From Klamath Basin, we headed to Lake Tahoe. Even well into the off season (albeit on a weekend), it was crazy busy! We finally found a hiking trail that didn't have too many vehicles and/or people around it.
It was initially a fairly steep hike up the Mt. Tallac trail but, once we got to ridge line, it levelled out and opened up to great views down to Lake Tahoe and to Fallen Leaf Lake.
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| Lake Tahoe at the back, Fallen Leaf Lake in front |
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| On the ridge above Fallen Leaf Lake, looking towards Lake Tahoe |
We finally found an open campground for the night (so many were closed already for the season) and continued on the next day. There were several really nice viewpoints along the route to Lee Vinning and Mono Lake.
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| Mono Lake |
The tufas at Mono Lake are such interesting formations.
"All tufa at Mono Lake forms underwater. Beneath Mono Lake, calcium-rich freshwater springs seep up from the lake bottom and mix with lake water rich in carbonates (think baking soda). As the calcium comes in contact with the carbonates in the lake, a chemical reaction occurs, resulting in calcium carbonate, or limestone. The calcium carbonate precipitates (settles out of solution as a solid) around the spring, and over the course of decades to centuries, a tufa tower will grow. Tufa towers can grow to heights of over 30 feet underwater." (monolake.org)
We continued on to Tonopah, Nevada, for the night and stayed at the Mizpah Hotel which is one of our favourite historic hotels. I took a video of the lobby but neglected to take any photos other than one in the fitness room which I thought was humorous.
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| "Jack Dempsey, remembered today as the legend of boxing, was the heavyweight champion of the world from 1919 to 1926. But did you know that Jack Dempsey's first bouts were bare-knuckle brawls in Tonopah and Goldfield? Some of those fights lasted 25 rounds! Dempsey was also a miner, gambler, and bouncer before finding fame as a boxer." From Mizpah Hotel website |
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