Crowley Lake, California

The Buttermilks is a historical climbing area that is home to some of the worlds most famous rock climbs. It is located at the base of the Eastern Sierras near Bishop, CA. In this region there are 3 main bouldering areas: The Happies, The Sads, and The Buttermilks.The Buttermilks are massive gr...

Start at the Agnew Meadows Trailhead. You will need to arrive before 7:30AM or take the Shuttle from Mammoth Mountain. Start out by heading north on the John Muir Trail. You will pass Shadow Lake; walk around the south side of the lake for mountain views. Then, follow the trail up Shadow Creek u...

Start from Agnew Meadows about 7 miles away. You can take the High Trail out as part of the River Trail with a long detour passing by several other scenic lakes, including Shadow Lake, Garnet Lake, and Ruby Lake. You will arrive at Thousand Island Lake a few hours after lunch, just in time to set...

Mt Ritter is a long climb, but it is worth the effort. Start out by establishing camp at Ediza Lake prior to your ascent. The SE Glacier route (first ascent by John Muir) follows the path of least resistance up the SE side of Mt Ritter.The route first gains a broad bench below Ritter and Banner P...

There are several trailheads you can start at to get to the lake, but we chose the River Trail in Agnew Meadows because it was the only trailhead that hadn't met the quota yet. You can check on permit's and trailheads here. If the River Trail is booked other great options are Shadow Creek, Fish C...

Located in the heart of the Ansel Adams Wilderness, Cecile Lake can be reached from a variety of trailheads. I chose to start out in Agnew Meadows. From here, the trail criss-crosses through a serene lowland environment with several crystal clear streams. After passing Olaine Lake, veer left an...

Located just off Highway 395 north of Mammoth Lakes, the Obsidian Dome is a dramatic volcanic glass formation within Inyo National Forest. The site is open year-round, weather and road conditions permitting, and is accessible via a short dirt spur from the highway. Permits & Fees Th...

The Obsidian Dome Trailhead provides access to a large network of winter hiking trails through Inyo National Forest. These are marked trails that are groomed on an intermittent basis by the National Forest Service. To find the trailhead and parking area, drive north on highway 395 from Mammoth La...

Unlike most through hikes that require two cars or hitchhiking, you can accomplish this with only one car by using a YART. Another benefit is that by entering in Mammoth, it is usually much easier to get permits as opposed to starting in Yosemite where permits can be harder to get. Then once yo...

Starting in Aspendale at 8500 feet, this 5 mile hike is very invigorating and beautiful. To get here, take hwy 395 until in Bishop. Turn onto hwy 168 until you pass the small town of Aspendale. The road dead ends about another mile up the road and you can park. Walk past the yellow gate toward la...

Gull Lake trail is one of my favorite hiking spots in the June Lake Loop area. It is a very scenic trail that goes through varying terrains from meadows to marshes to aspen and conifer groves.  Trailhead starts at the Mono County Community Center and winds counter-clockwise around the lake to th...

You can get to the Evolution Basin a variety of ways, but the easiest is through the Florence Lake Trailhead. Here, you can choose to either take the Florence Lake Ferry across the lake, or save $25 and hike the extra 4 miles around the lake. Personally, I would choose the ferry. About five mile...

Starting at Lake Florence, this hike starts out with a climb up and keeps this up over the next 3 miles. After about 3 miles of climbing you reach another lake, Dutch Lake which provides shade and a nice place to rest. From there it's a relatively flat 1.2 miles in to your destination. Once at Cr...

Starting out at North Lake Campground, the trail to Lamarck Lakes is a fairly gradual ascent. After climbing out of the meadows near the trailhead, you will find yourself on a ridge with few trees to block the great views of Grass Lake and the valley below. Lake Sabrina is on the other side of ...

Before heading out, you will need to get a backpacking permit to stay overnight in this area. You can buy one here to pick up in town at the Bishop, CA Ranger Station, in the morning.The trailhead begins at North Lake campground (9,345'), in a beautiful lush area, with streams and aspen groves. A...

Less than 30 minutes north of Mammoth Lakes, the beauty of the region is captured even on the drive to get to the trailhead. No bathrooms at the trailhead, however the town of June Lake is a short bit away.  Out of the gate, the trail quickly climbs 850 feet in just less than a mile. The way up,...