High Peaks - High Elevation & High Temperatures…

My hiking group was suppose to hike in the high Sierra's on Tuesday after the campout, but we cancelled it due to high temperature forecast.   However as Don and I made a mad dash for AZ on Aug 5th we encountered light rain and 48 degree temperatures as we passed over Donner Summit at 8:30 in the morning!!!  

Why AZ, you might be asking.  Well, after weaving and gathering a variety of "treasures"   that we wanted to take to our winter home,  we determined it was the time to make a quick trip down since there wouldn't be enough room in my Hyundai SUV to cram all the stuff we wanted to take during our normal winter relocation run in Oct.

We headed to Reno and down Hwy 395 (one of our favorite routes-which isn't suitable in mid-winter with a 5th wheel). Then it was thru some new country as we entered Ridgecrest CA, where we spent the night. A beautiful drive so put it on your bucket list sometime.  And some interesting things to see next time in the Ridgecrest area, when it's not 98 degrees!!! 

Day 2 of the 940 mile trek wasn't  too exciting as it was all "re-runs"... across Hwy 58 to Needles CA, south on Hwy 95 to Blythe Ca and East on I-40 to arrive in Phoenix AZ at rush hour.  However, Don did a little geocaching and we both enjoyed the 26 mpg instead of 12, and especially the ease of driving a smaller rig.

We're coping with the daily temperatures (lows 82-85 and highs between 102-107)  In the next few days  the highs will drop to the upper 90's  Lots of A/C running around here.

Art work (bald eagle) decorates the Hwy 50 by-pass

as we travel thru the Carson (Carson City NV) Valley,

Minden and Gardnerville.

The clouds start to lift revealing the mountains to the West.

Back into CA & across many summits - Devils Gate, Conway (8138')
& Deadman (8041')

Before Mono Lake to the West, a series of very high mountains
start to appear thru the clouds....

as well as remains of early settlers.

is a large, shallow saline soda lake in Mono County, California, formed at least 760,000 years ago as a terminal lake in a endorheic basin. The lack of an outlet causes high levels of salts to accumulate in the lake. These salts also make the lake water alkaline.

Tufa formations (calcium carbonate) decorate the shallow waters
where Don and I have kayaked in the past.

Mt Lyell, Red Slate Mtn, Mt Abbot

Mt Tom and 

Mt Powell all top out at over 13,000'

Before we pass Mt Palisade at 14, 242'

and other peaks all over 14,000' that surround
Mt Whitney 14,491 - the tallest peak in the lower 48.

The Mountains to the East also provide a beautiful site.

On Day #2 we take a side trip to

Amboy Crater which is a NNL (National Natural Landmark)
near Historic Route 66 near Amboy & Hwy 40 in CA.

A young cinder cone that erupted  about 10,000 years ago.

No hiking today, too hot, but this would be a great stop in the Spring.

As we left the area, we found several of these about 200 yards
off the highway... on the south side.  No clue!!!

Other interesting formations. and 

time for a little geocaching on Hwy 95 (still 98 degrees)

Ocotillo leaving out in this heat!!!!

Almost there...  Phoenix

Gold Canyon AZ - and our 

Winter home in the summertime!!!

The Century Plant in our back yard gets ready
to bloom next to the beautiful Palo Verde Tree.

AHHHH, not it's time for bourbon and wine...