Calendar

Past Activity

White Mountains, CA

  • Start date: 08/23/2017

  • Start time: 12:00 AM

  • End date: 08/30/2017

  • End time: 11:59 PM

Description:

A detailed description of this Extended trip is in the April, 2017 Bulletin. The fee includes lodging in dorm rooms and 3 meals per day while staying at the White Mountains Research Center (4 nights). Additional expenses not included are at least 2 nights in motels and meals while traveling to/from the Center. Carpooling is encouraged. The focus while at the Center is hiking; distances are 5-7 miles per day at high elevation. Within 5 days of signing up, send a check payable to the Obsidians for $245 members/$250 non-members to Alan Curtis, 2370 Douglas Dr. Eugene, OR 97405. Note: the Bulletin article had the incorrect fee ($5 short). Cancellation policy: if you cancel prior to July 31, $225/$230 will be refunded. No refunds thereafter.

  • Event Leader: Curtis Alan

  • Assistant Leader:

  • Event category: Extended Trips

  • Area Type: Mountain

  • Departure Location: See Trip Description

  • Rating: Moderate

  • Roundtrip total drive miles: 1300

  • Season: 2017

  • Permits Required:

  • Event Status: Passed

  • Supplies and Equipment Required: Sleeping bags and hiking apparel. A pre-trip meeting will be scheduled.

  • participant prerequisites:

  • Conditions:

  • Total Distance:

  • Member Fees: 245

  • Elevation Gain:

  • Non-Member Fees: 250

  • Committee: Extended Trips

  • Junior member fees: —

Trip Report

Our first challenge was to drive the 660 miles to the White Mts. We broke that up with an overnight stop in Reno, Nevada. Then with an early start the next day, we covered miles and by afternoon began the winding, scenic drive into the Inyo National Forest near Big Pine, California. We headed for the Crooked Creek Research Station (CCRS) of the University of California, located at 10,150 feet elevation. That was our home for the next four nights. We enjoyed the nice accommodations and well-prepared meals by the resident cook.

Our first hike, an easy 5 miles, was the Methuselah Trail which wound through a bristlecone pine forest. This forest was unlike any others we had seen, as the trees had living branches on one side and exposed wood on the windward side. Yet every tree was beautiful and different in appearance from the others. The oldest living tree on Earth, over 4,800 years old, and named “Methuselah,” was located somewhere on this trail (but is not identified to protect it from vandalism).

The next day we drove higher, to 11,300 feet, and took a short hike to see the “Patriarch tree.” This tree has the distinction of having the largest girth of all the bristlecone pines. We continued to an open ridge for lunch and a spectacular view to the west of the Sierra Nevada Mountains with their many snow-capped peaks and ridges.

The next day, Russ, Ferda, Dave and Scott drove up the road to a closed gate at 11,680 feet where they began the hike to White Mt. Peak, which is 14, 246 feet in altitude. Their hike followed a gravel path for seven miles, and they all made it to the summit. Russ and Ferda live in Turkey, and do a lot of hiking in Europe; we were glad to have them join us. The rest of us hiked along Crooked Creek for about 5 miles and enjoyed great scenery.

After leaving our very accommodating home at CCRS, we headed north but detoured to Convict Lake, elevation 9,000 feet, for a short hike with beautiful scenery. We spent the night in Carson City, Nevada and returned home the following day.

Members & Guests signed-up & waitlisted

  • Number of spots on trip: 30
  • Number of spots available: 14
No. Status Full name Phone Transportation Needed? Trip Fee # Can Take?
1 Signed-Up Curtis, Alan 541-345-2571 N 245
2 Signed-Up Nagy, Evelyn 541-514-4110 N 245
3 Signed-Up Metcalfe, Valerie 541-221-5702 N 245
4 Signed-Up Christensen, Dan 541-343-8941 N 245
5 Signed-Up Frank, Nikki 541-954-3050 N 245
6 Signed-Up Tracer, Sam 541-998-4652 N 245
7 Signed-Up Hovis, Scott 541-731-3412 N 245
8 Signed-Up Lodeesen, David 214-709-0352 N 250
9 Signed-Up Masin, Rachelle 541-547-4742 N 245
10 Signed-Up Soderlund, Cari 520-661-4812 N 250
11 Signed-Up Adey, Steve 541-520-9285 N 245
12 Signed-Up Barr, Marsha 541-579-4096 N 245
13 Signed-Up Bailey, Russ +905352545766 N 250
14 Signed-Up Bailey, Ferda 541-475-6928 N 250
15 Signed-Up Marin, Zack 916-990-3496 N 245
16 Signed-Up Marin, Silva 916-439-0389 N 245