Mammoth Lakes

The Mammoth Lakes area is known to be great for skiing, but it has things to do for every season. Can's you believe is open for skiing and snow playing activities. There were people skiing. But we were there to do some of the hiking trails and enjoy the great majestic mountains, lakes, waterfalls and rivers.
It was our first time here and we found it to be amazingly beautiful!!!

A view point that the top of a waterfall that dropped into a lake below

Vista of some lakes down below. Beautiful!!!

There are lost of beautiful lakes everywhere in this area, which we had taken pictures of more.

The mountains above is Mammoth Mountains, were people were still skying

See the waterfall coming down!

Zoom shot of the waterfalls

Rainbow Falls

Hiking to Rainbow Falls

This trail is a typical Sierra forest until it make a corner and dumps you into a surreal scene.
A forest fire swept through this area. What is left is scattered surviving trees, a lot of burnt empty shells, and the beginning of new life--little trees no more than 4 or 5 feet tall. But it was surprisingly beautiful! It felt like if we were hiking in a museum.

New redwood trees are starting to come up in some areas

A tall dead tree next to a green tree



Some trees were half way burned




A strong tall dead tree. It was scary to walk right under it, it was making noises like if it was goring to crack and fall

View from directly under the tree



A group of four horses came down the trail.

Zulita on the trail

When we got to the falls discovered why it is call Rainbow Falls,... there is a rainbow at the falls!

us and the Rainbow Falls

Devils Postpile National Monument

Devil Postpile National Monument is a unique geologic feature formed by an eruption of basalt lava. The lava cooled uniformly, leaving surface cracks and resulting in vertical columns.
The National Park Service provides interpretive tours, restrooms, ranger station, picnic area and campground. Trails give access to the Ansel Adams and John Muir Wilderness areas.

Beautiful place to hike and see great nature!

Gordon hiking to the postpiles

Gordon just finished reading information about the postpiles

First look at the postpiles.
It's a phenomenon, very unique, the mountains of this area are form by postpile rock formations like this. Here is a viewing place where there is a natural cut of one that show the interior of one of the mountains.


We hiked the trail up this postpiles mountain to hear the ranger's talk that was there.
Zulita loved the view of the valley below from up there.

Closer look of the valley below


We hiked up to the top of the postpiples. The trail there is steep but relatively short. Still had Zulita huffing and puffung by the time we reached the top.

See Gordon on the postpiles. They are perfectly geometrically form!
They look like man-made hexagonal patio stone floor. It is truly a geological phenomenon!


Closer look at the postpiles

After marveling the top of the postpiles for a while we had to decide weather to keep on trails that kept going up from here or go down and do the trails below.


We desided to hiked down to see the postpiles from below again.

The post are not small, they are big. See Zulita sitting on one of them.

Postpile rocks

Zulita thinks that the best thing about coming here is the beautiful trails among the pine trees.
Zulita loved the trails!

Gordon thinking if we continue our hike down this way rouftly following the San Joaquin River.

As much as we like this river, we decided to go back to the trails

The water current is strong and water is cold, no swimming here.

The river again

Another Day at Tufa Mono Lake Shores

We decided to come to the Mono Lake Tufa shores for the second time of our stay here. We wanted to be here for the sunset. This time we did not do a tour, we just walk freely on our own. If you want to know what Tufa is, I have already explain it on a previews blog. So go the my Mono Lake Tufa Tour entry an you will learn what Tufa is.

Sierra Nevada mountains to the west

Three volcanic craters to the south

View of the lake to the east

Road to the lake

Walking to the Tufa formations

Tufa formation rocks

A lonely bird on a Tufa

Beautiful Tufa formations

This Tufa formation to the left looks like a hand. See the five fingers.

Tufa formations on the lake shores

Tufa formations in the water

Sunset time!

Sunset time

Tufa and us

Sunset time

Sunset time

Glad to be here to see the sunset

Zulita pointing to a path with more Tufa

Sunset at the lake. The sunset is high on the mountains. This area gets a twilight for an hour and them becomes dark. It started to get chilly so we decided to go.Twilight time

Twilight time

Twilight time
On the road, on the way to our hotel