The Eastern Sierra Nevada

Geologically speaking, the Sierra Nevada itself is a tilted fault-block mountain range, approximately 100 to 125 km (60 to 80 miles) wide, and 600 km (370 miles)long. A huge block of the earth's crust has broken loose and pushed up on the east, giving it a westward tilt. For this reason it has a long, gently sloping west side compared to the very steep escarpments of the east. It forms the western border of the Great Basin and Range Province (or "Great Basin," as it is often called), the majority of which lies in Nevada and Western Utah. Glaciation and recent volcanism have been instrumental in formation of the current landscape. There are still a few remnant glaciers in the high country, the largest being the Palisades Glacier, east of the town of Big Pine. The area is also geothermally and seismically active, with hot springs dotting the region, and notable earthquake activity occurring in the Long Valley/Crowley Lake area. Drainages from the snowpack on the east side form lakes and streams that ultimately flow into a number of inland seas and basins, rather than to the ocean.

Mount Whitney, California The Eastern Sierra rises to great elevations, the highest point being Mount Whitney, at 4418 m. (14,495 ft.) above sea level. This is the highest point in the United States, outside of Alaska. Because of the height and ruggedness of the mountain passes, there are no roads passable by motor vehicles in the central portion of the Sierra. Toward the north, though, highway crossings may be found at Tioga, Sonora, Ebbets, Monitor and Carson passes, as well as the major crossings in the Lake Tahoe area: Echo and Donner summits. There is also Walker pass at the southern end of the range. A number of these roads may be closed during winter months or during major winter storms. U.S. Highway 395 forms the backbone of Eastern Sierra travel, parallel to the ridgeline as it traverses from the cities of Southern California toward Reno, Nevada. The beautiful and rugged backcountry of the highest elevations of the Sierra Nevada are Wilderness Areas administered by the USDA Forest Service. These include the Hoover, Ansel Adams and John Muir Wilderness Areas, and accessible on foot or by utilizing horses and/or other pack stock such as mules or llamas. Ideal opportunities exist for all types of mountaineering, backpacking, rock climbing, and fishing in the abundant lakes and streams. The world-famous John Muir trail and the Pacific Crest trail join a network of fabulous trails to all parts of this huge mountain range.

The view down Bishop Creek canyon from Bishop Pass... At slightly lower elevations, where the roadways meet the trailheads, there is a wide variety of communities and resorts providing services and amenities. The largest of the high mountain towns is Mammoth Lakes, California, which boasts a world-famous ski and snowboard area at Mammoth Mountain. Just to the north is the June Lake Loop and the June Lake village, containing four lakes recognized widely for excellent trout fishing and accomodations to fishermen, hunters and other sportsmen for over eighty years, and also home to a fine ski and snowboarding resort at June Mountain. Other mountain communities include Crowley Lake, Bridgeport, Walker, Coleville, and Topaz, each offering services and accomodations to complement your experience while traveling or vacationing in the Eastern Sierra. Many resorts also exist at more remote mountain locations, such as Glacier Lodge (near Big Pine); South Lake, North Lake and Lake Sabrina (take State Route 168 east from Bishop); Rock Creek (near Tom's Place at Crowley Lake); Virginia Lakes (east of Conway Summit); Agnew Meadows and Red's Meadows (over Minaret Summit from Mammoth Lakes); Twin Lakes and Green Creek (east of Bridgeport); and many more. These communities and resorts offer services such as boat rentals, pack stations, campgrounds, RV parks, motel accomodations, restaurants, stores and services to make a complete vacation experience.