Chocolate Peak - Piper Mountains Wilderness

Chocolate Mountain

A gentle winter’s stroll in the Piper Mountain Wilderness 

The Land

It’s not always that politically imposed boundaries match ecological boundaries, but the Piper Mountain Wilderness seems to do just that. One of the northernmost Wilderness Areas preserved by the visionary California Desert Protection Act, the Piper Mountains divide the Deep Springs and Eureka Valley to create an ecological transition zone between the hot Mojave Desert to the south and the cold Great Basin Desert to the north. Formed mostly of light speckled granite capped by dark black basaltic lava, the 7,703’ mass of Chocolate Mountain resembles a scoop of chocolate chip ice cream topped with chocolate syrup dropped in the middle of the desert.

Critters and Plants

Enriched by the flora and fauna of two distinct biological communities, the Pipers contain the best of both worlds – from Mojave Desert species like the exalting Joshua Tree to the proletariat of the Great Basin, the aromatic Sagebrush. With a good mix of cacti, black-tailed jackrabbits, Utah junipers with their juniper titmice and a few furtive bighorn sheep, the Pipers do not disappoint.

Getting There

To reach the Pipers and the hike up Chocolate Mountain, head east about 35 miles from Big Pine along Highway 168 to the far side of Deep Springs Valley. At Gilbert Summit, turn right on a gentle dirt road heading south. You can either park here, just off the road, or travel about .3 miles to the informal trailhead marked by the welcoming Piper Mountains Wilderness sign.

Take a Hike

A moderate hike suited for grizzled desert rats to Sierran alpine aristocrats, a stroll up Chocolate Mountain with 1340’ of elevation gain spread out over 2 3?4 miles is a perfect for a winter’s day. From the trailhead, head south-southwest along an old, restoring route through gentle hills and up to the extensive plateau of Chocolate Mountain. Carry plenty of water and be ready for cold winds, and, as always, tell a friend where you’re going. Enjoy and don’t forget to post a report on the FOI trail forum on our website!

Extras:

(Need to relink the links... sorry!) 

Click here for a map for the hike to Chocolate Mountain.
Here is a photo album of a winter hike to the summit. If you need any more information please contact any of us at the office.
Here is a panoramic photo made from the summit. Caution: This is a 40mb file!

This article was made possible by a generous grant from the Desert Legacy Fund of the Riverside Community Foundation.

Hidden Mountain Gems: Brown and Green Lakes Hike

Description: Summer is coming and with it the heat; when the Valley heats up there's no better way to cool off than a hike to a mountain lake, and maybe even a dip. A cul-de-sac of sorts, the trail to Brown Lake is off the beaten path, and nearby South Lake and the alpine lakes above it getting most of the attention from hikers. But if you are willing to brave the initial switchbacks the reward that awaits visitors to Brown, and higher Green Lake is a less-visited alpine basin, wide open vistas, scenic lakes, and nearby peaks just waiting to be climbed or admired from a comfortable alpine beach.

Logistics: From Bishop, find your way up 168/Line Street to Parchers Resort, near South Lake. Park at the picnic and day use area just uphill from the resort. On the other side of the road from the parking area is a rocky hill. There is a use trail near the parking area that heads over the rocky hill and down to the obvious main trail. Alternatively, one can walk into Parcher's driveway and down towards Rainbow Pack Station, at the bottom of the driveway, and find the trail there. In either case, head up the main trail a third of a mile or so to the signed junction to the Green Lake Trail at 9,600'. It is easy to miss this turn so stay aware! The trail to Brown and Green Lakes zig zags up this steep hill in a business-like way but the views into the basins above South Lake get better with each step and help distract from the work of the climb. The trip to brown lake is about four miles in total; if you continue on to Green Lake plan on an additional two miles to the trip. Numerous options exist including even some options for overnight trips. The map shows the main route in red and some options in other colors.

Threats and Wilderness status: Campfires and corresponding depletion of wood in the Green Lake basin are serious threats, and there are numerous campsites in sensitive riparian areas near the main lakes. OHVs sometimes illegally enter the fragile alpine plateau above Green Lake, leaving ugly tracks and lasting damage. The fact that the timberline forest here is Whitebark Pine should be evidence enough that campfires are a bad idea - Whitebark pines, especially when at treeline, grow famously slow and cannot support much use as a fuel wood. When nutrients from decaying wood that would otherwise be returned to the environment are burned rather than allowed to decompose a critical link in the ecosystem is removed and the whole forest suffers. Interestingly, in nearby John Muir Wilderness fires are forbidden above 9,600'; Green and Brown Lakes lack Wilderness designation and thus are not subject to the same regulations as nearby Wilderness areas.

Wrinkles: From Green Lake the trail continues in a giant zig zag, onto the "Grunion Plateau". I have not been able to find anyone who can tell me the origin of the name... To the east of the Grunion Plateau is a neat little peak called The Hunchback on the map. It's an additional hour and half or so from Green Lake to this peak but the view is excellent, with vistas down to Bishop, and the peaks of the Palisades and Mt. Humphreys area towering above. Nearby Thunder and Lightening Peak, AKA "The Vagabond"; el 13,374' has great views and good spring skiing.

An alternate start to the hike, recommended only for the adventurous and fleet of foot, is to park at the main Bishop Pass Trailhead parking lot, by South Lake. (If only out for a day hike please be sure to park in the day use spots and save the overnight spots for backpackers). At the highest end of the overnight parking lot is a green gate. Pass through the gate, past the gauging station and notice on your right a large brown pipe. It is possible to walk up hill up the pipe, mostly on a trail but sometimes on the pipe, to the intersection of the Brown Lake Trail. This saves some 500' elevation but does require some tricky footing on the pipe. Also, on the return trip it is surprisingly easy to miss the left turn at the pipe and wind up back at Parchers!

Season: I once thought I'd try and hike to Green Lake every month of the year. When the snow started early that year, extending the hike by twelve miles, I decided that I would be satisfied doing the hike in the snow free months. However Green and Brown Lakes, in ideal late fall conditions, can be good for ice skating!

Joshua Flat Hike

Some 25 miles east of the town of Big Pine, hiding in plain view off the paved road to Eureka Valley, there is a wonderful basin with a fine selection of day hikes that can be undertaken nearly any month of the year. Many people speed right by Joshua Flat, in the Piper Mountain Wilderness, perhaps on their way to the sand dunes of Eureka Valley, or to Scotty’s Castle in Death Valley Park. A few people may slow to watch for Scott’s Orioles, who are known to nest in the area; few stop to take the time for a stroll.

The higher areas of Joshua Flat surround the trailhead like palisades, guarding but hinting at fantastic views out towards Eureka Dunes, the Inyo Mountains and the Last Chance Range, the flat itself holds a fine example of a Joshua Tree woodland.  I suppose anyone who has spent time in the forests of the Sierra may object to calling the dense grove of Joshua Trees at Joshua Flat a “forest” but hey, it’s all relative. For our part of the world, this is about as dense a stand of Joshua Trees as you’re going to get, at least within a hundred miles! And though there are isolated Joshua Trees scattered about here and there to the north, this is one of the northernmost Joshua Tree forests in the West.

In many ways Joshua Flat, like like Lee, Santa Rosa, and Centennial Flats to the south, serves to remind us how our designations don’t always fit neatly into the boxes we provide them. All these flats have the signature plant of the Mojave Desert, the Joshua Tree, but also have plants and animals more familiar to in the Great Basin Desert. It’s a classic blend, a dramatic landscape of deserts, valleys and mountains, where fingers of one desert merge with the tendrils of another; there is no sudden demarcation, our boundaries between deserts are only suggestions.

Suggested hike: From the parking spot described below, an old track proceeds in a northwesterly direction. There are several short, dead-end spurs and these are obvious. The main path climbs steadily, with corresponding views, eventually dead-ending at an overlook down to Deep Springs Valley and the White Mountains to the north. The more adventurous may be interested in continuing on to the rugged Mt. Nunn, to the northeast.

Season: The base elevation in Joshua Flat is 6,000’. It snows in the winter and can be quite warm in the summer. Peak flower season is generally late May well into the summer, depending on the elevation. Good hikes can be had year round, other than during and immediately after big snowstorms and the hottest heat waves.

Getting there: Follow the paved Big Pine Eureka Road for just under 25 miles from the town of Big Pine. Don’t miss the right turn four miles out of Big Pine, signed to Scotty’s Castle in Death Valley. After going through the pass (7,700’) the road winds down to Little Cowhorn Valley and then begins a long, steady descent to Joshua Flat. At this point you are just outside of the northwestern corner of Death Valley National Park, the largest National Park in the Lower Forty Eight. Make note of the mileage at the east end of Little Cowhorn Valley, the parking spot is 5.3 miles from this point. As the Joshua Tree forest thickens, start watching out the left side for a small turn out with a wooden parking barrier and a sign. You may also notice the remnants of some old mining tracks out the same window. Park and enjoy!

Oh, and for you Google Earth fans out there, here's a placemark for the parking spot. Go forth and explore!

Saline Valley

Once while sitting at the bar of a local diner, my wife and I over-heard a local resident ask his buddy when he’d moved to the area. “Fifty-seven”, he responded. “Aww, you’re just a newcomer”, the buddy replied. My wife and I glanced at each other. “I guess we know where we stand”, I remarked (having lived here a mere ten years). Now twenty plus have gone by since our move and I feel like I am finally making a tiny bit of headway into exploring the copious public lands within an hour or three drive from home, though I am several lifetimes away from getting to all the nooks and crannies… For instance: I’ve looked at Basin Mountain, in the Sierra out of Bishop, nearly every day of my brief life as a resident of the Owens Valley and yet have never rested on its summit. This causes me some degree of distress as I feel a personal obligation to climb every named peak within site of my house

I would also like to visit and explore every named valley in the Inyo region. Which is ironic because until my first visit to Saline Valley five years ago it too was a blank spot on my personal map. For many people, Saline Valley needs no introduction but for me it was always the place I’ll get to “one of these” years. Seen one desert, seen ‘em all, I figure. Anyway, I was reminded of this “I’ll get to it” way of planning recently, at the FOI membership picnic, when the subject of Saline Valley came up. One of the participants in the conversation expressed a sentiment much like “I’ve been meaning to get over there…”

So, consider this an exhortation to get your butt over to Saline Valley if you haven’t been there. Lots of desert. Big mountains. Deep canyons. Flowing streams. Waterfalls. Ho-hum: hot springs, too.

Getting there:

I’ve entered Saline Valley via four different routes, each somewhat committing in its own way: Via vehicle: Not for the faint of heart, Eureka Valley and Dedekera Canyon and Steele Pass make for a fun way to go if you have a true 4wd vehicle and know how to use it on technical terrain. This route ranks a 4 on the 1 – 5 bumpy scale and you actually drive up small (usually) dry waterfalls. If driving over basketball size rocks is your thing, you might enjoy this route. The more typical approaches are either from the north or south end of the Saline Valley road. Plan on the longest 25 miles of dirt you’ve ever driven. Ease or difficulty just depends on conditions, which are sometimes suitable for sedans, rarely a goat cart would be a better choice. Finally, I have arrived on foot after hiking up and over the Inyo Mountains and descending a remote canyon on the north end of the Valley. There are many other permutations on this tactic, which I will leave to your own research.

Once there:

Have at it, there’s a lifetime of exploration to do. Some suggestions: Roads penetrate the mouths of the canyons on the east side of the Inyo Mountains (the west side of Saline Valley). These are worth forays. Start with Hunter Canyon, with a decent 4wd road to its mouth and a surprise a short way into the canyon. A couple of canyons to the north Beverage Canyon is worth a jaunt. The road washed out a couple years ago so you may have to walk from the main dirt road.  Continuing north, McElvoy Canyon also has some surprises waiting for you.

The only real problem with a visit to Saline Valley is all those other valleys, peaks, and canyons you’ll see, with names of their own, that beg for another visit, another time…

Resources:

Much has been written about Saline and there are several guide books including the recent Digonet (Sp?) book on the west side of Death Valley National Park.

Maps: First time visitors will want the National Geographic map to the Park, as well as the individual topo maps to any areas you intend to visit.

A google search for any of these keywords will reward the searcher: saline valley hot springs mcelvoy beverage canyon steele pass

Bodie Hills

Name: Bodie WSA
WSA Complex: Bodie Hills
Acreage: 14,455
Location: Northeast of Lee Vining, Southeast of Bridgeport

Natural Values:

From the pinyon pine and juniper rising out of rocky canyon walls, to the aspen and willow stands growing alongside streams, the Bodie WSA provides optimal habitat for many eastern Sierran fauna. Sage grouse strut through the dried lakebeds, and mule deer mothers keep a watchful eye on their fawns as they graze on bitterbrush.

To the northeast, a large cinder cone, Beauty Peak, rises over Dry Lakes Plateau, a volcanic tableland dotted with ephemeral lakes. The flatness of the plateau offers a break from the surrounding hilly landscape.

Cultural Values:

To the south, the Bodie WSA borders the Bodie State Historic Park, a preserve of the mining ghost town of Bodie. The presence of obsidian and pinyon nuts suggests this area was very important to the Paiute Indians.

Recreational Values:

Hike through the narrow canyons of Rough and Atastra Creeks, or hike up to the Dry Lakes plateau to gaze upon Beauty Peaks.

Escape the crowds of ski resorts, and cross-country ski through the Bodie's hilly terrain.

Other activities include: horseback riding, photography, camping, historical sightseeing, backpacking, geologic sightseeing, ORV use on designated roads, and deer hunting.

Bodie Mountain

Name: Bodie Mountains
WSA Complex: Bodie Hills
Acreage: 23,360
Location: northeast of Lee Vining

Natural Values:

Like other WSAs in the Bodie Hills Complex, Bodie Mountain's topography and geology were formed by volcanic activity. And, the topography has it all - from rolling hills to steep, rocky escarpments. Vegetation varies as well - with pinyons and junipers in rocky higher elevation areas, dense aspen groves in riparian areas, and sagebrush in lower valleys. Canyons and meadows further add to the structural and biological mosaic of the Bodie Mountains. This area is optimal fawning habitat for mule deer, and also supports sage grouse and waterfowl.

The Big Alkali Basin, located in the center of the WSA, is a wetland area with hot springs. Colorful Rainbow Trout can be found in Clark Canyon Creek.

Cultural Values:

Large sources of obsidian rock, used by the Paiute Indians to make arrowheads and tools, give the area cultural importance.

In addition, there are some features found in this WSA that are associated with the historic ghost town of Bodie, such as a historic Chinese settlement and a wood pole transmission line. The transmission line was the first infrastructure built to transmit electricity over long distances.

Recreational Values:

This is great terrain for cross country skiing. The hot springs are a great place to relax and enjoy the surroundings.

Other activities: backpacking, camping, photography, horseback riding, ORV use on designated roads, deer hunting.

Casa Diablo

Name: Casa Diablo WSA
WSA Complex: Volcanic Tablelands
Acreage: 5,547 (BLM) + 3,620 (INF)
Location: 5 miles east of Tom's Place

Natural Values:

Reddish-brown, with tortuous confirmations, the boulders look like they may have been coughed up from fiery depths, perhaps giving name to Casa Diablo, or "House of the Devil" in Spanish. The name isn't too far off, as the surrounding Bishop Tuff, or lithified rhyolitic ash, was deposited during an explosion of the Long Valley Caldera 760,000 years ago. Casa Diablo Mountain, rising to an elevation of 7,912 ft, is made up of older, more dense, granite bedrock.

With shadscale scrub on the eastside, and sagebrush-bitterbrush vegetation on the westside, Casa Diablo sits between the Mojave and Great Basin Deserts. In addition, this area is critical winter habitat for the Casa Diablo mule deer herd..

Cultural Values:

Casa Diablo is thought to have been used by Paiute Indians for seed collection.

Recreational Values:

Recreational uses include: hiking, bouldering, camping, scenic photography, hunting, horseback riding, deer hunting, motor touring on designated roads

Cerro Gordo

Name: Cerro Gordo
Acreage: 5,800
Location: east of Lone Pine

Natural Values:

Hike up the rugged slopes of Cerro Gordo and you will be rewarded with a spectacular view of the Sierra Nevada to the west and the Panamint Mountains to the east.

The vegetation that grows is a mixture of desert species found in the Mojave and Great Basin deserts. Many of the lower areas are almost completely barren, but in some of these areas you may find creosote bush and Joshua trees baking in the relentless desert sun. Hike up in elevation, and you will find pinyon pine and juniper growing in rocky outcroppings.

This is yearlong habitat for mule deer and a rare stopping point for desert bighorn. In addition, this area is home to two types of quail (Mountain and California), the Inyo Mountain salamander, and two rare plants: Eriogonum eremicola and Perityle inyoensis.

Prior to 1994, Cerro Gordo WSA included 16,102 acres of land in the
Inyo Mountains. After passage of the California Desert Protection Act
(1994), most of the land in Cerro Gordo WSA became designated
wilderness, save the 5,800 acres that today remain under WSA status.

Cultural Values:

This area is in the ethnographic territory of the Lone Pine Paiute Tribe, and there are prehistoric sites of pinyon nut gathering as well as remnants of temporary hunting camps. The Saline Valley Salt Tram, the steepest tram in the United States, runs through this WSA. The tram's construction was started in 1911 and it was used to transport salt from Saline Valley to the Owens Valley.

Recreational Values:
Hiking, backpacking, horseback riding, hunting

Chidago Canyon

Name: Chidago Canyon
WSA Complex: Volcanic Tablelands
Acreage: 20,246
Location: north of Bishop, west of Chalfont

Natural Values:

Gazing upon a landscape of pink, pimple-shaped mounds, elevated terraces, and steep slopes with jagged contours, it is fun to imagine what it was like thousands of years ago, when hot gases and debris from neighboring volcanic eruptions were deposited upon the land, forming the desert we see today. The Long Valley Caldera eruption 760,000 years ago deposited rhyolitic ash throughout the Tableland; this molten ash welded into pink and red rocks called Bishop Tuff.

In addition to its amazing geology, Chidago Canyon is also great habitat for raptors, including the majestic Golden Eagle. The vegetation of the area is primarily shadscale shrub, with plant species such as spiny hopsage, shadscale, ephedra, and indigo bush.

Cultural Values:

Rock art, or petroglyphs, from the Paiute Indians are found in multiple areas throughout Chidago Canyon. Gazing upon these drawings and contemplating their mysterious nature, one can come up with both simple and complex meanings behind these symbols.

Chidago Canyon was also used for seed collecting, seed processing, and hunting by the Paiutes. This area has religious significance to the Bishop Paiute tribe.

Crater Mountain

Name: Crater Mountain
Acreage: 6,760 (BLM), 500 (INF)
Location: southeast of Big Pine

Natural Values:

Rising up two thousand feet from the valley floor, the dark Crater Mountain seems like a living entity. With its monster-like jagged spines of cooled lava, and with little vegetation growing on the young mountain, it may look foreboding at first glance.

Yet it is Crater Mountain's rugged simplicity that makes it charming. The dark, ominous rocks are actually light as a feather and full of tiny holes. These holes are the result of air mixing with exploding lava, and subsequent quick cooling. And, though plant diversity is low, the area is popular with Tule elk, chukar, and many species of lizards. Furthermore, it is critical winter habitat for the Goodale mule deer herd.

Cultural Values:

Crater Mountain was used by the Big Pine Paiutes for seed collecting, seed processing, and hunting. It also has some petroglyphs, or native rock art, and is thought to be a sacred area.

Recreational Values:

Bordering the Sierra and overlooking the Owens Valley, the view from atop Crater Mountain is phenomenal and not to be missed. It is easy to avoid the rocky outcroppings, making the technical aspect of the dogged hike up Crater Mountain relatively simple. For more information about hiking up Crater Mountain, check out the attachment below the Crater Mountain WSA map. 

Excelsior

Name: Excelsior
Acreage: 9,100
WSA Complex: Granite Mountain
Location: northeast of Mono Lake

Natural Values:

A sea of Great Basin shrubs broken by an occasional juniper or pinyon pine grow in the deep deposits of ancient Lake Russell. There is no permanent source of water in this WSA, and thus the vegetation is mainly desert shrubs. Big sagebrush and Indian ricegrass grow in the western portion of this WSA, juniper and sagebrush grow in the southeast, and bitterbrush and big sagebrush grow in the northeast section. Wild horses have been known to frequent the area. There are a few volcanic bluffs which break up the landscape.

Cultural Values:

This WSA is in the ethnographic territory of the Mono Lake Paiute Tribe. There are some seed collections sites found in the WSA.

Recreational Values:

Camping, hiking, hunting, horseback riding

Fish Slough

Name: Fish Slough WSA
WSA Complex: Volcanic Tablelands
Acreage: 14,450 acres
Location: 5 miles north of Bishop along the transition between the Mojave and Great Basin Deserts

Natural Values:

There are three separate habitat areas, all with different moisture regimes, found in the Fish Slough WSA: wetland, seasonally-wet alkali meadows, and drier uplands.

The wetland areas form an island oasis in the middle of the arid desert, an area which is key habitat for migratory birds and home to the endangered Owens Pupfish, a two-inch desert fish that can tolerate a wide range of water temperature, from 50-100+ ° F.

As water evaporates from the alkali meadows, encrusted minerals are left on the surface, making the soils alkaline. This area is home to the Fish-Slough Milk Vetch, a threatened plant that has evolved to fit the unique conditions at Fish Slough, and can be found nowhere else in the world!

The uplands have some amazing rock formations. Have some fun and try to make shapes out of their weird forms. These rocks are the result of the eruption of the massive Long Valley Caldera 760,000 years ago.

Cultural Values:

The eastside of Fish Slough is thought to have been used by Paiute Indians for ricegrass collection. Seed collecting sites, hunting camp sites, and petroglyphs are found scattered throughout Fish Slough.

Recreational Values:

The riparian areas are excellent for bird-watching. Raptors soar above, hummingbirds flutter in the lush, green vegetation near streams, and songbirds chirp throughout the region.

The rock formations at the Happy Boulders and the Sad Boulders have strange shapes with convenient handholds, making this region a popular place for bouldering, with boulders to suit all skill levels.

Other uses include: hiking, bouldering, camping, scenic photography, hunting, horseback riding, motor touring on designated roads.

Independence Creek

Name: Independence Creek
Acreage: 6,250
Location: west of Lone Pine

Natural Values:
George Creek follows the gentle slope downward from the overlooking Sierra Nevada. Along the creek, birds hop between the willows and waterbirches, while brown and rainbow trout swim the clear waters. Tule elk can be found wandering along the banks, and, in the winter, mule deer can be found eating nutritious bitterbrush leaves.

The lower elevations of Independence Creek WSA are dominated by Great Basin big sagebrush and bitterbrush. Climb to the upper elevations and you will find blackbrush and goldenbrush,

Cultural Values:
Independence Creek WSA is in the ethnographic territory of the Lone Pine Paiute Tribe.

Recreational Values:
Trout fishing, hiking, hunting, camping

Masonic Mountain--Released from WSA status

Name: Masonic Mountains
Acreage: 6,600
WSA Complex: Bodie
Location: northeast of Mono Lake

Masonic Mountain was released from WSA status as part of the Omnibus Public Lands Act of 2009.

Natural Values:

Masonic Mountain is a hilly landscape covered in curvy pinyon and juniper trees, with desert shrubs and annual grasses in the understory. You may find a family of mule deer drinking from a stream nestled in one of the scattered canyons in this WSA. The area is also sage grouse habitat.

The Mono County Phacelia and the Mono Wild Buckwheat are both rare, endemic plants found in this WSA.

Cultural Values:

This WSA is in the ethnographic territory of the Bridgeport Paiute Indian Tribe. There are historic sites of pinyon nut gathering and big game hunting camps. Moreover, the heart of the Bodie Hills obsidian source is found in this WSA.

Recreational Values:

Camping, hiking, horseback riding

Mormon Meadows--Released from WSA status

Name: Mormon Meadows
WSA Complex: Granite Mountain
Acreage: 7,280
Location: north of Mono Lake

Natural Values:

Rising up to almost 9,000 ft, steep, dome-shaped hills overlook crystal blue Mono Lake. With its grassy meadows and drainages, Mormon Meadows is great habitat for mule deer to raise their fawns and sage grouse to build their nests.

Juniper and Pinyon Pine grasp on to the rocky outcroppings and ridgelines, while desert shrubs cover the lower elevations. Aspen and willows rise up along stream banks. The rare Phacelia monoensis is found in this WSA.

Cultural Values:

Mormon meadows is in the home territory of the Mono Lake Paiute Indian Tribe. There is no known current use of the WSA. Historically, the area was used for hunting and pinyon nut collecting.

Recreational Values:

Hunting, backpacking, camping, nature appreciation, and scenic photography

Mount Biedeman

Name: Mt. Biedeman
Acreage: 12,420
WSA Complex: Bodie
Location: northeast of Mono Lake

Natural Values:

The most prominent geographic landform in this WSA, Mt. Biedeman makes a wonderful Great Basin day hike. With its steep, rugged terrain and brushy surface, the hike may seem discouraging at first, but this jolly, rounded landform is really quite friendly and offers an unmatched view of Mono Lake and the Central Sierra.

In addition to Mt. Biedeman, there are two adjoining mountains in the center of this WSA. There are also numerous canyons, streams, meadows, and aspen groves.

Mule deer fawns prance clumsily in grassy meadows. In their quest for true love, male sage grouse strut their macho display. Clusters of little yellow heads of a rare flower, the Mono County Phacelia, grow in the sandy soils.

Cultural Values:

Mt. Biedeman WSA is in the ethnographic territory of the Mono Lake Paiute Indian Tribe. The area is used for pinyon nut collection, seed collection, and hunting. There are some obsidian sites in the northern section of this WSA.

In addition, Mt. Biedeman borders Bodie State Park, a park that preserves the ghost town of Bodie. Bodie was a mining town in the late nineteenth century.

Recreational Values:

Hunting, backpacking, camping

Slinkard

Name: Slinkard
Acreage: 6,760
Location: northeast boundary of Mono and Alpine Counties

Natural Values:

The mountains in this WSA have two different personas; they are rugged and steep on the east face and gentle on the west face. The lower elevations are covered in big sagebrush, bitterbrush, and perennial grasses, while the higher elevations are home to pinyon pine, juniper, and mountain mahogany. White fir, towering Jeffrey pine, and a maze of white-trunked trembling aspen grow along the drainages. Furthermore, this area is critical mule deer fawning habitat and critical winter habitat.

Cultural Values:

This area is in the ethnographic territory of the Washoe and Northern Paiute Indian Tribes. Due to the abundance of pinyon pine, it is likely to have high value for pinyon nut gathering.

Recreational Values:

Camping, hiking, horseback riding, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, hunting

Southern Inyo

Name: Southern Inyo
Acreage: 4,900
Location: east of Lone Pine

Natural Values:

Swirls of reds, browns, yellows, purples, and oranges coat the rugged outlines of the nearly naked Inyo mountains. The high desert has a truly unique and beautiful landscape that leaves one awestruck. The two highest peaks in this WSA, Mt. Keynot and Mt. Inyo, rise to above 11,000 ft and provide great views of the Sierra Nevada and Panamint Mountains.

Mojave scrub coats most of the lower elevations, though pinyon pine and juniper can be found a little higher up in rocky areas. Go even higher still, and you may find bristlecone pine and Limber pine growing in the subalpine regions. Or, if you would rather not climb uphill, relax by a stream lined with thickets of desert willow.

The Southern Inyo WSA is an exciting place to spot wildlife. Not only is it yearlong home to mule deer, it is also a great place to look for raptors. If you're lucky, you may even see some desert bighorn or the rare Inyo salamander.

Prior to 1994, Southern Inyo WSA included 36,600 acres of land in the Inyo Mountains. After passage of the California Desert Protection Act (1994), most of the land in the Southern Inyo WSA became designated wilderness, save the 4,900 acres that today remain under WSA status.

Cultural Values:

Southern Inyo WSA is in the ethnographic territory of the Lone Pine Paiute Tribe. There have been some scattered remains of temporary hunting camps found in the pinyon-juniper woodlands.

In addition, the historic Saline Valley Salt Tram, the steepest tramway in the United States, runs three and a half miles through this WSA. The Pat Keyes trail, formed around 1890, is a historic mining trail which was used to serve mines in the Inyo crest.

Recreational Values:

Backpacking, hiking, camping, photography, historic sightseeing

Symmes Creek

Name: Symmes Creek
Acreage: 11,480 (BLM), 430 (INF)
Location: Southwest of Independence

Natural Values:

Standing on the brink of two worlds, at the transition between the adventure-promising Sierra Nevada and the vast expanse of the Owens Valley, is Symmes Creek WSA.

It is easy to bypass the region if you're in a rush, but this would be missing out on an area rich in wildlife. The hefty vegetation of Symmes Creek WSA make it a gathering point for scrub jays, towhees, dark-eyed juncos, mountain bluebirds, and numerous other chattering birds, while the large swaths of bitterbrush provide food for mule deer during the winter months.

Symmes Creek can be easily spotted from afar, marked by a line of willows bisecting the dry, alluvial fans.

Cultural Values:

This WSA is in the home territory of the Independence Paiute Indian Tribe. It was used for seed collection as well as sites for small, temporary camps.

Recreational Values:

Trout fishing, hunting, and camping

Volcanic Tablelands

Name: Volcanic Tablelands
WSA Complex: Volcanic Tablelands
Acreage: 11,840
Location: northwest of Bishop

Natural Values:

A dusty, red carpet dotted with shrubs and boulders, the Volcanic Tablelands WSA is an area of small canyons, gentle hills, and volcanic bluffs. The dusty red rock is rhyolitic ash that turned to stone erupting from the Long Valley Caldera 760,000 year ago. The fractured topography is the result of faulting action that took place after the eruption.

The vegetation is mainly spiny hopsage, shadscale, ephedra, and dalea. Large mammals are rare in this area due to lack of water, but there are plenty of small mammals, lizards, and raptors.

Cultural Values:

There are Bishop Paiute spiritual areas in the Volcanic Tablelands. This is also an area of historic seed collecting by Paiute Indians.

Recreational Values:

Exploring, birding, and watching the sunset on the adjacent White Mountains.

Walford Springs--Released from WSA Status

Name: Walford Springs
WSA Complex: Granite Mountain
Acreage: 12,250
Location: a few miles northeast of Mono Lake

Natural Values:

As you gaze upon the greasewood, big sagebrush, and cottonthorn shrubs that grow on the gently sloping terrain, you are actually looking at the ancient lakebed of Lake Russell, the Ice Age name of Mono Lake. The natural characteristics of this WSA have been shaped by its past, as the fine grained sediments influence which plant species grow in this area. In addition, you may find wild horses frolicking through the sparsely distributed juniper trees.

Cultural Values:

Walford Springs is in the home territory of the Mono Lake Paiute Indian Tribe. Historically, the area was probably used for seed collection and winter home.

Recreational Values:
Camping, hiking, hunting, horseback riding, photography