 11 mile tunnel, which is dug under the Mono Craters, allowing the water to eventually flow to Los Angeles.  Once the tunnel was completed, the buildings from these towns were moved to the nearby towns of Lee Vining, June Lake, and Mammoth.

Lee Vining started as a summer cattle farming area in the 1890’s near the Tioga Lodge and later became a town in 1926.  Many of the town’s  people were descendants of the miners working the mines in Lundy Canyon, Tioga Pass, and Bodie.  By the 1950’s, tours of Negit Island on Mono Lake were offered with overnight stays at the health ranch which had mineral springs and mud baths for the more affluent traveler.

The new road into what is now the main street of Mammoth Lakes was built in 1937 and by 1941, Dave McCoy had moved his rope tow from McGee Creek to Mammoth Mountain.  The rest is “history”.

 

THINGS TO SEE AND DO

 

Some of our favorite places to take short drives.  4 wheel drive is not necessary, although on some of the roads, one needs to drive carefully avoiding soft sand and washed out areas and rocks.  Always go prepared and don’t forget water.

 

Visit the Deadman burial sight across from Cal Trans at Crestview, half way between June Lake and Mammoth.  Crestview was named for the lodge that was located directly across 395 from the Caltrans maintenance station and was burned down in 1977.  Drive to the west on the dirt road towards the Glass Creek campground, take the first available dirt road to the right, and drive to the end of this flat area, adjacent to 395.  A fenced tree marks the spot.

 

Drive into the Deadman recreation area.  See the beauty of this often overlooked camping area and take a short hike to the avalanche area, located at the end of the road.  Park and walk a few hundred yards up the old logging path to see first-hand what forces an avalanche has on surrounding trees.  We do park trailers along this creek and road.

 

Visit the Alpers ranch, home of the alpers trout, a short way past the Big Springs campground.  Sometimes, fishing times are available to non-ranch guests to be able to fly fish on Alpers pond and be pulled around with your float tube by one of the lunkers.  Call first for this opportunity.

See West Portal, where the aqueduct starts.  Listen to the river running under the metal inspection tube.   This is also where a boat is lowered into the tunnel once a year to clean out any debris through the tunnel.  Pumice and black obsidian rock can be found nearby, but be careful, the roads are soft with sand.

 

Try to find East Portal, the last townsite used for the construction of the aqueduct and a great place to hunt for antiques.  Take the Big Springs campground road and follow the signs to Clark Canyon.  A short distance from this area is where the aqueduct empties into and starts the Owens River.

 

Explore the Log Cabin mine, accessed by road across from the Lee Vining Ranger Station, and drive through the Berger’s retreat on the way, a beautiful private land-hold where all sorts of wild animals feel comfortable lounging around.  This road will take you up to the 10,000’ level where you can walk through an old deserted gold mill.

 

Don’t miss Bodie, now an historical ghost town and state park, with hundreds of buildings in “arrested decay”.  On the road up to it from the Hawthorne road, you can see petroglyphs by following the road along the hillside leading into the canyon.  The canyon road is also the site of the railroad tracks used to haul lumber from the other side of Mono Lake and used to build the town and shore up the mine-shafts.  Make sure you pack a lunch and take plenty of water for this all day outing.

 

View the entire San Joaquin river from the Minaret Summit lookout, just past Mammoth Mountain ski area parking lot.  Or park at the Mountain and take the hourly bus down to the Devil’s postpile, Red’s Meadow Packstation and Rainbow falls trailhead.  The wild flowers in this area are the most beautiful in the Sierras.  Most likely, you’ll see deer in this area at anytime of the day.

 

Drive to Mono Mills, the site of the wood mill and lumber yard used to build the town of Bodie town and the mine shafts.  This is one of the stops for the railroad which was used to transport the lumber around Mono Lake.  Several miles before this stop, you can take the road down to Mono Lake and visit the shoreline and tufa towers.  Rangers give nature walks daily in this area.  The water was believed to have mystic healing powers by the Indians and its great for getting rid of fleas on your dogs.

 

If you want to stay in Mammoth, take the short walk to the Log Cabin near the Stove restaurant.  Walk to Mammoth Creek and follow the creek for a few hundred yards until you see the footbridge.  Daily tours of this cabin are offered in the Summer.  Or visit the Valentine Reserve, located up old Mammoth Road,  to see a beautifully maintained private reserve on the Mammoth Creek.  Tours are also offered here.

 

If you’re hot and need to cool off, find the rope swing on gull lake.  Park at the entrance to the Gull Lake campground and hike around the lake to the west a few hundred yards.  Great fun for the kids and in use for many years by the locals.  Or swim and sunbathe at the June Lake beach, the only beach in the area and safe for the kids.  Even during the hottest period in late July, the water is brisk!

 

Hot creek and nearby hot spring pools have been a favorite for bathing at anytime of the year.  On the way there, see Hotcreek fish hatchery.  Located at the turnoff to the Mammoth Lakes airport.

 

Take the trail along Silver Lake, overlooking the site of Wallace Berry’s cabin, destroyed by avalanche.  This is located half way around Silver Lake at the wide spot in the road where there is ample parking and restrooms offered at the lake.  Also a favorite fishing area for the big trout and the prettiest place in the Sierras during the fall colors.  Or see the original fish hatchery, located halfway up fish hatchery hill, just past the Whispering Pines Motel.  This is also the parking spot for the Fern Lake and Yost Creek trailheads.

 

Yosemite and Tuolumne Meadows are always a must for any site seer.  Have lunch in Tuolumne Meadows in the canvas tents.  Deer are often walking and grazing in the nearby meadows in the morning.

 

Mammoth Mountain offers Gondola Rides to the top of the mountain; 11053 feet.  From here, you can almost see Fresno and have a superb 360’ view of the Sierras.

 

Bike ride up the Rock Creek canyon and stop at the Rock Creek Resort for the daily home-made pies.  These are famous throughout the area and go quickly each day.  Or drive and take in all the great fishing spots along the way.  The fall colors in this canyon are breathtaking.

 

Stop off and see the earthquake fault, half way up the road to Mammoth Mountain.

 

Hunt for ancient Indian arrowheads, often found on the back-side of Crowley Lake.  Take the Benton Crossing road off 395, where the small green church is located south of the airport, drive all the way around the lake and then stop at the dirt road on your left about 4 miles past the Layton Springs road.  Hike anywhere in this area and see old mine shafts and evidence of Indian summer camps.  On your way back, take a dip at the Whitmore Hot Springs swimming pool, open to the public.

 

 

  FAVORITE DAY HIKES

 

 

Parker lake and/or Walker lake.  On the June Lake Loop road, ½ mile in from the north junction with US395.  Both exceptional fishing spots, Parker is easier and a little longer, 45 min. and Walker is more difficult and shorter, ½ mile.

 

Agnew, Gem, and Waugh Lakes.  Located in this order from the Silver Lake Resort.  A more difficult hike with great views and excellent back country fishing.  Agnew is 2.5 miles, Gem another mile, and Waugh 2 miles past Gem, mostly uphill.

 

Agnew Meadow trailhead, half way down the devil’s postpile road and accessable by the bus, leading to Shadow Lake, Garnet Lake, and Thousand Island Lake, in this order.  Mostly uphill but not too strenuous to Shadow.  Gets harder past this.

 

Duck Lake Trailhead, offers an easy hike to Arrowhead Lake and the Skelton Lake.  Much further past these first two lakes is Duck pass and then Duck Lake, a good day’s hike.

 

The Sherwin Lake trail is located off Old Mammoth Road, just past the creek and through the Sierra Meadows packstation road.  Travel 2 miles towards the Sherwin Creek campground and park near the old motocross track site, clearly marked.  An easy hike and good fishing.

 

The Trail along Mammoth Creek, which starts at Old Mammoth Rd, can offer great fishing and views of the petroglyphs found along the trail and goes all the way to US395.  Also a great place to bike, as the entire trail is paved.

 

The Trail to Fern lake and Yost Creek can be found half way up the Fish Hatchery hill on the June Lake Loop road near the Whispering Pines Motel.  A strenuous hike but short.

 

The Trail to the Bennetville town site near Tioga pass can be found half way between Tioga Lake and Ellery Lake.  A great day hike to an historic site.

 

Bicycling down Mammoth Mountain can be great fun.  The mountain will rent bikes and even drive you up the mountain from their office across from “The Village”.  They will load you and the bikes into a gondola car and take you all the way to the top, where a series of 25 miles of trails will lead you all over the mountain and to several lunch sites along the way.  All down hill and great fun.  There used to be the “Kamikazi” ride which was a timed race from the top to the bottom.  It was discontinued after many gruesome accidents.

 

COFFEE AND EATING

 

Coffee:

Mammoth:  The Loonie Bean and Starbucks

June Lake:   Trout Town Joe’s

Lee Vining:  Latte Da

Rock Creek:  Tom’s Place

 

Meals: (besides fast food)

Mammoth:  (normal price range) The Stove, Breakfast Club, Gomez’s, Grumpy’s Sports Bar, Roberto’s, Berger’s Burgers, Angels, Shogun’s (upper price end) Whiskey Creek, The Village, LakeFront at Tamarack Lodge and The Mogul

June Lake Loop:  (normal price range) Tiger Bar, Silver Lake resort for breakfasts, (mid-range price) Double Eagle Saloon, (upper price end) Carson Peak Inn

Lee Vining:  (normal price range) Tioga Mobile Mart, Nicely’s  (upper price end) Mono Inn

Rock Creek Area:  (normal price range) Tom’s Place, Rock Creek Lodge (upper price range) Convict Lake Resort

 

  REPAIRS AND NECESSITIES

 

Auto Repairs:

Lee Vining: 76 station, ask for Russ and tell him we sent you

Mammoth: Norco Goodyear, ask for Chuck, Collision Repair, ask for Pat

Doctors:

Dr. Ron – Dentist, Mammoth

Dr. Crunk – MD, Mammoth

Sierra Clinic, general medicine, located at Mammoth Hospital in Mammoth

Groceries:

Von’s in Mammoth,

Fishing & Tackle:

Mammoth: Lake Mary Tackle shop-best fishing tips and supplies,

June Lake: Ernies, June Lake Marina

Crowley Lake Marina

Mail, Shipping, Internet

Mail Boxes Etc., Mammoth,  Loonie Bean Coffee – internet

Shopping:

Gull Lake Marina – carved wooden bears, Minaret shops (near Vons)– jewelry, t-shirts, chocolate, drop off kids, etc.,  Shops at Village – gift shopping.

Movies:

Minaret Cinemas, Mammoth, Old Mammoth Rd.

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