Adapt or melt into the couch. ACL recovery was not going to keep us from enjoying our annual Eastern Sierra fall excursion. It just meant an opportunity to see my happy place from a new perceptive – behind the wheel of Peanut, our 4×4 truck. Besides, with good friends, tasty food, hoppy beer, and delightful scenery, we had a recipe for a good time.

To think how many times I’ve driven past Crowley Lake on Highway 395, without giving the expanse of blue water a second thought…until I randomly saw the Crowley Lake Pillars on the Visit Mammoth Instagram. After getting past my bewilderment, I decided we needed to delve deeper into Crowley Lake. Figuratively that is, because Aspen hates swimming.

Crowley Lake Pillars

We decided to finally make the journey to visit the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, but via backroads! We discovered Silver Canyon in our hardcopy of Guide To Northern California Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails. Thankfully the book was as thorough as the title, so navigation was easy. The book advised low-range gear. A sign before the first water crossing mentioned low-range gear. Once we started up the gravel road, the gradient made it clear why. Peanut wasn’t salty about the trip at all, but halfway up our friends frantically waived to us in the rearview mirror because their transmission warning light came on. A bit worrisome, but that meant we got to stop and enjoy the view over Owens Valley to the Sierra more often as the transmission cooled…

The pups reporting back from their scouting trip.

We made it to the top!

The chalk bluffs are just something we pondered driving to the hot springs. This time we hit the breaks, found a turn out, and drew designs on my jeans with chalk that was just laying on the ground. Right on the ground!

Teacher supply shop by Mother Nature.

I love how we can still find new things at our favorite places. I suppose this applies to the Eastern Sierra in general, but I’m specifically referring to Schat’s Bakery. I normally focus my taste buds on savory bread, but I saw this glacier blue trout in the display case and knew it was the catch of the weekend! I bet the Bishop Schat’s has some amazing edible roaming gnomes too.

The rare glacier blue trout.

Typical Eastern Sierra, no matter what is on the agenda, you can’t go wrong. Unless you stay home on the couch…

Happy,
Trails