Messages

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Eastern Sierra History / Re: Short Stories

« on: April 04, 2015, 08:53:06 PM »

The donkey herd at Aberdeen is not wild, they are pack donkeys.  They belong to Three Corner Round, a nonprofit located in Ohio, they also have a lease on the land where the donkeys are. In the summer the donkeys are used by young adults as pack animals for trips into the Sierra backcountry.  This program by Three Corner Round dates back to about 1919! The jacks and jennies in the herd are now kept separate for most of the year. Once a year a jack is selected for breeding purposes to maintain the herd. Their grazing is supplemented with hay. Most likely the mules you are seeing along 395 are the pack station strings on their winter pasture. There are wild horses in more isolated areas but I have never seen them from 395!

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Eastern Sierra Trip Reports / Re: 6-29 - 7-2 Float tube Extravaganza Trip

« on: July 10, 2012, 01:55:00 PM »

Great report! I have known McGee Creek's "Katy" since she was a pup.  She is a Great Pyreness and a wonderful watch dog!

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Eastern Sierra History / New book about Inyo National Forest

« on: June 12, 2012, 01:08:11 PM »

Keep meaning to share this... Last month I purchased a newly published book titled: "Inyo National Forest" by Andy Selters.  It was $21.99 and I picked mine up at East Side books on Short St. in Bishop but I bet the VC in Lone Pine and other local bookstore have it too. It has a lot of wonderful old pictures, history and other information about "The Inyo".  My favorite is the picture on page 44 of a campsite in LLV at Heart Lake.  As soon as you see the picture you will recognize the rock!  I am giving my copy to my dad for Father's Day since in was the person who introduced me to the Inyo National Forest.

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Eastern Sierra Trip Reports / Re: Trip Report May 28 - June 2

« on: June 05, 2012, 07:33:36 PM »

Sorry, Creek Dude I didn't take any pics of the new facilities at Big Meadow!  I did try it out several times. Looks like it is ADA compliable, lights comes on when you open the door and there is a vent fan that comes on or maybe stays on. Stainless steel sink and toilet bowl with a drain in the floor in the middle of each unit(if I was tent camping I'd be thinking solar shower drain!!). There is a light out on the front of the bldg that could have been positioned better (so it glows downward) I think the campers across from it will find the light bothersome at night.  I also hope they do a little bit more meadow restoration behind the building it is a bit churned up. I still vividly remember the old single hole plywood outhouse that was there back in the '50's and this, and the previous restroom, are certainly a big improvement over that smelly old thing!

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Eastern Sierra Trip Reports / Trip Report May 28 - June 2

« on: June 05, 2012, 07:11:07 PM »

Arrived at Big Meadow late morning on the 28th for our annual post-Mule Days R&R( we volunteer there for 10 days) Brought along some friends who have never been to Rock Creek. Big Meadow was mostly empty all week until Thursday. Had dinner at Tom's. We all hiked to Chickenfoot Lake on Tuesday.  Nice day not too many hikers but there were about 9 dogs at CF Lake! Stopped for pie on the way out, rhubarb and strawberry, delish! BBQ'd filet migon, fresh pineapple slices and mushrooms for dinner. Wed am I fished the Creek with my 3-4 wt fly rod. C&R'd three nice brown trout!! Which was good as I tripped over a branch on the ground and fell flat on my face walking back to camp, saved my rod!  I am still finding the bruises! BBQ'd steaks and shrimp for dinner and I made a peach cobbler in my dutch oven. Thursday our friend left so we headed to Mammoth for pizza lunch, visited the used bookstore(Book Chalet, $$ goes to the library) and I picked up a few flies at Rick's. The DFG stock truck was at Big Meadow in the afternoon and they released several net fulls in the usual spot between sites 8 & 9. Friday had one cup of coffee and headed out early to fish. Once again I had the whole creek to myself.  Had a great morning C&R'd seven Brown trout and one Rainbow! They were all pretty good size, 10 to 12 inches with two small browns.  The Rainbow was real silvery and it may have wintered over as the stockers never go after my flies.  Caught three nice browns on a fly I tied, all out of the same pool! It was a great morning and a the best way to celebrate my 54th year of fishing Rock Creek, thank you dad for teaching me to fish there!  Saw only 4 mosquitoes the whole week. Iris Meadow is still closed and the camp host said it may be a month before it is open, as they are building the new restroom. My husband didn't fish this time, content to sit in camp and read. Headed north for home on Saturday, we had light snow here this am so I bet the Creek got some too.

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Eastern Sierra Forum / Re: Rock Creek thieves

« on: May 07, 2012, 06:59:12 PM »

I am really sorry to hear about this but, I wonder why the Camp Host left cash/checks in the "Iron Ranger" overnight?  Many years ago when I worked as a seasonal employee for State Parks and USFS during college, we always emptied them out just to prevent that from happening.  What a terrible way to start the season!

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Eastern Sierra History / Re: The Story of the Pine Creek Tungsten Mine

« on: April 21, 2012, 08:42:58 PM »

wshawkins, love your stories!

While visiting my parents recently I had dinner with a childhood friend.  I asked her to retell me this story so I could share it here.  At one  time she worked for the State Compensation Insurance Fund and she had to visit the Pine Creek Mine to interview some employees who were injured.  She was told that she would be the first woman ever to enter the mine!  Some of the miners were very upset about her entering the mine as they were superstitious about a women being in the mine.  She went in anyway!  She thought the year was about 1976.