Tioga Pass

Tioga Pass Route (click to enlarge)

We started the day with intentions of going to Mono Lake, a very alkaline, moon-like lake about 65 miles up the road from Bishop.

Then it started raining. In fact for the past week the area around the lake has been hit with some record rains and flooding.

So, we needed a Plan B . . .

First stop — Lunch at the Whoa Nellie Deli where I had a pizza slice and Jan had a Fish-Mango Taco . . .

Whoa Nellie Deli

Fish-Mango Taco

Second stop — a bookstore in Lee Vining near Mono Lake . . .

Mono Lake Bookstore

The couple running the bookstore was really helpful. It turned out that they spend their summers working at interesting places around the country.

We bought a couple of maps and drove off to our Plan B destination — Tioga Pass — about 12 miles outside of Lee Vining up Highway 120.

Our Plan B destination turned out to have the most sublime scenery we have ever experienced.

What added to all of this was the fact that Tioga Pass had been closed the day before because of 5 inches of snow. On our trip up Highway 120 towards the pass, there was fresh, slushy snow everywhere. It was great.

Some photos from our trip . . .

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PANORAMAS (click on a photo to enlarge)

MOVIE