April 13, 2003

"The mountains are calling, and I must go." --John Muir


Greetings Rock Creekers!  Muir said it best, didn't he?  Another winter has come and gone, the snow is melting, and thoughts are once again turning to that captivating drive up Rock Creek Canyon.  I've always felt a sense of "home" when I make that turn at Toms Place and start up the canyon.  I don't know what it is.  One thing I can be assured of is that, on the surface, nothing ever changes in Rock Creek, and perhaps that is what makes it feel like "home" to me.  That one great campsite is always available, the splendor of the creek and lake is constant, thunderstorms quench the thirst of the sagebrush, and in return, the sage fills the air with a deep fragrance of sweet herbs.  Alpenglow paints the nearly 14,000 foot peaks nightly signifying the end to another spectacular day, and the time spent roasting marshmallows around a blazing campfire leaves smiles on the faces of those recalling the events of the day and making plans to plan nothing for tomorrow.  Crisp mountain air, still full of wet sagebrush from the day's thunderstorm, permeates the nose and tongue as the creek whispers its lullaby in the distance and true sleep overtakes the excitement and relaxation of the day.  This is how I see Rock Creek, and it is why I relish my time there, contemplate it when I'm not able to experience it in person, and truly consider it my HOME.

And it's spring, even though the weather of this coming week may hint otherwise.  A winter storm warning is in effect through Sunday, during which time up to a foot of new snow is expected to fall on the higher slopes of the Eastern Sierra, and unsettled, cool weather is forecasted to be the norm for the week.  Unfortunately, this snow is too late and not significant enough to make up for yet another water deficit in the Sierra.  For the third straight winter the Eastern Sierra received below normal snowfall, with Rock Creek getting the least, 33% less than normal for the season.  An in depth discussion of California's snowpack can be found at the following address...
http://cdec.water.ca.gov/snow/bulletin120/b120apr03.pdf

Considering the current snowpack, I would assume that most high country roads will be open to the lakes for opening day of the fishing season on April 26 and to the trailheads by Memorial Weekend.  The only roads that probably won't be open for the fishing opener are the passes and Lake Mary Road in the Mammoth Lakes Basin.  The basin receives quite a bit more snow in comparison to other regions of the Eastern Sierra, and as a result the lakes thaw and the snow melts out later.  Expect Lake Mary Road to open sometime in early to mid May.  In addition to Lake Mary Road opening in May, Tioga, Sonora, and Ebbets Passes are expected to open then as well.  May 23 is the estimated opening date for all three passes.  The usual crowd-pleasing lakes such as Convict, Crowley, Bridgeport Twin Lakes, and the June Lake Loop will be open and crawling with anglers on April 26 along with the Owens River, Hot Creek, and the Walker River.  A complete rundown about the opener can be found on DFG's website...
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/news/news03/03029.html


The campgrounds in Rock Creek will be under the same management as last year, Recreation Resource Management out of Arizona.  Rates will remain the same as last year, and the company hopes to continue improvements to the campgrounds started by American Land and Leisure, former managers of the camping in Rock Creek.  Some future improvements will include the installation of bear boxes in Big Meadow, Iris Meadow, Palisade, and the remaining sites in East Fork.  The installation of bear boxes in these campgrounds was neglected last year, despite the fact that the boxes were available.  It is hoped that the company will make a concerted effort to complete their installation.  In addition, a great deal of confusion took place last year with the reservation service.  Those making reservations during the off-peak season when rates are lower DID NOT receive a discount through the reservation service and Recreation Resource Management was unable to solve the problem or provide some sort of a refund.  As a result, I suggest not making reservations during off-peak times (prior to Memorial Weekend or after Labor Day) if you want to receive the discounted rate.  However, if there is a specific site that you absolutely must have, you may want to reserve it.  There is no guarantee that you will receive the discounted rate though.  According to Recreation Resource Management, Tuff and French Camp opened Saturday, April 12 minus running water in the campgrounds.  The Forest Service is in the process of getting the water online.  All the new opening and closing dates have been updated on the site's camping page.  Of course, those dates are not set in stone and probably will change, particularly the official closing date of September 9 for Big Meadow and Iris Meadow.  Both of these campgrounds have been open into late October for the past several years, and I expect this year to be no different.  According to Jim Ludi, manager of Pine Grove and one of the "higher-ups" in the company, "The closing dates for Big, Iris and Palisade are the 'official' closing dates, but probably not the actual dates.  Last season, I requested a variance for those dates and we kept the campgrounds open much longer.  I think from my point of view, it's easier to extend the season than it is to get permission to shorten it..." 
You can contact the managers regarding these concerns through the website's camping page...
http://www.rockcreeklake.com/camping/


Another concern for many visitors to Rock Creek is the increased amount of traffic in Little Lakes Valley.  Each summer, the basin becomes a little more popular.  The University of Arizona did a study on traffic through the region and some interesting conclusions were drawn.  As we know, August is by far the busiest time for Mosquito Flat, and Little Lakes Valley is the major draw to the region.  Surprisingly, according to the information gathered by U of A, September is actually busier in Rock Creek's backcountry than is July.  A graphical representation of the information can be found at the following address...
http://nexus.srnr.arizona.edu/~gimblett/monopasstrail.html

In addition to the above information, I've found a pretty good topo map online that might interest you.  It's a Tom Harrison map of the Mono Divide high country...
http://www.tomharrisonmaps.com/Mono%20Web%20Map.pdf

And if you think the Rock Creek website's photo gallery is good, check out the following page.  With the use of QuickTime, you are able to spin 360 degrees and check out Heart Lake, Eastern Brook Lake, one of the Hidden Lakes, and the entire Little Lakes Valley from a ridge on the eastern side of the canyon.  It's really cool!
http://www.virtualguidebooks.com/CentralCalif/HighSierra/LittleLakesValley/LittleLakesValley_TOC.html


Finally, Rock Creek Lakes Resort will be opening on Memorial Weekend.  There are still several openings in the cabins this summer.  July and August are nearly full, but there are openings during other times of the season.  Jim and Sue King, the resort's owners, are especially proud of the quality of their accommodations.  Call the resort to check availability at (760) 935-4311.


Well, that's about it for the first newsletter of 2003.  I hope to be spending a portion of the summer working at the resort.  If it happens, you'll receive some good first-hand information from mid June through early August.  If not, I'll rely on my many contacts to bring you as much information as I can.  Until next time, take it easy and THINK CREEK!

Tim