California, Hwy 395

For so many years living in Los Angeles our go to getaway spots for camping, climbing and all around getaway were Joshua Tree, Big Bear, and Idyllwild.  I had left things like Lone Pine, Bishop, and even Yosemite to be more of a big mountain or big country adventure.  The last couple years we’ve made longer adventures to Bishop but its a long drive for a weekend getaway.  But as things started becoming more purposeful we began exploring the less traveled spots along the 395.  

The virtually unused Alabama Hills with some amazing sport climbing being put up.  Maybe not the next Joshua Tree but it feels awfully familiar but without the busy parking lots.  Then the small forest service roads in the Buttermilks area of Bishop.  And the $5 dirt site campgrounds near the Happy and Sad boulders.  Now I’m not a hardcore climber by any means.  Its always been a reason to get out, explore, and hang out with cool people.  Then continuing along the 395 there is the hidden caves and mine shafts that dot the hilly landscape on both sides of the road.  Exploring Death Valley and Mojave Dessert are maybe not your go to spots but seeing them in the beautiful morning light is a place like no other.  Or staying up late to see the milky way pass over head never gets old.  Then to keep going check out Mono Lake and take a left turn into Yosemite Valley.  This way in takes a little longer than maybe some of the other routes in but the views are quite amazing.

I really don’t get tired of these mountain vistas, desert sunrises, and Sierra sunsets.  It truly is God’s country.

SE Oregon & Hart Mountain

Stumbling across a mountain bike trail from one of my favorite Forums and weekly websites to visit, The Expedition Portal, I naturally thought, we could drive those 200+ miles in our truck.  A small GPS route and some hopes of forgotten camp sites and hot springs were all that we needed to us on the road.  From the northern California coast we set out across the state spent a few days exploring the Lava Beds NP and went across the border into SE Oregon.  Growing up in Washington we didn’t explore Oregon very much.  We spent the month of June hitting up so many amazing and beautiful places I now feel like I have barely scratched the surface.  

The SE area highway rode the border of Nevada for a bit and part of our off road trail took us into the area known as the tri-corner area as Oregon, Nevada, and California came together to form all sorts of different volcanic landscapes.  Gas stations far between (please plan accordingly) and unused land as far as the eye can see.  The Hart Mountain Reserve being most of what we encircled took us up mountains, through Canyons, fjorded small streams, and descended some scary switch back trails in the truck that once at the bottom I couldn’t believe we drove down.  But it made for some amazing quiet nights watching the stars go by all the way to some of the craziest winds I’ve ever suffered through in a tent.  It is a harsh and beautiful place.  I highly recommend it.